IBM launches preconfigured LinuxONE servers for unified data center operations

IBM is launching preconfigured LinuxONE servers aimed at simplifying networking and securing data-center resources in small to medium-sized organizations that need to support everything from AI to workload consolidation.

The rack-mounted LinuxONE 4 Express system is based on the same 5.2Ghz IBM Telum processor that IBM uses in its z16 series of mainframes and comes in three configurations with memory that ranges from 384GB to 736GB depending on customer requirements. The IBM Rockhopper Express systems support a variety of Linux operating systems, including Red Hat, SUSE, and Ubuntu. 

The LinuxONE 4 Express boxes can be expanded from a base level of 16 IBM Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) systems – the processor dedicated to supporting Linux workloads – to 68 IFL instances. And, ultimately, it can be grown to support the next larger LinuxONE system, the Emperor, which can support over 200 IFL instances, IBM stated.

The Telum processor includes support for IBM’s on-chip AI inferencing, which lets customers co-locate AI applications and mission-critical data on a LinuxONE system, allowing data analysis to occur where the data is located, IBM stated. For example, health insurance companies could analyze large volumes of medical records in near real time to validate process claims, IBM stated.

LinuxONE 4 Express combines support for hybrid cloud and AI operations in a single, easy-to-deploy system that can scale to meet growing workload and performance requirements, said Tina Tarquinio, vice president of product management for IBM Z and LinuxONE. It enables AI inferencing co-located with mission-critical data for growing AI use cases, Tarquinio said.

All of the systems include integrated networking, such as 10GbE RDMAover Converged Ethernet (RoCE). There are a number of security features as well, including embedded encryption, advanced threat protection capabilities, and quantum-safe support to prevent future cyberattacks that might use the technology to break current encryption algorithms, IBM stated.

The Rockhopper Express boxes also include support for IBM Secure Execution for Linux, a hardware-based security technology that can isolate individual workloads to protect customers from external attacks and insider threats, IBM stated.   

For workload consolidation, the integrated Express package can replace about 2,000 x86 servers with a single instance. Moving Linux workloads from a comparable x86 server to an IBM LinuxONE 4 Express can save more than 52% on their total cost of ownership over 5 years, according to IBM.

The IBM LinuxONE 4 Express starts at $135,000 and will be available from IBM and certified business partners on February 20.