Unisys has brought real-time capacity to market on its series of ES7000 servers, which means customers pay only for the processors that they use in these Windows and Linux servers that scale in linear fashion to as many as 32 processors.
The move sees servers shipped with excess capacity, allowing customers to scale the hardware as their business needs evolve.
"Each server ships with surplus capacity that can be activated and paid for when and if needed," says Bernard Donnelly, consultancy services manager at Unisys Africa.
Why is Unisys doing this? Donnelly explains:
Q: What is Unisys up to?
A: We`re giving our clients the option to manage and prepare for peak usage or unexpected growth while minimising the need to buy equipment that does not provide an immediate and significant return on investment. Traditionally, IT managers have had to place expensive up-front bets to meet unpredictable processing demands by building IT infrastructures that are large enough to handle occasional peak usage requirements and to accommodate anticipated, yet uncertain business growth. Underestimating capacity often requires a disruptive and expensive fix, easily causing a catastrophic interruption in the business. Overestimating computing demand requires a company to invest in expensive capital equipment that may never be needed.
Q: Why are you giving away processors?
A: We are using the new series of servers to capitalise on a growing trend that sees dwindling popularity of Unix/RISC as a result of increased adoption of Intel`s microprocessors with both Microsoft`s Windows platform and Linux operating systems in the data centre. And as Simon Witts, corporate VP of Microsoft`s Enterprise and Partner Group said, businesses need IT infrastructure that drives growth while maintaining a firm grip on costs. That`s difficult in the face of change. It`s all about efficiency.
Q: What are the options?
A: Each model contains four inactive Xeon MP or Itanium 2 processors along with four, eight, or 12 active processors for use with Windows or Linux operating systems. Each processor can be permanently activated and bought or can be activated temporarily up to four times for a nominal fee and thereafter it remains activated permanently and the capacity bought. When all processors are permanently activated, the total cost for the unit will not exceed the price for purchasing all capacity up-front. That`s what`s available now but if the customer needs something else, we`ll change the offering to suit market requirements.
Q: So who needs this?
A: Some increased demands for computing power are seasonal, such as monthly peaks in retail, financial and healthcare businesses. Other businesses launch a new application and cannot anticipate the kind of computing power demand that will operate in unison with that. Business events, such as mergers and acquisitions, also fall into this unpredictable category that organisations must nonetheless be able to handle. What we`re doing is sharing the financial risk with our customers and saying: "We`ll give you what you need, when you need it."
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Unisys is a worldwide information technology services and solutions company. Our people combine expertise in consulting, systems integration, outsourcing, infrastructure and server technology with precision thinking and relentless execution to help clients, in more than 100 countries, quickly and efficiently achieve competitive advantage. For more information, visit www.unisys.co.za.
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