Top Competitive Selling Points for System x3690 X5
(As of April 10, 2013)

The x3690 X5 is the industry’s first high-end, two-socket server that is designed to offer the performance, memory capacity, and reliability features previously found only in four-socket servers.

• The x3690 X5 features the IBM eX5 Architecture, the fifth generation of mainframe-inspired IBM Enterprise X-Architecture technology, delivering breakthrough performance and high availability using the latest generation Intel Xeon “Westmere-EX” processors.
• MAX5 allows the x3690 X5 to support 4x the memory capacity of many competing servers, up to 64 DIMMs for two sockets. The additional memory pushes the limits of virtualization with the ability to deploy the maximum number of virtual machines supported by VMware.
• In July 2010, IBM posted the highest score ever achieved by a two-socket server on SPECjbb2005. Refer to this website for details: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/eserver/benchmarks/news/newsblurb_x3690X5_specjbb_070610.pdf.
• The eX5 architecture offers two levels of memory protection for maximum memory integrity, IBM Chipkill and memory mirroring.
• The x3690 X5 supports up to three FlashPacks (24 1.8” drives), delivering 480 K internal IOPs for a 40x increase in local database performance and $1.3M savings compared to equal IOPs storage.
• IBM Virtual Fabric technology has been extended to the eX5 architecture with the optional Emulex 10 Gb Virtual Fabric adapter. Virtual Fabric means that fewer adapters and switches need to be supported for the same workload. It also allows bandwidth to be allocated as needed with mission-critical workloads getting the most.
• IBM’s eX5 Lab Services help clients leverage the x3690 X5 by delivering free skills transfer and hands-on training.
• IBM eX5 Workload Optimized Solutions deliver tested and proven solutions for data management, smart business solutions, and database engine models.
• IBM Systems Director provides automated image deployment and pre-configured server identity.
• The price/performance of the x3690 X5 is superior to Itanium-based entry and midrange servers due to the technology behind the X5 chipset and the ability to support eight-core Xeon processors (Itanium is currently only available as quad-core processors). In most configurations, the x3690 X5 will deliver outstanding performance over any Itanium-based entry or midrange server, and a three-year TCO as low as a third of the Itanium system.
• Hot-swap disk drives, cooling fans, PCI Express cards, and memory DIMMs provide for uninterrupted operations and ease of service.
• Enhanced Predictive Failure Analysis helps identify a troubled component before it actually fails. An easy, tool-less design, combined with Light-Path Diagnostics, quickly leads technicians to the specific component that needs to be replaced.
• IBM Calibrated Vectored Cooling helps keep internal components cool for optimum performance and greater longevity.

Link to ServerProven List for the x3690 X5 (7147):

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/xseries/7147.html