- IBM debuted its new Power11 server, with virtual, entry, mid-, high-end versions all slated for simultaneous release later this month
- The company put a big focus on AI for enterprises, with support for its new Spyre Accelerator
- It also highlighted improved resilience and cybersecurity capabilities
IBM is bringing a healthy dose of AI muscle to its enterprise fanbase via the new Power11 server, which will be the first in its Power series to include support for the Spyre Accelerator IBM announced in mid-2024.
Set for general availability later this month, Power11’s AI features are more than chip deep.
Bargav Balakrishnan, IBM’s VP of Product Management, said on a call with media the server will also include integrations with Red Hat OpenShift AI, Python and other open source toolkits, as well as IBM watzonx Code Assistant and watsonx.data (by the end of 2025) to help enterprises run AI across their hybrid environments.
Balakrishnan added the company is also using the model context protocol (MCP) to represent key IBM services in the virtual realm to provide AI tools and agents with the resources needed to deliver top-tier performance.
“We’re delivering full-stack capabilities to really help clients do three things: transform their business workflows and processes with seamless AI integration and acceleration; boost productivity of developers and IT admins with agents and assistants; and really unlock all that critical enterprise data power that’s within the enterprise in general,” Balakrishnan said.
IBM is also leaning into resiliency and cybersecurity with Power11, promising six nines of uptime and zero planned downtime as well as sub-1 minute ransomware detection capabilities.
In another notable first, IBM plans to launch the virtual, entry-level, mid-range and high-end versions of its new server at the same time, he added.
Focused on enterprise
Jack Gold, founder of J.Gold Associates, told Fierce that IBM’s Power servers use a proprietary architecture and thus don’t compete head-to-head with Intel/AMD x86 servers from Dell, HPE and Supermicro. The Power line appeals mostly to IBM shops that want to remain standardized on that vendor's platforms. These include businesses in industries including banking, retail, manufacturing and healthcare.
Thus, IBM’s wares represent “a small portion of the overall AI market, [which is] still dominated by AI accelerators like Nvidia powers systems.”
IBM sees three key trends among its customers, according to Tom McPherson, IBM’s GM for Power Systems. These include an acceleration of hybrid cloud architecture, with a focus on designing and optimizing for hybrid deployments; a focus on data sovereignty, especially in Europe; and, of course, AI, particularly AI acceleration at the edge.
Power11, and the flexibility offered through the rest of its portfolio, will help IBM meet the needs customers have on those fronts, he said.