INDUSTRY

MARLBORO, MA -- Egenera, Inc., an emerging leader in data center infrastructure, has delivered Egenera(TM) Processing Blade(TM) configurations based on the Intel(R) Xeon(TM) processor MP 1.60 GHz and the Intel Xeon processor MP 1.40 GHz, both introduced today. The Egenera BladeFrame(TM) system and its Processing Area Network (PAN) architecture represent a new approach to computing by integrating hardware, software, networking and services to consolidate, simplify and virtualize the allocation and management of processing power. To its knowledge, Egenera is the first supplier to deliver the processing capacity of an enterprise-class, four-way SMP server in a 1U form factor. Through this engineering feat, the BladeFrame consolidates 96 high-performance Intel microprocessors on 24 Processing Blades in a standard 24x30x84-inch chassis. The BladeFrame's ability to support mission-critical, back-end applications differentiates Egenera from other blade server providers, both new entrants and incumbents, whose platforms are generally designed for edge applications such as Web servers. "Once again, Egenera has delivered new Processing Blade configurations coincident with an Intel launch, ensuring that our customers have rapid access to the latest microprocessor technology," said Susan Davis, vice president of product marketing and management at Egenera. "Our ability to package four server-class processors in a 1U form factor raises the bar for density across the industry. Moreover, with these new configurations, Egenera continues extending the blade server continuum to encompass far more than simple edge devices. With 80 to 90 percent of data center applications running on two- and four-way systems, the BladeFrame offers large enterprises and service providers a virtually universal computing platform." "With the BladeFrame, Egenera is offering its customers a unique and innovative Xeon processor-based, four-way virtual server designed to lower total cost of ownership," said Lisa Hambrick, Director, Enterprise Processor Marketing at Intel Corporation. "The Intel Xeon Processor MP delivers customers performance, reliability and choice for enterprise-class data centers." Egenera now provides five Intel-based Processing Blade configurations: Four-way SMP -- Intel Xeon processor MP 1.60 GHz, 512K L2 cache, 1M L3 cache with 12 GB ECC DDR memory -- Intel Xeon processor MP 1.40 GHz, 512K L2 cache, 512K L3 cache with 12 GB ECC DDR memory Two-way SMP -- Intel Xeon processor 2.20 GHz, 512K L2 cache with 6 GB ECC DDR memory --Intel Pentium(R) III processor 1.26 GHz, 512K L2 cache with 2 GB ECC SDRAM memory -- Intel Pentium III processor 1 GHz, 256K L2 cache with 2 GB ECC SDRAM memory The Processing Blade design eliminates local storage, floppy and CD-ROM drives, SCSI and power cables, KVM and Ethernet ports, network interface cards, host bus adapters and other components that consume valuable real estate. Instead, through Egenera PAN Manager(TM) software and synergy with Storage Area Network (SAN) technology, these elements are virtualized. Because it contains only processors, memory, fans and a power supply, a 1U Processing Blade can accommodate four server-class chips. Featuring Intel processors and the Red Hat Linux(R) operating system, the BladeFrame creates a pool of 24 hot-pluggable Processing Blades interconnected via a very high-speed, internal network and deployed through Egenera PAN Manager software. As new processors become available, customers enjoy a built-in migration path and eliminate forklift upgrades by simply replacing individual Processing Blades. Likewise, multiple processor and OS generations can run simultaneously on a single BladeFrame, protecting earlier investments. With no local disk, and therefore no state, Processing Blades are anonymous and interchangeable--a unique characteristic that enables unprecedented flexibility. The Intel Xeon processor MP provides industry-leading compute power for enterprise server applications including middleware, enterprise databases, collaboration, media servers, site management, customer relationship management, business intelligence and supply-chain management. The Intel NetBurst(TM) micro-architecture, Hyper-Threading technology and integrated Level 3 cache further enhance throughput and headroom for large server workloads. Specifically, Hyper-Threading technology allows an operating system to view a single physical processor as if it were two logical processors, enabling multi-threaded software to execute tasks in parallel within each processor. Benefits include increased business competitive advantage through higher transaction rates, support for more users and faster response times. Egenera has assembled a senior management team and engineering staff with an average 20-plus years' experience working with the industry's foremost providers and users of enterprise-class hardware and software systems. This collective technical, customer and business experience uniquely positions the company to reinvent data center computing. Relationships with EMC, Intel, Oracle, Red Hat and Turbolinux, among others, further strengthen the Egenera value proposition. The BladeFrame helps Egenera customers, which include both large enterprises and service providers, reduce application time-to-market, keep applications online, improve data center management and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).