Egenera simplifies the data center with a unique server architecture specifically designed to reduce data center complexity and deliver an anile, highly-available infrastructure. The Egenera BladeFrame system's Processing Area Network(PAN) architecture eliminates the need to dedicate servers to applications. Instead, a data center virtualization architecture, which replaces physical components with software, can automatically repurpose and reallocate servers on demand. Virtualization means that server resources can be easily shared, enabling enterprises to slash server count and reduce data center complexity by up to 80 percent. Additionally, new servers can be provisioned in minutes-not days, weeks or months- to enable business agility that cannot be achieved with legacy server architecture.

Moreover, by combining the scalability of blade servers and the price/performance of x86 processors with mainframe-class functionality, the BladeFrame enables data centers to leverage Linux, Microsoft Windows and Sun Solaris for mission-critical applications. Other x86-based systems simply aren't robust enough. Mid-range and high-end RISC systems, like mainframes, cost a small fortune and lock you in. Egenera delivers commodity price/performance with the enterprise-class functionality needed to run a business.

• Lower TCO

Virtualization enables multiple applications to share resources for spikes and failover, making it possible to reduce excess capacity by 50 percent and double utilization. And it's all business-driven. Resources are automatically allocated through software based on application priorities and service levels.

Virtualization also simplifies data center infrastructure by reducing the number of devices and failure points under management. 1,000 discrete servers can be replaced with just 10 BladeFrame systems, lowering server count by 75 percent. This consolidation slashes TCO by reducing operational costs including software license fees, hardware maintenance fees and personnel requirements.

• Unprecedented Agility

Through virtualization, new services can be launched faster than ever before to neutralize competitive threats and capitalize on market opportunities. When a new processing resource is required, it can be installed and deployed-including automated configuration of the software stack-in minutes, versus the weeks required to provision traditional hardware.

For existing services, resources can be repurposed in minutes to scale applications and ensure uptime. Based on business priorities, the Egenera system can identify applications that are under-powered or over-powered, and reallocate capacity on-the-fly. Incremental resources can be accessed from asset pools or shifted from less critical services. The same model applies to hardware and software failover, ensuring that mission-critical services are always available and making high availability cost-effective for every organization and application.

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