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Enterprises are under relentless pressure today, dealing with critical workloads while navigating the perilous waters of constant cyber threats. It’s akin to a final boss battle in a video game, with the stakes raised for industries unable to afford even minor missteps, like healthcare, finance, and government. In this environment, IBM’s introduction of Power11 represents more than just a hardware refresh; it’s a full-spectrum overhaul that promises resilience and agility.
Power11 in a nutshell
IBM has long been the backbone of organizations managing heavy workloads, such as claims processing and patient records management. With Power11, the objective is clear: ensure seamless operations without interruptions. This platform goads enterprises forward into realms of intelligence and automation while maintaining the reliability they depend on.
What sets Power11 apart? Here are some standout features:
- Zero planned downtime through autonomous patching and live workload migration.
- Unmatched uptime at 99.9999%, marking the highest resiliency in the Power line.
- AI-ready architecture, with built-in acceleration for forthcoming advancements like IBM’s Spyre chip.
- Up to 55% better core performance compared to Power9, alongside a 45% increase in capacity for mid-range systems.
- Twice the performance per watt compared to x86 alternatives.
This infrastructure is meticulously designed to ease the operation of AI workloads, providing speed and efficiency.
What makes Power11 different
In a world shifting towards AI and hybrid cloud solutions, the requirements for infrastructure have evolved dramatically. Enterprises are not solely searching for raw power; they demand intelligence, automation, and flexibility. IBM Power11 rises to this challenge.
As Tom McPherson, GM of Power Systems at IBM, puts it, “IBM Power11 changes the game for enterprise computing.” He asserts that this new offering equips clients to accelerate into the AI era while drawing on IBM’s vast ecosystem to furnish hybrid cloud, AI, and automation capabilities. It signifies a trustworthy hybrid infrastructure tailored specifically for essential workloads.
Always-on operations, without the weekend downtime
A longstanding headache for enterprise IT is the need to schedule maintenance windows that avoid disrupting business operations. Thanks to Power11, this problem is effectively eliminated. The platform employs automated patching and intelligent workload movement, enabling system updates without taking applications offline.
As William Allarey, senior IT manager at GuideWell, notes, “We are very interested in faster and more frequent maintenance updates with no planned downtime.” This capability allows teams to concentrate on delivering enhanced services in sectors like healthcare.
Built-in acceleration for real AI workloads
Power11 is future-ready, particularly regarding AI. Later this year, IBM is set to introduce the Spyre Accelerator—a chip tailored for offloading complex AI tasks, such as large language model inference. This enhancement will bolster speed and efficiency while alleviating the core system’s processing burden.
Chris Drake, senior research director at IDC, explains, “This will enable seamless AI integration into existing applications and workflows running on Power, broadening the range of possible AI use cases.”
Built-in cyber resilience
Security receives a notable upgrade with Power11, which includes IBM Power Cyber Vault. This innovative feature can detect ransomware threats in a minute and allows rapid recovery using immutable snapshots. Adhering to the NIST framework and equipped with quantum-safe cryptography, the platform addresses enterprises’ long-term data protection concerns.
The bottom line
IBM continues its legacy of building reliable infrastructure that powers some of the world’s most critical systems. With Power11, speed, security, and simplicity are embedded within a framework designed to manage the complexities of today’s technology landscape effectively.
Power11 isn’t the only initiative aimed at creating opportunities in the AI field. IBM has also recently launched Agent Connect, a new partner program along with the Agent Catalog—a marketplace specifically for AI agents in Orchestrate.