New IBM POWER processor delivers massive data center performance gains

IBM has unveiled its latest IBM POWER CPU for data centers, which will deliver a dramatic performance increase capable of meeting the significant demands of hybrid cloud computing.

IBM POWER10 is expected to deliver 3x greater energy efficiency, workload capacity and container density than its predecessor, the POWER9.

It is also the first IBM CPU built on a 7nm manufacturing process and will deliver speed increases of up to 20x for certain AI processes, within the same power envelope.

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IBM POWER10 processor

IBM’s new processor was designed over a five year period, with research conducted in partnership with Samsung Electronics, which will also manufacture the IBM POWER10.

The new processor is expected to improve data center efficiency, while also reducing costs associated with space and energy.

Hybrid cloud customers, meanwhile, will get more bang for their buck courtesy of new “Memory Inception” technology, which boosts cloud capacity for memory-intensive workloads and AI processes.

IBM POWER10 also delivers a number of security enhancements designed to guarantee end-to-end protection. The processor offers far faster encryption, both to meet modern requirements and in anticipation of future encryption standards such as quantum-safe cryptography.

“Enterprise-grade hybrid clouds require a robust on-premises and off-site architecture inclusive of hardware and co-optimized software,” explained Stephen Leonard, GM of IBM Cognitive Systems.

“With IBM POWER10 we’ve designed the premier processor for enterprise hybrid cloud, delivering the performance and security that clients expect from IBM. With our stated goal of making Red Hat OpenShift the default choice for hybrid cloud, IBM POWER10 brings hardware-based capacity and security enhancements for containers to the IT infrastructure level.”

IBM POWER10-based servers, with hardware co-optimized for OpenShift, will become available to enterprise customers in the latter half of next year.

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