Fujitsu to Release Primequest 2000 High-End Servers

Fujitsu has launched a new series of high-end servers that it says offers unprecedented x86 performance and memory expandability.

It says that the Primequest 2000 line-up includes mission critical functionality, guaranteeing business continuity with availability levels equivalent to those of UNIX systems — but with the cost advantages of an x86-based architecture.

It also sets ‘new levels of performance and system resilience that are unrivalled on any other x86 system.’

It delivers a datacentre infrastructure foundation for organisations focusing on transforming their ICT into business-intelligent solutions, through the adoption of applications that use in-memory technology, such as the SAP HANA platform.

The new line-up also includes 8-way servers with extra-large memory capacities of up to 12TB, with the Primequest 2800B model being designed to handle bigger memory-intensive applications.

According to Fujitsu, the Primequest 2800E model also sets a new performance world record eight-processor result running on Windows, on the two-tier SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) standard application benchmark.

Fujitsu claims its the first time an x86-based solution has been able to match both the performance and resilience of a Unix system.

As a result, it presents enterprises with an alternative path for mission-critical computing deployments, where unplanned downtime is not an option.

Systems feature self-healing advanced reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) components that have a built-in resilience to faults that may develop during runtime — but which can otherwise cause servers to shut down.

Primequest is able to detect and automatically compensate for these faults, ensuring that systems keep on running.

The top-of-the-range Fujitsu Primequest 2400E and 2800E models also introduce a new Dynamic Reconfiguration feature allows online replacement of system boards and therefore enables on-the-fly re-partitioning while the system is still up and running.

Workloads can be shifted from one partition to another on a running server, therefore avoiding the need for any planned downtime or even operating system restarts.

Fujitsu executive vice president products technology and channel international business, Hans-Dieter Wysuwa, said the server computing market was going through revolutionary times. “Our new Primequest infrastructure solution presents enterprises with a new choice of platform for running their mission-critical applications, while also providing the perfect building block for incorporating disruptive technologies like in-memory computing,” he said.

“Primequest is capable of meeting new demands where existing datacentre technology just is not up to the mark, such as hugely increased requirements for memory combined with mission-critical levels of uptime.”

Intel Datacentre Group vice president of marketing, Shannon Poulin, said Intel had worked hand-in-hand with Fujitsu to combine world-class performance and high availability at a lower total cost of ownership that alternative UNIX based systems simply can’t compete against.

“We’re also pleased to see new innovation including Dynamic Reconfiguration that enhances Primequest’s value proposition as a leader in resilient mission-critical solutions,” he said.

The servers will be available later this month.