Dell has launched a new range of four-processor servers to improve performance in enterprise datacentres.
The Dell PowerEdge 6800 and PowerEdge 6850 use the new 64-bit Intel Xeon MP (multi-processor) platform, and are aimed at database environments, server consolidation and virtualisation needs, and migration from costlier Risc-based systems.
Like other Dell servers, the PowerEdge 6800 and PowerEdge 6850 offer the latest core technologies, including DDR2-400 ECC memory and PCI Express I/O, but they deliver a processing performance 32% higher than previous Dell four-processor offerings.
With the new models, for the first time Dell PowerEdge four-processor servers can be configured for application-specific performance optimisation.
The new 64-bit Intel Xeon MP processors are available in two different configurations: large 8Mbytes level three cache, or a smaller level two cache with a faster processor clock speed.
This enables customers to choose the configuration based on their datacentre environment to take advantage of either a larger cache or a faster processor clock speed.
For customers with a database environment, the PowerEdge servers can be configured with a large cache processor to efficiently handle the large data blocks processed in those environments.
For other applications that can take advantage of processor-centric performance, customers will benefit from the faster processor speeds. Despite this functionality, the new servers are the lowest priced four-processor servers ever offered by Dell.
The PowerEdge 6800 and PowerEdge 6850 servers will be available worldwide in the coming weeks starting at $3,999 (£2,220) and $4,899 (£2,720), respectively.
