IBM Makes Power7 Express Lineup Official, Adds ISV Certified Applications

IBM Corp. officially rolled out its new lineup of entry-level Power7 systems aimed at mid-sized business customers, positioning the machines as infrastructure and application servers suitable for high workloads, easily scalable, cost- and energy efficient, and tailored for growing enterprises.

The vendor initially unwrapped its four Power Express servers—the Power 710, 720, 730 and 740—in August and yesterday said that the systems now are available for purchase. Prices start at $6,385 for the 710 model, $6,835 for the 720 model, $15,230 for the 730 model, and $15,767 for the 740 model.

IBM said that it expects the Express servers to play well with channel partners and has backed the systems with a range of financing options—including a competitive replacement program—additional co-marketing funds, demonstration units and a collection of ISV certified applications.

Accordingly, the vendor said that four new i Solution Editions for the new Express servers, integrated and optimized for rapid enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployment, based on software from qualified ISVs SAP AG, Oracle JD Edwards, Lawson and Infor, are now available.

“We have armed partners with more demos, loaners, trials and a richer suite of ISV-certified applications than with any other announcement,” said Andy Monshaw, IBM global midmarket general manager.

In July, IBM upped its co-marketing funds for midmarket sales—the details of which it communicated to channel partners in an internal memo--and those dollars are available for sales of the Power7 Express units, officials said.

The vendor said that subsequently it has run specific campaign themes tied to priority midmarket client needs, including the Power7 servers, to help channel partners deploy the additional funding.

Channel partners said that the Express systems are a good fit for growing midmarket companies.

“The new Power7 Express systems offer growing companies a higher level of business value, services and ROI at affordable prices,” said Brett Murphy, Software Information Systems LLC, Power brand manager.

Another channel partner, Sirius Computer Solutions Inc., based in San Antonio, TX, also said that the Power7 Express units will be well received by midmarket customers.

"These new systems have the performance, reliability and scalability that our SMB customers need, and have come to expect, from IBM,” said Stan Staszak, Sirius director of Infrastructure Solutions and Services.