Fujitsu extends Opteron-based blades

In an effort to extend its blade servers to handle more demanding database applications, Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp. Tuesday said its Primergy BX630 blade servers can now be linked together into an eight-socket system.

Fujitsu started shipping the Primergy BX630 servers, which are powered by dual-core Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Opteron processors, late last year. At that time the company said that through AMD's HyperTransport technology in Opteron users could link a pair of the two-socket BX630 blades to create a single four-socket system, providing up to eight processing cores in a single system.

Now Fujitsu is combining a pair of those four-socket blades into a single eight-socket system, providing up to 16 processing cores, said officials.

The BX630 blade works in Fujitsu's existing Primergy BX600 chassis and can also be mixed with Fujitsu's Intel Xeon-based Primergy blade servers.

The eight-socket Primergy BX630 blade server configuration will be available in the second quarter of 2006. Fujitsu will provide the system preconfigured for new users and will offer a connection kit for existing users looking to upgrade.

Pricing starts around US$2,250 for a two-socket configuration and scales up to $36,000 for an eight-socket blade system.

Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp., headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Ltd.

Spending on blade servers is expected to reach $10 billion by 2009, according to market research firm IDC.