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back to article IBM: Last chance to load up on Power 6+

With the Power7+ processors and their related Power Systems machinery looming on the horizon sometime before the end of the year – and sooner rather than later if the murmuring on the street is any indication – it is no surprise that Big Blue is beginning the process of winding down sales of new Power6+ system boards and related …

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  1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
    Facepalm

    Translation.....

    "We at IBM are stuck with loads of Power6+ kit we couldn't shift so please buy some for all those systems you won't be able to upgrade to Power7 or later chips, and then buy some nice new Power7+ systems when we finally get them ready."

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    1. Allison Park
      Reply Icon

      Re: Translation.....

      Matt is a boob.

      Personally I would never buy Power6 since Power7 has been out so long but I have heard some companies standardize on a box and want it for every store, branch, etc. Which I guess IBM is still selling power6, but at some point 99% of the customer switch over so its time to stop offering the old gear.

      Now speaking of Itanium. HP should still be selling Montecito cause Tukwila cores are only 15% higher in performance than Montecito cores and Oracle charges 2X the price. Ouch.

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  2. Beachrider

    These parts will be available USED for yrears...

    If a company insist on NEW for upgrades of 3year old equipment, then this is last-call. Otherwise, there is an ample supply of used part for at least 3 more years. If you don't care about IBM certification of the parts, you have even more options..

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  3. Jesper Frimann
    Headmaster

    Matt..

    You have been reading to much Oracle marketing material.

    Sure you can upgrade a POWER6 based system like the POWER 570 to for example a POWER7 based POWER 770. There are extensive upgrade paths, sure not the lowend models.

    // Jesper

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    1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Facepalm

      Re: Matt..

      ".....you can upgrade a POWER6 based system like the POWER 570 to for example a POWER7 based POWER 770....." Yeah, a rip and replace upgrade that means everything but the frame changes.

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  4. Beachrider

    These fork-lift upgrades...

    I don't have the specific info on the latest Power 6 to Power 7 uplift, but it has fit a defined framework in the past...

    They have been priced so that the tax-writedown for the old-box is higher than this upgrade.

    Imagine a typical 4-year writedown (after six months of usage) for a $200K Power 6 box. After one year, you still have 30 months of depreciation on the 'books'. In this case, $25K has been written down, $175K remains to be done. IBM might sell the upgrade for $150K, PLUS any memory and I/O changes. It can be cheaper than a new purchase, but it is rarely cheaper than buying-a-used-machine and upgrading it.

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  5. Beachrider

    36 months...

    Sorry about the edit error. 36 months, not 30 months.

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