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Unisys Sells 32-Processor CMP System

Unisys Corp. logged its first U.S. order for a full-size 32-processor Unisys e-@ction ES7000 server based on its internally developed Cellular Multiprocessing (CMP) architecture.

Unisys (www.unisys.com) is drawing on its Windows NT systems integration and mainframe manufacturing heritage with the new CMP servers, which Unisys markets as “Intel Mainframe.” While the system can run any Intel-based operating system, Unisys is focused on selling Windows 2000 systems.

The CMP is built in “cells” of four processors that can be scaled up to a maximum of 32-processors per system. The cells can be combined into one, giant 32-way machine or mixed and matched into partitions of 4-way or 8-way systems within a single CMP box.

Unisys’ latest customer fits that latter server-consolidation model.

Penn National Insurance of Harrisburg, Pa., is buying an ES7000 as part of a larger package of Unisys systems, sales, and services.

“As soon as we were introduced to the Cellular Multiprocessing concept, the potential advantages to our operation were quickly apparent,” Tom Miele, director of infrastructure for Penn National, said in a statement. “For the first time, we are able to provide the data-center-class reliability and performance our business requires without the premium price tag associated with such enterprise capability until now.”

The company plans to use Windows 2000 terminal services in a cluster within the CMP server to allow its 1,200 independent agents to process their Penn National insurance claims via secure access to the system via the Web.

The production environment will run the firm’s policy entry, rating, underwriting, renewals, change transactions, cancellations, and reinstatements.

Within the ES7000, Penn National will create a Windows 2000 test environment in one partition and perform file and print services in another partition.

Penn National won’t be funneling all those systems into one box immediately. The company will first host the partitions on physical machines outside the CMP ES7000. Two clustered Unisys 8-way servers will support the production insurance policy processing system, two clustered Unisys 4-way servers will be used for testing, and another cluster of Unisys 4-ways will handle file and print. – Scott Bekker

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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