Servers provide optimised infrastructure for cloud environments

The new Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers join the vibrant SPARC technology ecosystem, and together with Oracle's SPARC systems they leverage the security and scalability features of the Oracle Solaris operating system, as well as the efficiency and versatility of the Oracle VM Server for SPARC virtualisation software.

Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers are offered in two models: the two-processor Fujitsu SPARC M12-2 server, and the Fujitsu SPARC M12-2S server, which can be expanded incrementally to a maximum of 32 processors.

The new servers can help customers optimise investments in ICT infrastructure and create new value based on digital technology.

The forerunner of the Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers, the Fujitsu M10 server line, has been adopted by many customers as the core of their ICT infrastructure. Fujitsu M10 servers have contributed to optimised ICT investments by providing stable processing power for mission-critical databases at the foundation of corporate business, and reduced search time for information databases used in corporate marketing to 1/300th that of previous technology.

In recent years, as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become more prevalent in companies and society, there has been an ever-increasing volume of data to be processed, leading to demands for even greater performance, combined with a reduction in operational and management costs.

Features of the Fujitsu SPARC M12
1. Supporting customers' digital transformation by providing high-speed processing
Performance per CPU core is a significant measure to consider when increasing data processing efficiency, and Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers offer up to 2.5 times better core performance compared to the previous Fujitsu M10 models. The Fujitsu-developed SPARC64 XII processor, with what it claims to be the world's highest per core performance, maximises processing capability in mission-critical systems and databases without increasing server complexity, contributing to the optimisation of customer IT investments.

Software on Chip, a feature carried on from the Fujitsu M10, accelerates database processing by leveraging the fact that use of in-memory databases for processing large volumes of data has been very effective in the cloud, expanding the number of simultaneous searches to twice that of the Fujitsu M10 when processing with Oracle Database In-Memory. The Fujitsu SPARC M12, which can accelerate a wide range of data processing, supports the digital transformations of customers by improving the efficiency of mission-critical systems, speeding up decision-making using big data, and improving customer services through multilateral information analyses.

2. Stable operations with new cooling technology
Fujitsu's IT knowledge has been used to develop Vapour and Liquid Loop Cooling (VLLC) technology. This cooling technology reliably cools the interior of the server through the phase change of liquid to vapour, roughly doubling cooling efficiency, and enabling safe and stable operations when building a private cloud environment with multiple Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers installed in a data centre.

3. Optimised operations and management costs suited for business growth
Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers provide CPU Core Activation functionality, for configuring CPU resources one core at a time from a minimum of just two cores per server. CPU Core Activation allows servers to be configured to meet business needs, with the dynamic flexibility to grow as needed. The high-end Fujitsu SPARC M12-2S model offers additional scalability in the form of building block architecture to connect additional Fujitsu SPARC M12-2S server chassis to form flexible scale-up and scale-out servers. By connecting a maximum of 16 building blocks, a single system with over 3,000 CPU threads can be created. Fujitsu SPARC M12-2S servers provide a suitable foundation for private cloud implementations by mitigating initial investment risks while allowing for gradual expansion.

4. Supporting business continuity with stable system operation
Building on the Fujitsu mainframe heritage and the trusted RAS features found in Fujitsu M10 servers, Fujitsu SPARC M12 servers provide error detection and recovery mechanisms for error protection across all processor circuits, supporting stable operation of mission-critical processing.

Toshiyuki Awai, Managing Executive Officer, COO, IT Services Group, ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation, commented: "ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) welcome the announcement of a new product to the SPARC platform. Leveraging our broad implementation experience and SPARC server know-how, CTC have been offering safety and confidence to customers by providing various services, such as POC, system integrations and operations or maintenance support services. I am confident that the combination of SPARC servers, equipped with the world's highest performance processor, the SPARC64 XII, and CTC's solutions and services will contribute to optimising customers' IT investments."