UNISYS TEAMS WITH MICROSOFT ON DYNAMIC PARTITIONING FOR WINDOWS DATACENTER SERVER: Firms To Create Virtual Server-Within-A-Server Capability Critical For E-Business.

Unisys Corp. has just announced a software development agreement with Microsoft Corp. aimed at extending servers based on Windows and Intel technology beyond their current capacities to enhance support for large-scale, high-volume electronic business on a global scale. Under the pact, Unisys is collaborating with Microsoft on technical requirements for enhancing server performance, reliability and flexibility through dynamic partitioning on future versions of the Windows Datacenter Server operating system -- the version of Windows designed for mission critical environments.

Dynamic partitioning allows computers to shift resources within a system without interruptions to processing. The capability enables systems to respond to the unpredictably changing workloads typical in the electronic business computing environment. Delivery of dynamic partitioning features in the Windows Datacenter Server, says Microsoft, will enhance the operating system's ability to process the type of large, complex workloads historically performed by mainframes.

"Customers running large-scale electronic businesses have expressed their interest in servers that combine the high-performance, scalability and availability of mainframe class systems with the flexibility and economies afforded by Windows platforms," says Jeff Raikes, group vice president of Worldwide Sales and Support at Microsoft. "By teaming to accelerate the delivery of dynamic partitioning for Windows Datacenter Server, Unisys and Microsoft are capitalizing on each others' strengths to deliver those benefits to customers and the industry."

Static partitioning enables enterprises to consolidate multiple functions within the same server. For example, an enterprise can assign one group of partitions to handle back-office business processing tasks and another to run new-generation applications such as electronic commerce. Or it can assign and dedicate separate partitions within a system to handle database processing, application development and testing. This functional consolidation can reduce complexity and cost. In the event a partition is overloaded, dynamic partitioning enables shifting of resources on-the-fly.

"Dynamic partitioning has been a defining strength of Unisys mainframes for years," says George Gazerwitz, president of Unisys Computer Systems. "Through our relationship with Microsoft, we will bring this strength to new classes of systems for electronic business and other applications that are changing the business landscape. Together, we will translate a proven technology advantage into an economic advantage for our customers."

Dynamic partitioning also aids server consolidation -- that is, reducing the number of single-function servers, underemployed servers or idle standbys. In a single-function server, for example, all processors are often used only during peak workloads, leaving idle a number of processors that might be used for other work.

With dynamic partitioning, administrators can schedule use of otherwise idle processors to handle a second application, eliminating the need to use an additional server for the secondary workload. This helps enterprise customers reduce capital expenditures by maximizing the use of computing resources in a way not feasible in a non-consolidated environment.

Unisys and Microsoft say the initial design phase of the development initiative will take about six months.