The i820 is a 64-bit RISC-based departmental server that runs on OS/400. Via an Integrated xSeries Adapter (a PCI card), the i820 manages a smaller external x250 server. These 64-bit, 66MHz adapters enable multiple xSeries systems to connect to a single iSeries box via a 1Gbyte/sec link.
For the museum, the xSeries servers provided an alternative to running Windows on a large number of individual Intel servers. The xSeries blade servers use the OS/400-based iSeries' storage and management systems, but function as standalone Windows servers. This consolidation capability reduces administrative overhead by enabling the IT staff to manage the iSeries servers and the xSeries blade servers via the same interface. It also simplifies other tasks: for example, user IDs and passwords can be synchronized simultaneously on both platforms.
Since the iSeries servers and the xSeries blade servers can share disk space, storage management functions are also easier to perform. The systems can be backed up to a single tape drive, and the OS/400's job scheduling capability reduces the amount of time it takes to perform backups.
The systems also provide a major edge when it comes to fault tolerance. If one of the blades in the i820 fails, says Horio, he can quickly swap it out for a new one, thereby reducing the potential impact of downtime.
Being able to leverage the capabilities of the AS/400 in a Windows-based environment was one of Horio's primary goals for the project. "There are a lot of things I got used to in working in an AS/400 environment that didn't exist in the Windows environment," says Horio. "Most people working in a Windows environment don't understand the AS/400 mentality-they don't understand the benefits of midrange systems. Putting the blade in an iSeries provided the functionality of both worlds."
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