- IBM unveiled its next-generation Power 11 server line, marking the company’s first major update to its Power systems since 2020.
➤ Release & Availability
Announcement Date: July 8, 2025.
General Availability: July 25, 2025—covering high-end, mid-range, and entry-level models (E1180, E1150, S1124, S1122), also available on IBM Power Virtual Server in public cloud from day one
IBM Spyre Accelerator: Q4 2025
What Tech Publications Are Saying
• Resilience & Zero Downtime
TechRadar highlights Power11’s “99.9999%” uptime promise using autonomous patching, live updates, and rolling upgrades—effectively eliminating planned downtime. Reuters confirms this ultra‑high availability, noting just ~30 seconds of unplanned annual downtime.
• Security & Ransomware Defense
Tom’s Hardware emphasizes the Cyber Vault feature with immutable snapshots and sub‑one‑minute ransomware alerting—though caveats remain around alert vs remediation.
• AI‑Ready & Energy‑Efficient
TechRadar and CRN underscore Power11’s focus on inference acceleration and vibrant hybrid-cloud support; note 55% core‑performance boost over Power9 and standout power‑per‑watt gains thanks to a new “Energy Efficient” mode.
➤ Key Features at a Glance
Feature
Detail
Core Performance ↑
~55% over Power9, up to 25% more cores vs Power10
Energy Efficient Mode
Up to 28% better efficiency vs Max-Performance
AI Accelerator
On-chip AI support now; full Spyre chip arrives Q4 2025
Ransomware Protection
Cyber Vault snapshot + <1‑minute alert
Hybrid‑Cloud Ready
Day‑1 public cloud availability via Power Virtual Server
Voices from IBM
“This is going to be one of the bigger—if not the biggest—IBM Power launches ever,” said Bargav Balakrishnan, VP of IBM Power product management.
“We are taking advantage of the full IBM stack to deliver hybrid cloud, AI, and automation capabilities,” added Tom McPherson, General Manager of Power Systems :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
Why It Matters
Power11 provides enterprises with a single platform that blends ultra‑high performance, AI inference, security, and energy efficiency—across on‑premise and cloud environments. It’s a clear signal that IBM is doubling down on hybrid‑cloud, AI‑driven, mission‑critical infrastructures.
➤ Timeline Summary
July 8, 2025: Official announcement.
July 25, 2025: Power11 GA — hardware & cloud release of server models.
Q4 2025: Release of Spyre AI accelerator chip and watsonx/data integration expanding AI capabilities.
Stay tuned as the Spyre chip and watsonx ecosystem roll out later this year, further extending Power11’s AI and hybrid-cloud promise.
Note: The above configurations use 2 IBM Enterprise 800GB SSD PCIe4 NVMe U.2 modules for storage pricing estimate.
Common IBM Power System Options
Advanced Expert Care (AEC1)
Power Expert Care Advanced: Hardware maintenance or Warranty Service Upgrade to 24x7, includes: Initial contact target response time objective of 2 hours for Severity 1 and 2 issues, and 4 hour objective for severity 3 and 4 issues. If onsite hardware support is still required, onsite target objective is same day for Severity 1, next day for Severity 2 issues, and a scheduled site visit upon a mutual agreement for severity 3 and 4 issues. IBM Power customers in eligible locations may an option to add committed fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2 issues. Software Maintenance SWMA Response, includes: 24x7, 2 hour response goal for Severity 1, 2 business hours for Severity 2 through Severity 4. The price for Advanced Expert Care (AEC1) is $865.90.
Is a rack mounted IBM TS4300 LTO Tape Library that supports up to 2 tape LTO drives. The price for a 3555-L3A single LTO9 Tape Drive configuration with a IBM EN1B PCIe3 x8 2-port 32 Gb Fibre Channel Adapter is an additional $29,538.20.
3580-H9S
Is a IBM TS2290 Stand Alone LTO9 Tape Drive that can be installed in a rack using a shelf kit. The price for a 3580-H9S with a IBM EJ2C PCIe3 x8 SAS quad-port 12 Gb Tape Adapter is an additional $10,891.53.
Understanding IBM Power11 Pricing: Why It’s So "Tricky"
When it comes to pricing an IBM Power11 system, don’t expect a simple sticker price. Compared to traditional x86 servers or cloud configurations, Power11 pricing introduces several layers of complexity — often leaving buyers scratching their heads. Here's a breakdown of the top caveats, quirks, and key considerations that make Power11 pricing so… "IBM."
1. Modular, Not Monolithic
Base chassis pricing may not include memory, cores, or even firmware licenses.
Processor core activations are priced separately — you don’t just get all cores by default.
Memory and I/O expansion pricing varies per model and can scale quickly.
Bottom Line: You’re not buying a “server” — you’re buying a base system, plus all the performance features à la carte.
2. Core-Based Licensing. You Don’t Just Get All the Cores
IBM sells cores in tiers — you can buy what you need today and add more later.
Core licensing may affect software costs, especially if you're running AIX, IBM i, or third-party apps priced per core.
"Elastic Core" or Capacity on Demand (CoD) options are available but can be more expensive over time.
Pricing Pitfall: Assuming all hardware resources are usable at purchase is a common mistake.
3. Firmware, OS, and Support Subscriptions Are Separate
AIX or IBM i licenses are priced per core or per user, depending on edition.
Enterprise support contracts add recurring costs (some essential, others optional).
Firmware update access might be gated behind support agreements.
Tip: Always ask your reseller to outline recurring support costs, not just hardware.
4. Trade-in & Migration Credits. Not Always Transparent
These credits vary wildly depending on model, reseller, region, and deal size.
They’re not always clearly advertised or applied automatically.
Resellers may need to advocate on your behalf with IBM for maximum value.
Strategic Note: Use this to your advantage when consolidating workloads or retiring older Power8/Power9 systems.
5. Price Varies by Reseller, Deal Size, and Region
Two businesses buying the same model may pay wildly different prices.
Volume discounts, IBM bids, and partner negotiations are all part of the game.
“List price” is often irrelevant — always expect discounting negotiations.
Pro Insight: Work with a VAR (like Midland) who knows the IBM ecosystem and can navigate deal registration.
Power 11 Price Checklist
Go through a discovery call to identify workloads and requirements
Be prepared for multi-part SKUs and line-item pricing
Get a custom configuration and quote from certified IBM Gold Partner, Midland Information Systems
IBM Power11 is unique in several important ways — especially when compared to other mid-level enterprise systems. Here's a breakdown of what makes it stand out, and who should care:
What’s Unique About IBM Power 11
1. AI-First Architecture
What it means: Power11 is built with AI inferencing acceleration baked into the CPU — not as an afterthought. It supports massive on-chip matrix math via Matrix Math Assist (MMA) and scales with Open Memory Interface 2.0 (OMI2) and CAPI acceleration.
Why it matters: This allows it to run AI workloads (like fraud detection, demand forecasting, and NLP) next to core transactional systems (like SAP or Oracle) — without needing separate GPU servers.
2. Enterprise-Class RAS + Uptime
Reliability, Availability, Serviceability (RAS) on Power systems is legendary. IBM Power servers often boast 99.999% uptime. Compare that to generic x86 mid-market systems (e.g., Dell, HP) — they’re good, but often not designed for mission-critical, always-on environments.
3. Massive Throughput and Core Efficiency
IBM Power11 chips have fewer cores than x86 counterparts, but each core is much more powerful, with simultaneous multi-threading (SMT8) and huge cache per core. This translates into better per-core licensing economics for apps like Oracle DB.
4. Hybrid Cloud-Ready (IBM i + AIX + Linux)
Power11 is optimized for hybrid workloads across IBM i, AIX, and Linux, all in the same box or cluster. Built-in support for Red Hat OpenShift, PowerVS, and Kubernetes lets it fit into cloud-native strategies without abandoning legacy apps.
5. Backward Compatibility
Customers running workloads on AS/400 / iSeries from 20+ years ago can still run those apps unchanged (yes, unchanged) on Power11 with IBM i 7.5. That kind of software longevity is unheard of on other platforms.
Running aging AS/400, iSeries, or Power8/9 gear — and don’t want to forklift everything to the cloud.
High licensing costs for per-core apps like Oracle or WebSphere — Power11 reduces those costs due to fewer, stronger cores.
Need AI but don’t want to rip-and-replace their entire IT stack.
Mid-size enterprises with real uptime, scaling, and data residency requirements, especially in regulated industries.
IBM Power11 is not just another mid-level server. It’s a hybrid AI + transactional system that’s best suited for:
Enterprises who value uptime, AI performance, and legacy compatibility
Companies with a history on IBM i / AIX that want modern features without full cloud migration pain
Organizations who can leverage per-core licensing and edge-AI compute to optimize costs
IBM Power11 FAQ Accordion
Power 11 FAQs
IBM i 7.4 (TR12+), 7.5 (TR6+), and 7.6 are supported. Power11 also supports AIX and all major Linux distributions.
IBM standardized Power11 on a 2U dual-socket design (1122), eliminating single-socket models to increase IO slots and memory capacity out of the box.
Yes. 32Gb and 64Gb adapters will automatically downshift to 16Gb or even 8Gb depending on connection type.
Pricing is about 7–9% higher for base configs, but you get 15–25% more performance per core and better long-term value. CPUs are cheaper, but licensing has shifted to a simpler subscription model.
Power11 includes scheduled energy modes, allowing you to reduce power usage during off-peak times. Great for carbon reduction and operational savings.
Yes. Internal NVMe is the standard. For replication or multi-LPAR setups, external SANs are recommended.
Yes. Support for Power9 is ending. Power11 delivers more performance, less power use, and the ability to run IBM i 7.6 and future versions.
Modular pricing means you license the base system separately from processor core activations, memory, storage, and OS entitlements like IBM i or AIX. This offers flexibility but adds complexity to total cost calculations.
IBM Power 11 offers increased core density and improved firmware control over resource allocation, but exact performance comparisons depend on licensed core count and workload configuration.
No. Operating system licenses are modular and must be purchased separately. You only pay for the OS instances and features you need.
Yes. IBM Power 11 supports existing workloads via PowerVM, but migration may require firmware updates and license reviews depending on your software stack and OS versions.
IBM does not publish standard pricing because Power 11 configurations are highly modular and pricing depends on selected cores, memory, OS, and services. Pricing is typically provided through IBM Business Partners such as Midland Information Systems.
A typical entry-level configuration with one IBM i OS, 10 users, 128 GB RAM, and 1.6 TB storage can cost around $70,000 including software and hardware licenses. Actual pricing will vary based on activation levels.
Yes, but support varies by IBM i version. You may need to update to a supported release level, and ensure application compatibility before migrating to Power11 hardware.
