There are still a number of issues with supplying high-speed AMD64 processors into the market, however, server vendors seem to welcome new higher-end processors from the Sunnyvale, California-based as every day there are more and more computers powered by the Opteron CPUs.

IBM, the developer of POWER and long-time Intel Xeon and Intel Pentium Pro utiliser, announced its eServer 325 machines based on AMD Opteron processors today in Japan. The new 1U 2P systems are designed to work in different mission-critical environments delivering power and running both 32-bit and 64-bit applications.

Here are specifications of the eServer 325 from the legendary International Business Machines:

• 2 AMD Socket 940 Opteron processors 240, 242, 244 or 246;
• AMD 8111+8131 core-logic;
• Up to 12GB of PC2100/PC2700 DDR SDRAM memory with ECC support;
• Integrated ATI Rage XL graphics core;
• 2 100MHz, 64-bit PCI-X slots;
• 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports;
• Ultra 320 SCSI adapter for up to 2 SCSI HDD providing 293.6GB space;
• Integrated 24x CD-ROM;
• Integrated 3.5” FDD;
• SuSE Linux Server 8 for AMD64, Turbo Linux 8 for AMD64, Red Hat Linux Advanced Server 2.1/3.0 or Microsoft Windows Server Enterprise Edition operating systems.

It is very interesting to note that IBM even declared the pricing of an eServer 325 machine based on the yet-unannounced AMD Opteron 246 processors: approximately $4160. This probably means that there is not a lot of time left until AMD is ready to supply the 2GHz Opteron chips.

IBM is accepting orders on eServers 325 beginning from the 6^th of August. Volume shipments will begin on the 18^th of August.