IBM SCORES HIGH MARKS ON SAP'S NEW RETAIL INDUSTRY BENCHMARK

IBM announced today that SAP has certified its AS/400e series, benchmark of 1,345,000 POS (point of sale) sale data line items per hour on an 8-way database server. This means even big chain store operators can benefit from the high performance of IBM AS/400e business computers, to process POS data quickly and reliably.

AS/400e is one of the first platforms in the industry to certify results against the newly developed SAP Retail Industry Standard Application Benchmark. This benchmark builds on a history of joint activities, including the development of the Retail Interchange software to connect POS systems to AS/400, and IBM's participation in creating the SAP Retail data model. The combination of SAP Retail and IBM AS/400e opens up new opportunities for retailers and suppliers. They can work even closer together in the value chain without having to painstakingly build bridges between disparate systems.

Customers have found SAP solutions on AS/400e series to be amongst the easiest-to-use and fastest-to-deploy when compared to other vendor's servers. A recent Meta Group study shows customers can deploy SAP solutions on AS/400e more than two-and-a half times faster than on competing UNIX and Windows NT servers. "Retailers are increasingly implementing solutions such as SAP Retail at the heart of their businesses," said Julian David, ERP marketing director, Retail Industry Unit, IBM. "When they do, they need a computer system they can depend on.

AS/400 has proven to be the right system at the right time to handle the increasingly demanding needs of retail customers."

The SAP Retail standard application benchmark performed by IBM on October 21, 1998 in Rochester, Minn., USA, is certified with the following data:

• No. of processed sales data line items: 1,345,000 / hour (POS Inbound)
• CPU utilisation database server: 88 percent
• CPU utilisation application servers: 81 percent
• Operating System all server: OS/400 V4R3
• RDBMS: DB2/400 V4R3 R/3
• Release: 4.0 B
• Total disk space: 402GB

Configuration:

• 1 Database Server: AS/400e, Model S40-2207, 8-processors SMP, Power PC 262 MHz, 20 GB main memory
• Application Servers (Total: 11 servers): 9 Dialog/Update Serv.: AS/400e Model S40-2208, 12-processors, Power PC 262 MHz, 8 GB main memory
• 1 Dialog/Update Serv.: AS/400e Model SB1-2312, 12-processors SMP, Power PC 262 MHz, 8 GB main memory1 Message/Enq. Serv.: AS/400e Model S40-2207, 8-processors SMP, Power PC 262 MHz, 8 GB main memory

Notes to Editor

About SAP Retail

SAP Retail is a comprehensive enterprise solution for the retail industry. It integrates all key sectors of wholesale and retail business and provides links throughout the logistics supply chain. Based on the core SAP R/3 solution, SAP incorporates additional functions specifically developed for the unique needs of retailers.

Trademark or registered trademark of IBM Corporation.

UNIX is a registered trademark of Open Group. Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other Product and Company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

About IBM Systems Marketing

Established in January 1998, IBM Systems Marketing brings together the marketing and sales functions for IBM's four server offerings (AS/400, RS/6000, Netfinity and System/390). The move is aimed at offering customers greater clarity in choosing the right solution running across the right platform.

The importance which customers attach to certain solutions is reflected within the new Systems Marketing Organisation. The group includes solution units geared towards ERP, business intelligence solutions, Notes & Web server and server consolidation solutions.

All IBM news releases are available on the Internet at http://www.ibm.com . The AS/400 home page can be found at: http://www.as400.ibm.com . This release and other information from IBM are available electronically on NEWSdesk, the online IT news network. If you are not currently accessing the service, it can be reached on the Internet at: http://www.newsdesk.com , or dial-up software can be obtained by calling +44 (0) 115 9 405300.

Media Contact:

Contact: Nick Davis PR Manager, Systems Marketing, IBM Northern Region 01256 344689 nick_davis@uk.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM