IBM partner switches Border Protection to Power 8

IBM partner ISI is sharing in a $5.4 million project to migrate the Department of Immigration & Border Protection's (DIBP) border and visa processing to the latest Linux on Power platform.

The department is swapping out IBM Power 7 midrange infrastructure, which had reached end of support, and deploying Power 8, with the migration expected to complete by the end of this year.

The Power 8 infrastructure will be hosted in the Canberra Data Centre facility in Hume, and the department's national office in Belconnen.

While it was a direct deal between IBM and the government agency, systems integrator ISI was enlisted to provide "Power Series 8 design solutions and configurations to meet DIBP business requirements", according to a department spokesperson.

Last year, Sydney-headquartered ISI hired 17-year IBM veteran Phil Morris, who spearheaded this Power 8 project, providing technical expertise to assist with design and implementation planning.

It is understood that the move will bring substantial savings on licence fees.

Andreas Wenzel, business leader, IBM Server Solutions Australia & New Zealand, told CRN: "One of the key challenges for Australian organisations is how to manage the enormous amounts of data they generate, particularly industries like government, banking and telecommunications.  

"The IBM Power 8 system is designed for cloud, data, social and mobile solutions. It enables industries to leverage data in real-time with unprecedented speed, resiliency, and security."

Since selling its x86 commodity server portfolio to Lenovo last year, IBM has been banking on growth of its midrange Power 8 range.

Last December, IBM's vice-president of Open Systems Development, Jim Wasko, flew out to Australia to talk to CRN readers about why Big Blue is investing $1 billion in Linux on Power and about IBM's membership of the Open Power Foundation, a consortium of technology companies focused on developing on top of the platform.