IBM's i5 server is a midrange server ideal for a variety of business enterprises. The i5's operating system is called the OS/400. i5 customers can choose from thousands of applications that have already been written and many have been "Web-enabled." IBM points to the i5's "uptime" of 99.9%.
According to IBM, these are some important new uses for the i5:
- Data warehousing: With multi-gigabytes of RAM and multi-terabytes of hard disk space, the i5 can be a repository for large amounts of company data. Our larger customers store millions of invoices for rapid on-line access.
- Java application development: With its closely integrated Java virtual machine and new tools designed by IBM for building commercial applications with Java, the i5 can be used as a development system.
- Web and e-commerce serving: Equipped with a Web server and applications designed to support e-commerce (taking orders, tracking orders, providing service to customers, working with partners and suppliers) and with firewall capabilities, the i5 can handle Internet serving for a small to large-size company.
- Corporate groupware services: Assuming that Domino and Notes have been included with the system, it's designed to quickly provide a corporation with sophisticated e-mail, project file sharing, whiteboards, and electronic collaboration.