This IBM Redbooks® publication provides a comprehensive overview of the IBM Power E1180, the flagship system in the IBM Power11 family. It describes the implementation of the Power11 processor, which is an evolution of the Power10 chip that is used in the IBM Power E1080, and examines the system architecture and performance capabilities in detail. Engineered for the artificial intelligence (AI) era, the IBM Power11 platform is built on three foundational pillars: Trusted, Autonomous, and Modern.
- Trusted: Provides exceptional business continuity with 99.9999% availability, zero planned downtime (ZPD) for maintenance, quantum-safe cryptography, and rapid system recovery.
Autonomous: Improves operational efficiency through intelligent automation, energy-optimized performance modes, and minimal manual intervention. Modern: Supports AI application development and deployment across hybrid cloud environments (on-premises and in the cloud) by using off-chip AI acceleration through IBM Spyre AcceleratorTM and a robust partner ecosystem.
The Power11 architecture introduces several key hardware innovations, including 7 nm processor technology, increased core density, and expanded memory bandwidth with DDR5. It also offers advanced reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS), flexible consumption models, and broad compatibility with modern software platforms such as Red Hat OpenShift and IBM watsonx®. Overall, the Power E1180 is a high-performance, enterprise-grade platform that can support AI workloads, mission-critical applications, and digital transformation at scale.