Unisys Corp. kicks off Unisys Universe 2013 in Chicago this morning by announcing milestones from its proprietary CMOS processing platform to Intel Xeon. The announcements include a new top-end ClearPath server based on Intel Xeon technology that provides 20 percent higher performance, based on Unisys standard benchmark testing, over its highest performing CMOS platform. ClearPath technology is an important part of the new “Forward! by Unisys” fabric computing platform designed to make the migration to Xeon transparent to UNIX/RISC users. It also is announcing advances in cyber security, cloud, Big Data, and mobile computing including support for iOS, Android, Windows, and RIM mobile devices.

The new ClearPath Libra 8290 server delivers 20 percent higher performance than the largest CMOS-based ClearPath Libra 800 systems. It more than triples IO performance of its predecessors, reduces physical footprint by 50% and provides power savings, and is the latest step in Unisys’s evolution of the ClearPath family to an open architecture based on Intel processors. It runs the Unisys MCP operating environment, allowing users to transition from the older generation of ClearPath systems and modernize applications without changing core software.

It features dual processor/memory cells and IO subsystem modules. The redundant processor modules support automated failover in the event of a system component failure. The redundancy comes preconfigured, eliminating the need for clients to modify the system. the IO cells use Unisys s-Par secure partitioning technology, enabling multiple partitions to operate concurrently and supporting large-capacity IO.

Forward! by Unisys, being previewed at Universe, is a secure architecture designed for cloud and Big Data workloads that provides a cost-effective path for migrating Unix applications off legacy RISC-based platforms to the new Intel-based environment. Expected to be unveiled at the Gartner Symposium/ITexpo in early October, it will combine Unisys secure partitioning (S-Par) and virtualization technology with Intel Xeon processors in a fabric architecture. It is designed to provide a powerful, secure, and flexible environment for mission-critical computing.

Unisys is dedicating an entire session track at Universe to showing the new features and capabilities of its ClearPath enterprise service family. It also will show the latest additions to its Stealth cybersecurity products, including the recently announced Unisys Stealth for Amazon Web Services. Stealth uses advanced data cloaking techniques to help organization mitigate cybersecurity attacks and hacker incidents by rendering devices, data, and end users invisible on the network.