IBM has demonstrated the two-way Power4-based blades running Linux, and the blades are expected to support AIX as well. IBM has not said exactly what Power4 chip it is using in the blades. A two-way blade could be based on a single dual-core Power4-II chip, perhaps clocked down to 1GHz so it doesn't overheat. This chip has a lot of connectivity for SMP configurations on the chip, however, and that is unnecessary for any entry server, blade or otherwise. Or, IBM could employ the PowerPC 970 chip that it was showing off a few weeks ago. The PowerPC 970 is a derivative of the Power4 that is aimed at desktop and entry servers. It clocks higher and runs cooler than current Power4 chips, and it is widely expected to be used in Apple Macs and in entry pSeries servers supporting Linux and AIX operating systems. IBM could have another derivative of the Power4 chip in the works, too, that we have not yet heard of.
