IBM helps small business deploy blades

IBM is expected to announce on Wednesday a new networking switch for its blade servers and a new service for small-business customers thinking about deploying blade servers. The IBM Server Connectivity Module costs $999 and is available immediately, while the IBM Implementation Services Servicepac for BladeCenter costs $6,999 and will be available this month in the U.S. and Canada.

Blade servers are still a small portion of the overall server shipments, but shipments of the thin servers are growing much more quickly than the rest of the market. The new products and services are designed to make it easier for small businesses to add computing resources as they need them, IBM said. Small businesses will also be able to take advantage of a new financing program that leases BladeCenter servers and chassis.