IBM’s eX5 architecture advances the ‘state of art’ in x86 by adding features and capabilities that extend the traditional x86 architecture and allow customers to get much more value from their x86 investment in terms of performance, facilities, and data center labor. The new features in these systems should also pay virtualization dividends allowing much higher system utilization rates and improved TCO. This report takes a look at IBM’s new eX5 innovations and also discusses how IBM and VMware are working together to help customers get the most out of their system investments.