The new IBM SurePOS 700 series enables retailers to meet their individual needs with the choice of three high-performance, low-power processors that help reduce energy consumption through less power needed to run the system. In line with IBM's Project Big Green IT initiative, the IBM SurePOS 700 system contains some recycled materials, has a built-in power management system, and is designed with new airflow features to run quieter and cooler.

“Retailers looking for ways to differentiate and transform their businesses to more customer-focused enterprises are demanding products that offer maximum performance, manageability, and the ability to adapt to almost any business environment," said Steve Ladwig, general manager, IBM Retail Store Solutions. "Our flagship SurePOS 700 offering has been designed exclusively to help our retail clients meet and exceed those expectations. It's one more example of IBM listening to clients and delivering solutions that help them move ahead in a high-competitive, ever-changing retail environment."

The IBM SurePOS 700 series is an open system, allowing it to support virtually any environment, including Windows, Linux, IBM 4690 and DOS operating systems. Retailers can also choose three processor options: an Intel Core 2 duo E4300, an Intel Celeron 440 or a VIA C7-D.

"The innovations in serviceability, manageability and energy efficiency for the SurePOS 700 will help extend IBM's leadership position," said Lance Sedlak, general manager, retail group, Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions (ECS), a business unit of Arrow Electronics. "These systems offer real value to the end customers served by Arrow ECS through our partners."

Light-Path Management
The easy-to-service IBM SurePOS 700 boasts visual indicators that proactively monitor the system’s status through Light-Path Management. The service processor is based on an IBM System x™ server architecture and allows both local and remote diagnostics. The virtually tool-free design and key lock access to the hard drive also helps avoid unnecessary service costs, which enables clients to reduce overall hardware maintenance expense by as much as 20 percent³.

The retail-hardened system is easy to install and incorporates the technology retailers need to manage operations in grocery, specialty and other environments. IBM’s advanced retail hardening increases the durability of the SurePOS 700, thus helping to reduce downtime and maintenance costs.

IBM has designed this system specifically for retail environments. Several manufacturing innovations of the advanced retail hardening process include board flex testing, power cycling and pre-shipment integration. IBM’s highly reliable design helps protect the system from damaging factors such as:

Electrostatic Shock
Fluctuations in temperature and humidity
Dust pollution
Harmful vibrations
Included in the system is enterprise class management through Remote Management Agent (RMA). RMA from IBM is available at no additional charge for the SurePOS 700, and allows retailers to remotely monitor the POS device, as well as track assets and distribute software.

When combined with IBM Director, also available at no additional charge for use on IBM servers, these functions can be monitored at an enterprise level across multiple store locations. IBM Director is an integrated, easy-to-use suite of tools that provide customers with flexible systems management capabilities to help realize maximum system availability and help lower IT costs. With IBM Director, IT administrators can view and track the hardware configuration of remote systems in detail and monitor the usage and performance of critical components, such as processors, disks and memory-IBM