IBM Power L1122

What is the IBM Power L1122?

IBM Power L1122 is a two-socket 2U Power11 server designed for the Linux market segment. In IBM’s technical documentation (Redbook SG24-8590, October 2025) it appears alongside the S1122 as a pair of similar servers that differ mainly in purpose: at least 75% of the L1122’s cores must run Linux partitions, and up to 25% of activated cores can run AIX and IBM i.

Status in IBM’s offer (September 2026). The L1122 is described in the IBM Power11 documentation (machine type 9856-22H), but IBM does not maintain a separate product page for it — ibm.com/products/power-l1122 redirects to the general catalogue, and the IBM Power family page does not list the L1122 among its models. We confirm L1122 configuration availability case by case — contact us. If you need a 2U server with full freedom of operating system choice, IBM offers the S1122.

Servers of this class often run ERP systems and databases — the most valuable datasets in an organization. We return to this further down.

How does it work?

Processors

The L1122 uses Power11 dual-chip modules (DCM) only:

• 16 cores per processor — 32 cores per system
• 24 cores per processor — 48 cores
• 30 cores per processor — 60 cores

Each processor also carries 2 spare cores. The smaller eSCM modules (4 and 10 cores) available in the S1122 are not offered for the L1122.

Splitting cores between operating systems

What separates the L1122 from the S1122 is the licensing rule: Linux partitions must use at least 75% of the cores. The remaining up to 25% of activated cores can be assigned to AIX or IBM i — for example a single database or application that has no Linux version yet.

Common platform with the S1122

IBM installs the L1122 following the same procedure as the S1122 (9824-22A). Both use the same Power11 technology, DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen5 connectivity that IBM describes for the whole scale-out family.

Specifications

Processor	Power11 (DCM)
Sockets	2
Cores	32, 48 or 60 (+2 spare per processor)
Form factor	2U rack
Operating systems	Linux (at least 75% of cores); AIX and IBM i (up to 25% of activated cores)
Machine type	9856-22H
IBM product page	none — technical documentation only

For whom?

• Mostly-Linux environments on the Power platform with a small share of AIX or IBM i
• Companies choosing Power for Linux that do not need the full flexibility of the S1122

The ERP system as the highest-value dataset

Beneath an ERP-class system usually sits the most valuable dataset in the organization: counterparties, prices, payments, salaries. Performance is a business argument here, but risk grows in proportion to data concentration.

• Separation of duties. In financial systems this is a regulatory requirement, not a good practice. Database privileges, however, can bypass controls implemented in the application layer.
• Database administrator access. A technical account sees data no business user sees. Bringing it under monitoring and accountability is often skipped.
• Copies and test environments. A copy of the production database moved to test takes all the data with it. Anonymisation before the move is the simplest way to limit exposure.
• Processing continuity. Halting a financial system has regulatory consequences, not just operational ones — the recovery plan should cover an attack scenario, not only a failure.

We address compliance and role separation as part of NIS2 compliance and ISO 27001.

FAQ

Will the L1122 run AIX or IBM i? Yes, within limits: according to IBM, up to 25% of activated cores can run AIX and IBM i. At least 75% of cores must run Linux.

How does the L1122 differ from the S1122? Both are two-socket 2U Power11 servers. The S1122 has no operating-system share limit and also offers smaller 4- and 10-core configurations; the L1122 is designed for the Linux segment and uses 16-, 24- and 30-core processors only.

Is the L1122 a Power10 model? No. The L1122 is a Power11-generation server. The Power10-generation L-series model was the L1022.

Why is there no L1122 page on ibm.com? IBM describes the L1122 in its technical documentation but does not maintain a product page for it. We confirm configuration availability case by case.

Is there a larger L-series model? Yes. The same documentation describes the L1124 (9856-42H) — the Linux variant of the 4U S1124.

How does nFlo help? We help choose the platform (L1122 or S1122), deploy it and migrate Linux workloads to Power.

Technical data: Redbook SG24-8590, IBM Power L1122 (9856-22H) documentation (as of September 2026).