IBM Launches New Entry-Level Mainframe

For the Linux crowd, IBM announced it is delivering a new Linux-only based version of the zBC12, the Enterprise Linux Server (ELS), to help clients that are rapidly growing their businesses, especially in growth markets.

The ELS includes hardware, a z/VM Hypervisor and three years of maintenance. The system can run a portfolio of more than 3,000 Linux applications, and clients can extend it with two new solutions, ELS for Analytics and Cloud-Ready for Linux on System z, as an on-ramp for analytics and cloud computing.

“ABK chose to consolidate our business systems onto the zBC12—all of our servers from Intel to Sun—in order to bring our development and production to a new level,” said Armin Gerhardt, CEO of ABK Systeme GmbH, in a statement. “Our client work requires us to run several systems simultaneously and securely in order to keep projects moving forward while ensuring all the newest regulations are being observed. What convinced us was the ability the zBC12 had to react quickly, to implement new requirements rapidly and, above all, use tools that are common.”

Bridging Technology

For its part, IBM continues to build on its full range of analytics, cloud, mobile and security capabilities in zEnterprise with new software. For analytics the new IBM zEnterprise Analytics System 9710 now includes zBC12 and DB2 10 for z/OS VUE providing a foundation to deliver a cost-effective analytics deployment.

For cloud, IBM enhanced its Omegamon for z/OS family to detect performance problems in the cloud and minimise impact to the business and increase analytics visibility.

And IBM continues to help clients bridge the gap between mobile devices and enterprise data and services with native JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) support and conversion between JSON and data structures with the new CICS Transaction Server Feature Pack for Mobile Extensions V1.0 and DB2 11 for z/OS (ESP).

Moreover, IBM said its new z/VM (v6.3) operating system builds on top of Live Guest Relocation and now supports up to 1 terabyte of real memory, enabling support for more virtual servers. It leverages HiperDispatch technology for improved system performance and enables OpenStack for advanced enterprise-wide service management.

Meanwhile, the new z/OS 2.1 operating system supports the latest zEnterprise hardware features – zEDC and SMC-R. It also includes many performance and scalability enhancements for data serving workloads. And a new capability, “Crypto as a Service” enables Linux on System z applications to use z/OS services to encrypt data, providing more secure encryption. Additionally, enhancements to z/OS Management Facility improve startup times and provides services for automating workflow, further reducing costs.

IBM Global Financing can help credit-qualified clients acquire the new zBC12 for as low as $1,965 (£1,279) per month. IBM finance offerings can help clients lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) and accelerate ROI to keep pace with innovation and grow their businesses, IBM said.

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Originally published on eWeek.