IBM Introduces New Linux Servers for the System z Mainframe To Improve
Enterprise Computing for Business
New 'Solution Editions' Also Are Announced To Help Consolidate and
Virtualize Workloads on System z for More Efficient Data Centers
ARMONK, NY...7 Dec 2009: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new hardware,
software and services packages to help clients consolidate and
virtualize enterprise workloads on IBM System z. Included are two new
enterprise Linux servers that provide attractive, off-the-shelf pricing
and configurations for large-scale data center consolidation on Linux.
IBM also announced two new offerings in its System z Solution Edition
series that makes System z attractive to new workloads - such as data
warehousing, electronic payments and disaster recovery - so clients can
run a wider range of their business activities with the powerful
reliability, transaction-processing capabilities, and management
capabilities and efficiencies of IBM System z.
The new offerings expand IBM's initiative to ensure that System z is
priced competitively with distributed systems that may not be as
reliable, scalable or secure as an IBM mainframe. By consolidating
workloads on System z, clients can benefit from smarter and more
efficient data centers that maximize the use of IT resources and reduce
energy costs.
Aimed at new System z clients, the two new Enterprise Linux Servers
provide a full array of components to help organizations consolidate on
Linux on System z - including z/VM, IBM's virtualization platform that
helps clients extend the value of mainframe technology across the
enterprise by integrating applications and data while providing high
levels of availability and security. z/VM allows clients to run hundreds
to thousands of Linux servers on a single mainframe with other System z
operating systems, such as z/OS, or as a large-scale Linux-only
enterprise server solution.
The new Enterprise Linux Servers also offer a unique "save-as-you-grow"
pricing model, in which incremental capacity is priced significantly
lower as the configuration size increases.
The new offerings are designed to help organizations maximize use of
their IT infrastructure to lower capital, operational and energy costs.
Today's typical data center is being taxed as more business processes
become digitized and as data continues to proliferate at explosive
rates. Data and applications often reside in silos of underused servers;
little control exists over how, when and where IT resources are
allocated and secured; and energy and space are wasted.
The two new Solution Editions are aimed at making it easier for existing
mainframe clients to consolidate workloads and take advantage of
continued advances in hardware innovation that is virtualized and
energy-efficient and optimized for specific types of work in the data
center.
One of the new Solution Editions helps current mainframe customers to
add Linux "specialty engines," which provide an attractively priced
environment for certain System z applications. The other targets the
Chordiant customer relationship management platform running on System z.
In August, IBM announced its initial set of seven System z Solution
Editions for data warehousing, application development, disaster
recovery, security, electronic payments, SAP applications, and Service
Oriented Architecture (SOA) applications and services.
Today's announcement also reflects continued investment by IBM in Linux
on System z. More than 3,000 of the 6,300 unique applications available
on the System z platform are Linux-based. Customer demand also remains
strong as evidenced by a 100 percent increase in Linux capacity shipped
by IBM from third quarter 2007 to third quarter 2009. For example, with
Red Hat and IBM solutions, Bank of New Zealand significantly reduced its
hardware footprint, power consumption, heat and carbon emissions and
costs, including an expected 20 percent cost reduction over the life of
the platform.
At the same time, corporate investments in virtualization -- creation of
multiple virtual servers or storage on a single physical system -- have
helped cut IT costs. Yet popular virtualization providers do not provide
the necessary levels of security and management in large-scale
configurations where the savings can be substantial. Consolidating on
IBM System z can improve application availability and security while
significantly lowering IT costs and risks.
"We chose an IBM Enterprise Linux Server running Novell SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server for its high reliability, advanced security, extreme
scalability and high compute power," said Ernst Bauer, Chief Operating
Officer at EFiS Financial Solutions AG in Germany. "Another crucial
factor was the energy and power savings. With our implementation partner
PROFI Engineering Systems AG, we were able to integrate Green IT as an
important part of our strategy. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on an IBM
Enterprise Linux Server provides us with optimal resource utilization,
while addressing our critical energy and power costs."
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For more information about System z, please visit www.ibm.com/systems/z
