IBM zEnterprise EC12

Highlights

• A “System of Systems,” integrating leading technologies from IBM to dramatically improve productivity of today’s multi-architecture data centers and tomorrow’s private clouds
• First-of-a-kind design that embraces multiple technology platforms—mainframe, UNIX and x86, integrated within a centrally managed unified system
• Unique hybrid computing capabilities powered by the industry’s premier enterprise server, offering breakthrough innovation, virtualisation and unrivalled scalability, reliability, and security
• Rapidly deploy services using prepackaged solutions and preintegrated technologies designed to meet the needs of specific workloads

The demands of customers, partners, employees—and the demands of a fast moving market—are stretching the limits of today’s data centers. Add to this the management and integration challenges data centers face as they invest in the next generation of smart applications and it is clear something new is needed. Smarter computing systems—systems that raise the bar on efficiency, performance and cost savings while lowering management complexity.

The IBM zEnterprise System (zEnterprise) (US) offers a revolutionary system design that addresses the complexity and inefficiency in today’s multi-architecture data centers. The zEnterprise extends the strengths and capabilities of the mainframe—such as security, fault tolerance, efficiency, virtualisation and dynamic resource allocation—to other systems and workloads running on AIX on POWER7, and Microsoft Windows or Linux on System x—fundamentally changing the way data centers can be managed.

The zEnterprise is a workload-optimised, multi-architecture compute system capable of hosting many workloads integrated together, and efficiently managed as one single entity. It is designed to deploy and intelligently manage workloads across both mainframe and distributed technologies with the same tools, techniques and a single management interface.

The zEnterprise System includes a central processing complex (CPC)—either the zEnterprise 196 (z196) or the zEnterprise 114 (z114), the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) with its integrated optimisers and/or select IBM blades, and the zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager.

Highlights

• The industry’s fastest and most scalable and flexible enterprise server.
• Improved performance for traditional and modern workloads.
• Virtualisation to enable virtually limitless capacity for massive consolidation and infrastructure simplification.
• Enhance security with support for ECC technology which is ideal for constrained environments such as mobile devices.
• 60 percent more capacity with the same energy footprint as a z10 EC, plus options for water cooling and high voltage DC power for greater energy efficiency.

At the core of the zEnterprise System is the next generation mainframe—the zEnterprise 196 (z196)—the industry’s fastest and most scalable enterprise system. To support a workload optimised system, the z196 can scale up (over 52,000 MIPS in a single footprint), scale out (80 configurable cores) and scale within (specialty engines, cryptographic processors, hypervisors) executing in an environmentally friendly footprint. And the z196 is designed to work together with system software, middleware and storage to be the most robust and cost effective data server. The z196 offers an industry standard PCIe I/O drawer for FICON and OSA-Express multimode and single mode fiber optic environments for increased capacity, infrastructure bandwidth, and reliability.

The z196 offers a total of 96 cores running at an astonishing 5.2 GHz, and delivering up to 40 percent improvement in performance per core and up to 60 percent increase in total capacity for z/OS, z/VM, and Linux on System z workloads compared to its predecessor, the z10 EC. The z196 has up to 80 configurable cores for client use. The cores can be configured as general purpose processors (CPs), Integrated Facilities for Linux (IFLs), System z Application Assist Processors (zAAPs), System z Integrated Information Processors (zIIPs), additional System Assist Processors (SAPs), Internal Coupling Facilities (ICFs) or used as additional spares.

This design, with increased capacity and number of available processor cores per server, and reduced energy usage and floor space, makes the z196 a perfect fit for large-scale consolidation. The virtualisation capabilities can support up to 47 distributed servers on a single core, up to thousands on a single system.

System z security is one of the many reasons why the world’s top banks and retailers rely on the IBM mainframe to help secure sensitive business transactions. Support for the next generation of public key technologies is available with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). ECC is ideal for constrained environments such as mobile devices. The z196 also offers support for key ANSI and ISO standards for the banking and finance industry. The z196 has received the Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 5 (EAL5) certification for security of logical partitions.

As environmental concerns raise the focus on energy consumption, z196 offers a holistic focus on the environment. New efficiencies enable a dramatic reduction of energy usage and floor space when consolidating workloads from distributed servers. For organisations looking to build green data centers, optional water cooling and high-voltage DC power allow a bold step into the future of cooler computing without changing the footprint.

Highlights

• Unique hybrid architecture enables integration and centralised management of Mainframe, POWER7 and IBM System x technologies and workloads in a single unified system.
• Designed for data and right-sized as an entry level hybrid mainframe server with increased flexibility, scalability and performance in a lower cost package, now starting under $75K USD.¹
• Up to 18 percent performance improvement per core and up to 12 percent more capacity within the same energy footprint as a z10 BC.²
• Industry-leading virtualisation, security, resiliency, and connectivity technologies providing a highly efficient and cost-effective enterprise solution.
• Simplify infrastructures, and consolidate an average of 30 distributed servers or more on a single core, or 300 in a single footprint, delivering a virtual Linux server for under $1.45 day.³
• A great choice for mid-sized and growing businesses for running mission critical workloads, hosting private enterprise clouds, or as a backup, standalone development machine, or coupling facility.

Mainframe Reinvented

• At the core of the zEnterprise System for both mid-sized and small enterprises is the next generation mainframe -- the zEnterprise 114 (z114) -- offering new levels of freedom and a whole new world of capabilities for a broader set of businesses.
• The z114 provides a highly granular cost structure and significant improvements in packaging, performance and total system scalability over prior generations.
• New microprocessor chip has a higher-frequency superscalar design, improved cache structure, new “out of order” execution sequence and over 100 new hardware instructions deliver world-class per-thread performance for DB2, WebSphere and Linux workloads.
• The freedom by design platform delivers the freedom to innovate, reduce costs and maximise the use of existing investments through unique hybrid architecture that combines System z, UNIX and Intel server technologies into a single unified system.
• Extends strengths and capabilities to other systems and workloads running on AIX, Linux on System x, and now Microsoft Windows.

Product Design

• A single frame, air cooled system that is available in two models: an M05 which provides a single processing drawer and up to 5 configurable engines; and the M10 which offers a second processing drawer, up to 10 configurable engines for additional I/O, coupling and/ or specialty engine expansion as well as two “dedicated” spares.
• Powered by up to 14 total microprocessors running at 3.8 GHz (10 of which are customer configurable as general purpose processors (CPs), Integrated Facilities for Linux (IFLs), System z Application Assist Processors (zAAPs), System z Integrated Information Processors (zIIPs), Internal Coupling Facilities (ICFs), additional System Assist Processors (SAPs), or as spares.
• Provides extreme granularity with 130 available capacity settings offered across either model.
• Supports either top or bottom exit I/O and power; raised floor and non-raised floor options and high-voltage DC power, providing increased flexibility to accommodate small data center installations and support for future data center design and efficiencies.
• Designed for Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 5 (EAL5) certification for security of logical partitions.
• Supports up to 256 GB of real (usable) RAIM-protected memory—an industry exclusive currently available only on System z. This includes an additional 8 GB of fixed memory for the Hardware System Area.
• Configurable with the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) for the integration of up to 112 distributed blade servers and workload optimisers.⁴
• Supports z/OS, Linux on System z, z/VSE, z/VM, z/TPF, AIX, Linux on IBM System x, and now Microsoft Windows operating environments.

Business Value

• Designed specifically as an entry level zEnterprise offering with extensive growth options, industry-leading virtualisation and consolidation capabilities, and excellent price/performance, more and more organisations can now leverage the same leading edge technology that some of the world’s largest, most efficient and innovative companies have come to rely on.
• Extends unique hybrid computing capabilities to organisations of all sizes—embraces multiple technology platforms—mainframe, Power Systems, and System x—to maximise efficiency, transform IT economics and enable fit for purpose workload deployment.
• With Unified Resource Manager, manage mainframe and distributed systems with the same tools, the same techniques, and the same practices – fundamentally changing the way data centers can be managed.
• The z114 delivers up to 18 percent improvement in performance per core and up to 12 percent increase in total system capacity for z/OS, z/VM, and Linux on System z workloads compared to it's predecessor, the z10 BC.²
• For CPU intensive workloads, additional gains of up to 25 percent can be achieved via multiple compiler level improvements.⁶
• Supports an average of 30 distributed servers or more on a single core depending on the workload, or up to hundreds in a single footprint, delivering a virtual Linux server for under $1.45 day.³
• Provides the freedom to choose the right capacity setting for your needs with the flexibility to scale on demand as workload demands increase.
• The average z114 uses less electricity than a clothes dryer. The z114 draws about the same amount of power as 4 kitchen coffee makers.⁷
• 49 x4100 Sun Servers draw over 5X the power of the z114 needed to replace them to run an identical Linux workload.⁸

Solutions

Consolidation & Optimisation (US)

Do more with less, reduce costs, improve service and manage risks

Data Analytics (US)

Innovate with Data Insights

Cloud (US)

Create a truly heterogeneous enterprise cloud computing environment

Solution Editions Series (US)

Dare to compare, using new aggressive "Total Solution" pricing to deploy new workloads.

The mainframe continues to evolve, while holding true to the core strengths of the platform. With the zEnterprise System family, and the new zEnterprise 114, we’ve redefined the economics and efficiencies of hybrid computing and extended that value to all businesses.

¹ Pricing based on entry level configuration and may vary by country.

² Relative capacity and performance compares at equal software levels as measured by IBM Large System Performance Reference (LSPR) workloads using z/OS 1.11, Results may vary. https://www.ibm.com/servers/resourcelink/lib03060.nsf/pages/lsprindex?OpenDocument (US)

³ Linux on System z virtual servers can be: Less than $1370 for 3 years; Less than $460 per year; Less than $1.25 per day. Based on US Enterprise Linux Server pricing. Pricing may vary by country. Model configuration included 10 IFL cores running a mixed workload averaging 31 virtual machines per core with varying degrees of activity. Includes zEnterprise hardware and z/VM virtualization software. Does not include Linux OS or middleware software.

⁴ Statement of direction. All statements regarding IBM future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represents goals and objectives only.

⁵ IBM BladeCenter PS701 Express and IBM BladeCenter HX5 server blades and workload optimizers such as IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer for DB2 for z/OS V1.1 and WebSphere DataPower Integration Appliance XI50 for zEnterprise (DataPower XI50z).

⁶ The z114 will exhibit up to 25 percent performance improvement, based on measurements and projections, for CPU intensive workloads when accompanied by multiple C/C++ compiler level improvements going from XL C/C++ V1R9 to V1R12

⁷ Average z114 3KW. Energy star.gov, manufacture data and ABS Alaskan identify coffee makers as approximately 800 watts.

⁸ 49 Sun Fire X4100 Servers at a High tech manufacture (TI) can be replaced with 1 z114. Sun server draws up to 413 watts (what must be allocated). Normalizing for average vs. max capacity 350 W x 49 vs. 2.7 KW. This is even more when cooling is included as an additional 60% must be added for cooling.

Highlights

• Industry-leading virtualization, security, resiliency, and connectivity technologies cost-effectively packaged as a midrange enterprise solution
• Transform data into insight with new optimized solution for BI workloads
• Crypto Express3 designed to satisfy stringent high-end security requirements
• Up to 50 percent more performance at half the price for incremental Linux workloads*
• Integrated specialty engines offer attractively priced computing power for running new workloads
• Broad Solution Editions portfolio delivers aggressive total solution pricing for new business applications

The System z mainframe is the flagship of the IBM Systems portfolio, delivering breakthrough innovation, maximum flexibility and true value for today's enterprise computing. With leadership capabilities in security, availability, scalability, virtualization and systems management, System z can enable your businesses to grow in response to changing business requirements while continuing to drive complexity and cost out of the infrastructure.
The IBM System z10 Business Class (z10 BC)-as the newest member of the System z family-delivers a whole new world of capabilities for a broader set of businesses delivering the scalability, flexibility, and breakthrough performance you need-at the lower-capacity entry point you want.
Designed specifically as a midrange mainframe, with extensive growth options, industry-leading virtualization and consolidation capabilities, and excellent price/performance, more and more customers can now experience the same System z technology that allows some of the world's largest companies to answer their future challenges today.
Fighting old myths and perceptions-z10 BC offers the technology for any business that wants to ramp up innovation, boost efficiencies and lower costs-pretty much any enterprise, any size, any location. And it's about rewriting the rules and delivering new freedoms for your business. Whether you want to deploy new applications quickly, grow your business without growing IT costs, consolidate your infrastructure for reduced complexity, or extend the classic strengths of System z to heterogeneous platforms in your data center, look no further-z Can Do IT.

Highlights

• Transform data into insight with optimised solutions for business intelligence (BI) workloads
• Virtualisation leadership can enable virtually limitless capacity for massive consolidation and simplification
• Improvements in FICON can help provide faster access to data
• Crypto Express3 designed to satisfy the most stringent high-end security requirements
• Integrated specialty engines offer attractively priced computing power for running new workloads
• Broad Solution Editions portfolio delivers aggressive total solution pricing for new business applications.

The System z10 is the flagship of the IBM Systems portfolio delivering breakthrough innovation, maximum flexibility and true value for today’s enterprise computing. With leadership capabilities for security, availability, scalability, virtualisation and management, the System z10 Enterprise Class (z10 EC) is a world-class enterprise server designed to meet IT and business challenges head-on and serve as the cornerstone in your dynamic infrastructure. The z10 EC provides performance and capacity for growth and large-scale consolidation, improved security, resiliency and availability while lowering both risk and cost. As environmental concerns raise the focus on energy consumption, the z10 EC is designed to reduce energy usage and save floor space when consolidating workloads from distributed servers. Specialty engines continue to help users expand the use of the mainframe for a broad set of applications, while helping to lower the cost of ownership. The z10 EC is the platform that delivers technologies that businesses need today along with a foundation to serve the future.