What IT analysts are saying about the new IBM System z10 platform

"IBM's financing packages for the new System z offer some very attractive upgrade options for corporations interested in increasing their process capacity while containing added costs. …These new payment structures are of particular value for enterprises experiencing predictable and ongoing periods of growth, as a corporation could conceivably continue to upgrade to the latest generation hardware every 18 months at a cost more affordable than other added-capacity alternatives. Additionally, the availability of additional project-related financing options can enable corporations to fund projects from their projected revenue streams, thereby providing the added capital required solve funding shortages."

Jerry Murphy, RFG

"IDC expects customers to maintain the System z platform as an important part of their IT infrastructure for many years to come. IBM is also well positioned to gain some new customers who are looking for the ability to rehost important Web-centric workloads, such as IBM WebSphere, and to host a new wave of software-as-aservice (SaaS) workloads. IBM mainframes also support Linux, XML, Java, and SOA end-to-end applications. It is also with these kinds of workloads that IBM plans to reach out to a new generation of customers who could assess mainframe technology as an alternative for other servers now hosting SOA, Java, Linux, and XML workloads. For these workloads, and for those supported by service providers and application hosters, the mainframe's scalability, reliability, availability, and controllability will support quality of service (QoS) that will support demanding service-level agreements (SLAs) for enterprise end users and ecommerce end customers."

IDC, Stephen L. Josselyn, Jean S. Bozeman: "IBM Refreshes High-End System z with the z10 Enterprise Class", Document # 211302, March 2008

The ability of the mainframe, a highly virtualized system, to allocate additional resources, as needed, to workloads will support the use of mainframes as "engines" for utility-style computing and rapid provisioning of new workloads, as needed. The z10's system software including authentication management, utilization management, just-in-time capacity, and built-in security features such as role-based access can be leveraged to help control business services and service-oriented architecture (SOA) applications being supported by the mainframe systems.

IDC, Stephen L. Josselyn, Jean S. Bozeman: "IBM Refreshes High-End System z with the z10 Enterprise Class", Document # 211302, March 2008

"Virtualization alone can eliminate [the] legacy distributed systems mess. The IBM System z mainframe remains unquestioned and absolute IT industry virtualization "Gold-Standard" and champion. One top System z (z9 or new z10), running Linux on the legendary z/VM extreme hypervisor, can now easily consolidate up to a thousand real distributed server (x86/x64-UNIX) workloads, bringing huge cost and resource savings and rapid ROI."

Ian Bramley, Software Strategies

Flatly contradicting old myths, a decade of radical IBM mainframe hardware/software cost reductions, extreme-virtualization-driven efficiency, extensive automation/low staff needs, and excellent "green IT" strengths, now often make System z the lowest cost platform for substantial, mixed commercial workloads today.

Ian Bramley, Software Strategies: "Mass Distributed Server Consolidation, System z Mainframe Linux-on-z/VM Extreme Virtualization far Outclasses Over-hyped x86/x64 Approaches", March 2008

"The IBM z10 processor chip, a collaboration with Power6 technology, truly indicates the beginning of a new era for the mainframe. Ever-expanding and evolving simplicity, functionality, family members, and capability will, we believe, continue at an unprecedented pace. True hybrid capabilities will emerge in the future as the system incorporates cell technology to better diversify the mainframe's integrated capabilities."

Carl Greiner, Ovum

What Independent analysts are saying about Mainframe Skills

The academic program takes aim at the graying of the z work force by drawing college students into educational programs that will augment their distributed-technology educations with modern z architectures and technologies. The program lends hardware, software, financial and human resources, curriculum development, and teaching assistance to universities developing zSeries and large-systems coursework. "We couldn't be more pleased with the program, we have more demand for graduates than we can supply to some of the biggest banks and software vendors in the nation. We're placing 10 to 14 students per semester, and we placed nine graduates with one company alone. We are looking to expand the program." (Cameron Seay, Ph.D., lead professor of computer information systems, School of Business, North Carolina Central College (NCCU), USA)

Phil Murphy with Alex Cullen and Tim DeGennaro: "Academic Programs Are Beginning To Offset Anticipated Mainframe Talent Shortages", March 19, 2008

The new academic offerings arm students with mainframe skills to match the demands of employers seeking to hire and groom the next-generation of computer science graduates. Given the program's recent traction, graduates with grounding in zSeries technology should materialize in plenty of time to replenish the ranks of retiring boomers. "I got my co-op job because of the 'Master the Mainframe' contest; it gave me real experience and my (co-op) employer offered me a job before I even began looking." (Elizabeth Bell, Student, Georgian College, Ontario, Canada)

Phil Murphy with Alex Cullen and Tim DeGennaro: "Academic Programs Are Beginning To Offset Anticipated Mainframe Talent Shortages", March 19, 2008