New IBM zEnterprise Mainframe Server Advances Smarter Computing for Enterprise, Governments and SME

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new server — a powerful version of the IBM zEnterprise System that’s the most scalable mainframe ever — to extend the mainframe’s innovation and unique qualities to more organizations, especially companies and governments in emerging markets in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

The new IBM zEnterprise 114 mainframe server follows the introduction of the zEnterprise System for the world’s largest banks, insurance companies and governments in July 2010. The new server, which allows mid-sized organizations to enjoy the benefits of a mainframe as the foundation for their data centers, costs 25%¹ less and offers up to 25%² percent more performance than its predecessor, the System z10 BC server. It is projected that clients can consolidate workloads from 40 x-86 processors running Oracle software on to a new z114 with just three processors running Linux³ and over a three year period, total costs for hardware, software and support on the new z114 as compared to consolidated servers can be up to 80% less with similar dramatic savings on floor space and energy³.

The zEnterprise 114 is an especially attractive option for emerging markets experiencing rapid growth in new services for banking, retail, mobile devices, government services and other areas. These organizations are faced with ever-increasing torrents of data and want smarter computing systems that help them operate efficiently, better understand customer behavior and needs, optimize decisions in real time and reduce risk.

IBM also introduced new features that allow the zEnterprise System to integrate and manage workloads on additional platforms. New today is support for select System x blades within the zEnterprise System. These select System x blades can run Linux x86 applications unchanged, and in the future will be able to run Windows applications. With these capabilities, the zEnterprise System including the new z114 can help simplify data centers with its ability to manage workloads across mainframe, POWER7 and System x servers as a single system. Using the zEnterprise Blade Center Extension (zBX), customers can also extend mainframe qualities, such as governance and manageability, to workloads running across multiple platforms.

Firms like Payment Solutions Providers, Inc (US). –a provider of Credit Card Processing Services and Payment Switch Technology–turned to a mainframe for the first time to consolidate multiple racks of HP servers on to a single IBM Business Class mainframe with just 2 processors. Additional available capacity already built into their entry level mainframe server is designed to meet their rapid growth projection needs without increasing their IT footprint.

IBM System z servers are also making inroads in emerging markets like Africa. Governments and businesses in Cameroon, Senegal and Namibia have all recently purchased new IBM mainframe servers.

Refer to press release.