Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

The "entry level" z13s was announced this week. This smaller version of the z13 system announced a year ago supports up to 20 processors, 40 LPARs, 4 TB of memory (which means the 2GB page buffers will actually do something now -- they didn't help much on earlier system z with 8GB of memory), and other features such as hardware crypto.

Great news it is. Coincidentally we discussed about it lately. I think these highlights from the IBM will be interesting to some of us:


" Highlights

• Exceptional scale in a single frame footprint
• Next generation “network-in-a-box” technology Shared Memory Communications – Direct Access Method
• More memory, cache enhancements, and improved I/O bandwidth to serve up more data to support exponential mobile transaction volumes
• Real time insights at the point of impact with integrated analytics and transaction processing
• Simplified appliance implementation with z Appliance Container Infrastructure
• Data and services securely delivered, with reduced risk
• Enabled for open source innovation

Businesses need to be flexible, dynamic and agile, while keeping an eye on escalating costs. It often falls on information technology teams to grapple with social and mobile trends and the challenges they create. This requires new insights and ways to integrate these trends into your existing processes and IT infrastructures. Incorporating these new insights and opportunities into your business and IT helps you grow and gain an edge on competition while reducing cost and increasing efficiencies. Exploitation of new information technology infrastructure such as the IBM® z13s can help you identify and pinpoint areas of duplication or excess that may be re-purposed or eliminated. The use of IT to change how you approach your basic core business models can help improve profits while increasing revenues.

The new IBM z13s is designed to help tackle your toughest real-time business challenges. It provides impressive scale in terms of memory, I/O and processing power on a single frame that can quickly respond to business fluctuations. The z13s also helps you meet your service level agreements by allowing you to deliver real-time information and insight from data that can give your business the advantage of more timely business decisions. IBM z/OS® supports the new processor with significant enhancements to operating system design, optimized for scalability, cost saving, advanced compression capabilities, reliability, availability and scalability. Delivered with security and availability, the z13s provides enhancements to protect your users, your clients and your business."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVskLrzdNlA


Announcement page: http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/hardware/z13s.html