Q&A: The New Math For New Mainframe Workloads

Justifying the transitioning of a wide variety of application types to a mainframe environment requires substantial upfront investigation. Migrating to a mainframe has become increasingly cost-effective thanks to the refresh to IBM's new quad-core System z10, which has a built-in impact on lowering existing software licensing costs by 10%, the ability to offload apps to low-cost specialty engines, and more aggressive capacity-based pricing schedules. Continued independent software vendor (ISV) growth for both z/OS (now weighing in at 3,800) and Linux on z (at 3,000 applications) is a critical indicator that System z is alive and well. And yet, with the server business having two rough quarters (in all sectors, from blades to big iron), IBM's decision to create its Solution Edition Series of offerings — resulting in significantly cost-reduced packaged solutions — may be the company's next offensive strategy to keep the z footprint alive and well.