IBM Announces $75,000 Mainframe for Emerging Markets

Posted 07/12/2011 at 7:26am | by Paul Lilly

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International Business Machines (IBM) today announced a new lower-cost mainframe server aimed at mid-size organizations and governments in emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world. The z114 is the latest and most powerful version of IBM's zEnterprise System, and also the most scalable ever. It costs 25 percent less and offers up to 25 percent improved performance compared to IBM's zB10 BC servers, IBM says.

IBM originally introduced its zEnterprise System for the world's largest banks, insurance companies, and governments in July 2010. The z114 gives mid-sized organizations on a tighter budget many of the benefits of a high-end mainframe but at a fraction of the cost with systems starting at $75,000. IBM projects that clients can consolidate workloads from 40 x86 processors running Oracle software on to a new z114 with just three processors running Linux. Over a three year period, IBM says total costs for hardware, software, and support on the z114 can be up to 80 percent less.

Big Blue also introduced new features intended to allow the zEnterprise System to integrate and manage workloads on additional platforms, including new support for select System x blades.