One of the mainframe’s last physical definition has been broken with IBM’s introduction of its new rack-mounted z16 product, since for the first time its range now includes a product that isn’t sold encased in a ‘frame’[1].The new machines are for customers who want to deploy IBM’s z/OS and/or high-end Linux processing in co-location data centers alongside other equipment to add zSystem’s unique performance, in-built AI inferencing, sustainability and/or quantum-safe cryptography advantages to their applications and services. It will also appeal to smaller and/or specialized public cloud suppliers who want to do the same.
Associated with the introduction of the new z16 machines are customer references from Citibank, the (UK’s) Met Office and Phoenix Systems.
z16 product specs
The z16’s product specifications now include two single-frame options – almost identical apart from the ability for customers to include their own storage systems and switches in the rack-mounted, rather than ‘framed’ version (see my Figure above).
Compared with its multi-frame version, naturally the new machines have a smaller number of CPC drawers, I/O drawers and engines. The new servers also use IBM’s (Samsung-fabricated) Telum processors, although run at a slightly slower clock rate – 4.6MHz v 5.2MHz.
As with the multi-frame version, the new machines are ‘quantum-safe’ servers through their inclusion of Crypto Express 8S cards, which provide APIs for accessing SIKE, Dilithium and Kyber and other future quantum-safe algorithms.
The rack mounted version comes with a choice of IBM’s 5U-high server bases and 5U support devices; leaving the customer to choose the rack itself, power supply units (PSUs), storage and networking.
IBM options include an extra server base and up to three PCIe+ expansion enclosures including up to 48 adapters. IBM retains the role of fitting these components within the customer’s standard 19” rack; this installation, warranty and 24×7 support is included under its warranty umbrella.
IBM is also offering specific upgrade paths from both its z14 ZR1 and z15 T02 to a single-frame or rack-mount z16.
The new machines will run a variety of IBM operating systems, including newer versions of z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE and z/TPF, as well as Century Software’s VSE V6.3. Linux variants include Red Hat’s RHEL 7.9, 8.4 and 9.0 and specific versions of SUSE’s SLES and Canonical’s Ubuntu LTS.
For customers who want to use IBM’s z Integrated Information Processors (zIIPs) in the new server models, IBM has broken the requirement to use a maximum of two zIIPs for each Central Processor (CP), enabling them to scale up workloads that exploit them including the ability to run Linux directly in z/OS (a feature of z/OS Container Extensions).
Rockhopper 4 – IBM’s new LinuxONE server
Strong technical advantages of zSystems over x86 for Linux workloads have been there ever since IBM first made Linux an optional operating system in 2000. However the majority of users have opted to stay with the leading server suppliers including Dell, HPE, Supermicro, Inspur, Lenovo and Huawei, all of whom use x86 processors from Intel or AMD in the vast majority, if not all, of their machines. To be fair the vast majority of these competitive machines are smaller than IBM’s and run Microsoft’s Windows, rather than Linux.
IBM launched its high-end (z16-based) LinuxONE Emperor 4 in September 2022. Its new Rockhopper 4 version is a ‘mid-range kicker’ designed to replace earlier smaller LinuxOne products such as its III Express and Rockhopper II (launched in April 2018).
IBM claims a number advantages for Linux workloads running on its mainframes over running them on x86 servers. These include:
- Efficiency – LinuxONE machines can be run at 90% efficiency verses c. 40% for most x86 systems.
- Footprint – now LinuxONE is rackable, upto 68 cores can be deployed in a single rack – a meter wide, two meters deep and 19″ deep. To run the same Linux workload you’d need 36 x86 servers with a total of 1,440 cores, which would take up more than a single rack.
IBM’s offers its customers and prospects a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and CO2 calculator. In general these assessments suggest that LinuxONE can reduce footprint by 67% and energy consumption by 75% over similar x86 server configurations.
LinuxONE’s advantages are growing as governments introduce legislation to counter climate change. The Irish government, for instance, has taken a negative position on the building of new data centers over the last couple of years. They will be joined by many others in years to come.
The use of zSystem as opposed to x86 processing for Linux workloads is perhaps the most obvious way for data centers to address the need for super-efficiency, alongside shedding spurious workloads and buying electricity from renewable sources.
z16’s market position
IBM’s mainframe hardware annual revenue return (see my Figure above) has improved following the introduction of the z16, although the level is now significantly lower than it was in the early 2000s. The introduction of its new products today should allow it to maintain a revenue of around $4b in 2023 also.
Each generation of zSystem has seen an increase in the total processing power – measured in Billions of Instruction Per Second (BIPS) – shipped, with the largest growth being the z12 and z15 (see my Figure above).
By introducing single-frame and rack-mount options IBM is taking on the challenge for the z16 to maintain this trend by making its market-leading processors available to a wider set of customers.
[1] Actually it’s not the first time IBM has offered rack-mounted servers; it launched x86/Power-based PureSystems in April 2012 – shortly before off-loading its System x server brand to Lenovo at the start of 2014.