IBM Z
IBM Z is a family name used by IBM for all of its z/Architecture mainframe computers.
In July 2017, with another generation of products, the official family was changed to IBM Z from IBM z Systems; the IBM Z family includes the newest model, the IBM z17, as well as the z16, z15, z14, and z13, the IBM zEnterprise models, the IBM System z10 models, the IBM System z9 models and IBM eServer zSeries models.
Architecture
The zSeries, ''zEnterprise, System z and IBM Z families were named for their availability – z'' stands for zero downtime. The systems are built with spare components capable of hot failovers to ensure continuous operations.The IBM Z family maintains full backward compatibility. In effect, current systems are the direct, lineal descendants of the System/360, announced in 1964, and the System/370 from the 1970s. Many applications written for these systems can still run unmodified on the newest IBM Z system.
Virtualization
is required by default on IBM Z systems. First layer virtualization is provided by the Processor Resource and System Manager to deploy one or more Logical Partitions. Each LPAR supports a variety of operating systems. A hypervisor called z/VM can also be run as the second layer virtualization in LPARs to create as many virtual machines as there are resources assigned to the LPARs to support them. The first layer of IBM Z virtualization allows a z machine to run a limited number of LPARs. These can be considered virtual "bare metal" servers because PR/SM allows CPUs to be dedicated to individual LPARs. z/VM LPARs allocated within PR/SM LPARs can run a very large number of virtual machines as long as there are adequate CPU, memory, and I/O resources configured with the system for the desired performance, capacity, and throughput.IBM Z's PR/SM and hardware attributes allow compute resources to be dynamically changed to meet workload demands. CPU and memory resources can be non-disruptively added to the system and dynamically assigned, recognized, and used by LPARs. I/O resources such as IP and SAN ports can also be added dynamically. They are virtualized and shared across all LPARs. The hardware component that provides this capability is called the Channel Subsystem. Each LPAR can be configured to either "see" or "not see" the virtualized I/O ports to establish desired "shareness" or isolation. This virtualization capability allows significant reduction in I/O resources because of its ability to share them and drive up utilization.
PR/SM on IBM Z has earned Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 5+ security certification, and z/VM has earned Common Criteria EAL4+ certification.
The KVM hypervisor from Linux has also been ported.
List of models (reverse chronological order)
Since the move away from the System/390 name, a number of IBM Z models have been released. These can be grouped into families with similar architectural characteristics.IBM z17
The IBM z17 mainframe's Telum II processor was unveiled at Hot Chips 2024. The new architecture is expected to focus on AI acceleration and optimization. The Telum II's 43B transistor die features an on-chip DPU, and offers marginal improvements over the z16's Telum processor, with a similar architecture, including support for OpenCAPI.IBM z16
The IBM z16 mainframe, based on the Telum processor, was introduced on April 5, 2022. The instructions for AI and neural nets are described in the fourteenth edition of the z/Architecture Principles of Operation and later editions.IBM z15
- IBM z15 mainframe based on the z15 chip was introduced on September 12, 2019.
- IBM z15 Technical Introduction
- IBM z15 Technical Guide
IBM z14
IBM z13
Launched on January 13, 2015, the z13 is based on the z13 chip, a 5 GHz 8-core processor. A z13 system can have a maximum of 168 Processing Unit cores, 141 of which can be configured to the customer's specification to run applications and operating systems, and up to 10.144 TiB of redundant array of independent memory. Each PU can be characterized as a Central Processor, Integrated Firmware Processor, Integrated Facility for Linux processor, z Integrated Information Processor, Internal Coupling Facility processor, additional System Assist Processor or as a spare. The z Application Assist Processor feature of previous z/Architecture processors is now an integrated part of the z13's zIIP.The z Systems z13s was introduced on February 17, 2016
The z13 and z13s introduce a new vector architecture and are the last z Systems servers to support running an operating system in ESA/390 architecture mode.
IBM zEnterprise System
This line has two generations: first generation, released in 2010/2011 with 114 single-rack and 196 models; and released in 2012/2013 second generation, branded as generation 12 of main line, and released with two model lines: single-rack zBC12 and dual-rack zEC12.zEnterprise gen2 (zBC12 and zEC12)
On April 8, 2014, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the System/360 mainframe, IBM announced the release of its first converged infrastructure solution based on mainframe technology. Dubbed the IBM Enterprise Cloud System, this new offering combines IBM mainframe hardware, software, and storage into a single system and is designed to compete with competitive offerings from VCE, HP, and Oracle. According to IBM, it is the most scalable Linux server available with support for up to 6,000 virtual machines in a single-footprint.In June 2014, IBM announced it had shipped its first Enterprise Cloud System to Vissensa, a UK-based managed service provider.
zEnterprise Business Class 12 – The zBC12 is an entry-level single-rack solution, was introduced in July 2013 and is available in two hardware models, the H06 and the H13. It's designed to serve the mid-range business segment and can be configured to be a Linux virtualization server, in a version called the Enterprise Linux Server. The H13 has 18 processor cores, with up to 13 configurable. The H06 has nine, with up to six configurable.
Introduced in July 2013, the zEnterprise BC12 is based on an upscaled z114, running 18 zEC12 processors at 4.2 GHz and up to 489 GB RAM. It is available in two models, the H06 and the H13 with one and two processing drawers respectively. The zBC12 can connect to the zBX expansion system. IBM is offering a special version of the zBC12 called the Enterprise Linux Server, running only Linux hosts on top of its z/VM hypervisor, targeting large migrations from x86-based Linux installations.
zEnterprise Enterprise Class 12 – The zEC12 is a high-end dual-rack solution, and available in five hardware models: H20, H43, H66, H89 and HA1. The model number is based on the number of cores available for customer workloads. Additional cores are reserved as spares, SAPs and IFPs.
Introduced in August 2012, the zEnterprise EC12 is based on the zEC12 chip, a 5.5 GHz 8-core out-of-order CISC-based z/Architecture processor. The zEC12 can have a maximum of 120 cores, 101 of which are customer configurable to run operating systems and applications. The maximum number of cores available in a particular model of the zEC12 is denoted by the model name. For example, the H20 has up to 20 cores orderable for direct customer use, plus spare and a special I/O processor core type, the System Assist Processor. Each core can be characterized as a Central Processor, Integrated Facility for Linux processor, z Application Assist Processor, z10 Integrated Information Processor, Internal Coupling Facility processor, or additional System Assist Processor. The zEnterprise EC12 allows up to 3 TB of redundant array of independent memory.
The EC12 has 50% higher total capacity than the z196, and supports Transactional Execution and Flash Express – integrated SSDs which improve paging and certain other I/O performance.
zEnterprise gen1 (114 and 196)
zEnterprise, announced in July 2010, with the z196 model, was designed to offer both mainframe and distributed server technologies in an integrated system. The zEnterprise System consists of three components:- First is a System z server.
- Second is the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension.
- Last is the management layer, IBM zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager, which provides a single management view of zEnterprise resources.
The zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension is an infrastructure component that hosts both general purpose IBM BladeCenter servers and appliance-like workload optimizers which can all be managed as if they were a single mainframe. The zBX supports a private high speed internal network that connects it to the central processing complex, which reduces the need for networking hardware and provides inherently high security.
The IBM zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager integrates the System z and zBX resources as a single virtualized system and provides unified and integrated management across the zEnterprise System. It can identify system bottlenecks or failures among disparate systems and if a failure occurs it can dynamically reallocate system resources to prevent or reduce application problems. The Unified Resource Manager provides energy monitoring and management, resource management, increased security, virtual networking, and information management from a single user interface.
zEnterprise 114 – The z114 is an entry-level single-rack solution, available in two hardware models: M05 and M10. Introduced in July, 2011, this system is designed to extend the benefits of the zEnterprise System to the mid-range business segment. Like the z196, the z114 is fully compatible with the zBX and the URM and also features the mission-critical server design elements. The z114 features up to 14 cores with a clock speed of 3.8 GHz. The z114 is physically approximately half the size of the z196.
This model can contains up to 14 z196 out-of-order CISC-based z/Architecture processors running at 3.8 GHz. The z114 offers 130 capacity settings across two models and is designed to offer the hybrid capabilities of the zEnterprise System with a lower capacity, a lower energy usage, and lower price. Each core can be characterized as a Central Processor, Integrated Facility for Linux processor, z Application Assist Processor, z10 Integrated Information Processor, Internal Coupling Facility processor, or additional System Assist Processor. The z114 supports up to 248 GB of redundant array of independent memory.
zEnterprise 196 – The z196 is a high-end dual-rack solution, and available in five hardware models: M15, M32, M49, M66 and M80. The model number is based on the number of cores available for customer workloads. Additional cores are reserved as spares and as SAPs.
The 196's microprocessor is the z196 chip, a 5.2 GHz quad-core out-of-order CISC-based z/Architecture processor. The z196 can have a maximum of 24 processors giving a total of 96 cores, 80 of which are directly available to run operating systems and applications. The number of cores available in a particular model of the z196 is denoted by the model name. For example, the M15 has 15 cores available for direct customer use, plus spare and service processor cores. Each core can be characterized as a Central Processor, Integrated Facility for Linux processor, z Application Assist Processor, z10 Integrated Information Processor, Internal Coupling Facility processor, or additional System Assist Processor. The zEnterprise also supports x86 or Power ISA blades attached via the zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension. The zEnterprise 196 allows up to 3 TB of redundant array of independent memory.
The zEnterprise z196 has twice the memory capacity of the z10, and 60% higher total capacity than the z10. It supports the BladeCenter Extension and Unified Resource Manager.