The IBM z990 and z900 lines are IBM's former flagship mainframe series.  When first introduced they were each the most powerful and fully featured computer in the IBM product line.  Since that time they has been eclipsed by faster machines, but, by virtue of their Series z architecture they remain fully viable members of the mainframe world.

As successor systems have appeared, the prices of used z990 and z900 servers have plummeted, in part because there has been resistance in the secondary market.  This resistance is due largely to the coarse granularity of the product lines.  Users could not easily match processor sizes to their requirements and are naturally reluctant to license costly software to cover big headroom gaps between the capacity they need and the power of available models.

We want to make it easy for you to evaluate the z990 and z900 alternatives as you compare various mainframe platforms.  To get this process started, use our z990 Quick Start or z900 Quick Start forms.  Just fill in one of these forms, which will only take a minute or two, and we'll take it from there.

Currently, because IBM has introduced many new software pricing plans that are based on LPAR capacity rather than total system potential, the z990 and z900 are enjoying a period of renewed value.  Users who want to use sub-capacity pricing still have to thread through IBM's complex software pricing plans, but with a bit of advice (which we can provide) it is often possible for a z9X0 user to get extraordinary value from one or a cluster of these excellent computers.

Among the strategic IBM software products that can take advantage of sub-capacity pricing on a z990 or z900 are CICS, DB2, IMS, key MQSeries products, and a number of other middleware packages.

The z900 power range begins at the top of the Multiprise 3000 performance scope and extends upward to roughly 14 times that capacity.  The z990 has a range of nearly 20 to 1.  The smallest models in these product lines are excellent for big VSE workloads.  Through the use of partitioning, VSE users can also take advantage of larger z990 or z900 processors, which can deliver economical zLinux support and thereby replace racks of diverse servers with a single box solution.

Mainframe shops running z/OS have more freedom of choice.  If their needs are in the range provided by the z990 or z900, they may find that an oldie but goodie processor is so inexpensive to acquire that it enables growth in throughput alongside a reduction in total operating costs.

One important aspect of the z990 or z900 often overlooked by customers seeking backup solutions is the very low cost of installing one of these machines as a Disaster Recovery consolidation center.  A single z990 or z900, properly configured, can provide backup image support for multiple mainframes, including multiple smaller mainframes.

When run as a DR machine, there is no software cost because IBM's licensing permits temporary use of the primary machine's software during outages.  The z990 or z900 will flawlessly run not only the most recent IBM systems software, middleware, and applications, but also legacy code that is generations old.

Whether installed in its own dedicated facility, or configured into a running parallel sysplex, a z990 or z900 designed as a DR system can provide backup for local as well as remote data centers.  To keep costs to an absolute minimum, customers can switch to time and materials maintenance from IBM or work with us at Reliable to develop a suitable support plan.

Another excellent use of a z990 or z900 is as a runtime system used in conjunction with a smaller development processor.  When configured with runtime software (instead of full language environments, it can deliver outstanding performance at minimal hardware and software cost.

While IBM's more recent processor families, the z9 EC and BC, offer some features developed after the z900 was put into production, users find that the z990 and z900 have excellent connectivity, impressive bandwidth and the potential of very large real memory to help reduce the time windows required for big batch jobs.

The FICON and ESCON channels available on the z990 and z900 enable these processor families to meet the expectations of every installation that must have Series z capability to cope with high input/output demands.

A z990 or z900 also provides all the unmatched IBM internal connection technology, such as hipersockets, so you can support elaborate configurations, if that is what your job requires.

The reliability and automatic failure recovery features of the z990 and z900 are outstanding.  Chances are you will never suffer a processor failure, but even if you do you will find that this mainframe family can heal around a fault and keep running while providing detailed notices for the use of maintenance technicians.

Whether you are moving up from a smaller or older platform or using a z990 or z900 to consolidate work from a number of mainframes, Reliable has the knowledge and experience to help you plan and execute migration without interruption and without excessive costs.  We understand IBM mainframe systems, and we have senior technical experts with experience going back several processor generations.

If you plan to add a z990 or z900 to an existing cluster of processors, we can work with your in-house personnel, with IBM support teams, and with any consulting firms you now employ to make the installation process go smoothly.

We can help you find the most economical plans for the licensing of IBM systems software including z/OS, z/VM, VSE and Linux.

The z900 is not for everyone.  We can help you compare and contrast this powerful alternative with IBM's latest offerings, with used z800 and z890 systems, and with one or more installed systems that you may want to replace.

We understand that imperfectly conceived mainframe strategies can be very costly.  Our business is based on our ability to help mainframe users get the very best values during their planning cycles, whether these cycles are expected to last several years or are short term plans to enable technology transition.