IBM z196 (IBM 2817) SPECS
Expand your company’s IT capabilities and get a mainframe server that stands the test of time. Our selection of used IBM z196 mainframes can help you process data without skipping a beat. In the world of technology, there aren’t many name brands that come with the reputation of an IBM product, and for good reason. The company has built a legacy of reliability with machines leading in power and security, which you will find in our selection of refurbished IBM z196 units.

IBM z196 (2817) Table of Contents
Highlights
zEnterprise System is designed to deliver:
- Improved total system capacity in a 96-way core design.
- Improved performance of all workloads
- Massive scalability for secure data serving and transaction processing and large-scale consolidation
- Up to 80 cores that are customer-configurable
- Quad-core 5.2 GHz processor chips with 100+ new instructions that enable improved code efficiency, and are designed to help improve the execution of CPU-intensive workloads.
- Up to 3 terabytes (TB) of available real memory per server for growing application needs (with up to 1 TB real memory per LPAR).
- Improved availability in the memory subsystem with redundant array of independent memory (RAIM).
- Availability improvement – concurrent add/delete of I/O drawer.
- Increased scalability with 45 available subcapacity settings.
- Crypto Express3 cryptographic enhancements.
- Auto-renewal of On/Off Capacity on Demand records which is designed to eliminate the need to manually replenish your On/Off CoD records.
- Purchase of unassigned CP or IFL capacity via Customer Initiated Upgrade.
- Up to 128 coupling CHPIDs (double that of z10) and up to 80 physical external coupling links (12x InfiniBand, 1x InfiniBand, ISC-3), a 25% increase compared to z10.
- Up to 72 I/O, networking, and crypto features.
- Up to 240 ESCON channels.
- Up to 32 HiperSockets (double the number available on z10 EC).
- Energy efficiencies – more performance to help you run more efficiently in the same footprint.
- Energy monitoring capability and power save option for the processor, which is designed to provide a 25 – 30% reduction in power consumption depending on the system configuration
- Optional water cooling, providing the ability to cool systems with user-chilled water
- Optional high-voltage DC power, which can save System z customers 1-3%, on average, on their power bills
- Top exit I/O cabling, which is designed to provide increased flexibility and increase air flow in raised-floor environments.
Upgrade Path
Any z196 can be upgraded to another z196 hardware model. Upgrade of models M15, M32, M49, and M66 to M80 is disruptive (that is, the machine is unavailable during this upgrade).
Any z9® EC or z10 EC model can be upgraded to any z196 model. The figure presents a diagram of the upgrade path.

Technical Overview
The IBM zEnterprise 196 is designed with improved scalability, performance, security, resiliency, availability, and virtualization. The new 96-way core design delivers massive scalability for secure data serving and transaction processing for large-scale consolidation. As environmental concerns raise the focus on energy consumption, the IBM zEnterprise 196 central processor complex (CPC) is designed with new energy efficiencies that can reduce energy use and save floor space when consolidating workloads from distributed servers. For clients looking to build green datacenters, optional water cooling and high-voltage DC power allow a bold step into the future of cooler computing and increased energy efficiency without changing the system footprint.
The IBM zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager manages System z ensembles — collections of one or more zEnterprise System nodes in which each node is comprised of a z196 and its optionally attached IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) model 002. An ensemble can consist of a single z196 with no zBX attached, or two to eight CPCs where at least one of the z196s has a zBX attached. The resources of a zEnterprise System ensemble are managed and virtualized as a single pool of resources integrating system and workload management across the multisystem, multitier, multiarchitecture environment.
When IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) is attached to IBM zEnterprise 196, the zBX infrastructure works with the z196 to support the multiplatform environment, combining mainframe and distributed technologies. The zBX can support IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer for DB2 for z/OS, V1.1 (5697-AQT) and certain POWER7 blades.
The IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer for DB2 for z/OS, V1.1 (5697-AQT) is designed to deliver improved service through accelerated and accurate business insight. This workload-optimized, appliance-like add-on is installed in the zBX and connects to DB2, providing transparency to all applications. The optional POWER7 blade is installed in the zBX, enabling application integration with System z transaction processing, messaging, and data serving capabilities. The blades are managed as part of a single logical virtualized environment by IBM zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager.
IBM Global Technology Services (GTS) and Systems Lab Services can help you assess and perform application fit-for-purpose analysis, and design an IBM zEnterprise System that integrates IT strategy and business priority. This includes developing the business case and high-level transition plan, and a roadmap for an adaptable and efficient infrastructure. GTS and Systems Lab Services can also enable you to build and run a smarter IBM zEnterprise System environment. With these services, you can migrate effectively and efficiently to an IBM zEnterprise System, create a more cost-effective and manageable computing environment with server, storage, and network optimization, integration, and implementation, and effectively run and manage the IBM zEnterprise System with maintenance and technical support services.
The IBM System z10 Enterprise Class and IBM System z10 Business Class can now use operational controls on the Hardware Management Console (HMC) to manage IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer for DB2 for z/OS V1.1 (5697-AQT). This is a heterogeneous Business Intelligence (BI) infrastructure that is a single entity with minimal risk and improved costs. With today’s announcement, the HMC provides extended support to manage the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) Model 001 and IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer for DB2 for z/OS V1.1 (5697-AQT) capabilities.
The System z10 is also simplifying key management with Trusted Key Entry (TKE) workstation enhancements by allowing a writable USB-attached media to be used to help install TKE license Internal Code (LIC).
The IBM zEnterprise System (TM) offers a total systems approach to delivering advanced heterogeneous systems management functions that is unmatched in the industry. The announcement of zEnterprise System takes technology to the next level. The IBM zEnterprise System consists of the hardware management subsystems — CPC, memory, I/O, power/packaging/cooling — and platform management firmware that is designed to enable you to run heterogeneous workloads under the management of one system with IBM zEnterprise System (IBM zEnterprise 196 + IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) + IBM zEnterprise Unified
The IBM zEnterprise System is designed to provide:
- Enablement of new workloads and improved management of heterogeneous workloads with Unified Resource Manager
- Improved performance – on average 40% faster processor unit than z10 EC
- Larger capacity with 80 user-configurable processor units
- Flexibility – offered by 45 subcapacity settings
- Improved power efficiency – 1.6x improvement (vs z10 EC)
- Investment protection
- Improved availability with a redesign of the memory subsystem
- Improved reliability with new multichip module (MCM) design
- New power delivery technology with triple redundancy
- Increased memory – up to 3 TB memory (with up to 1 TB real memory per LPAR)
- Crypto Express3 cryptographic enhancements
- I/O rejuvenation
- Doubling of coupling CHPIDs vs z10 EC (up to 128), and up to 80 physical external coupling links (12x InfiniBand, 1x InfiniBand, ISC-3), a 25% increase compared to z10
- Double the number of HiperSockets vs z10 EC (up to 32)
- Availability enhancements such as allowing Concurrent Add/Delete of I/O drawers
- Optional water cooling
- Optional high-voltage DC power
- Optional top exit I/O cabling
- Static power save mode
- New Capacity on Demand architecture and enhancements
- Auto-renewal of On/Off Capacity on Demand records
- Purchase of unassigned CP or IFL capacity via Customer Initiated Upgrade
z196 10-Core Chip Details
The z196 PU chip is an evolution of the z10 core design, using CMOS 12S technology, out-of-order instruction processing, higher clock frequency, and larger caches. Compute intensive workloads can achieve additional performance improvements through compiler enhancements, and larger caches can improve system performance on many production workloads.
Each PU chip has up to four cores running at 5.2 GHz, which means a 0.19 ns cycle time. There are six PU chips on each MCM. The PU chips come in two versions, having three active cores or all four active cores. For models M15, M32, M49, and M66, the processor units in the MCM in each book are implemented with a mix of four PU chips with three active cores (PU0, PU1, PU2, and PU4) and two PU chips with four active cores (PU3 and PU5), resulting in 20 active cores per MCM. This means that model M15 has 20, model M32 has 40, model M49 has 60, and model M66 has 80 active cores.
Each processor unit, or core, is a superscalar, out of order processor, having six execution units, as follows:
- Two fixed point (integer)
- Two load/store
- One binary floating point
- One decimal floating point
Models | Books | Installed PUs | Standard SAPs | Min Spare PUs | Max Characterized PUs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M15 | 1 | 20 (1 X 20) | 3 | 2 | 15 |
M32 | 2 | 40 (2 x 20) | 6 | 2 | 32 |
M49 | 3 | 60 (3 X 20) | 9 | 2 | 49 |
M66 | 4 | 80 (4 X 20) | 12 | 2 | 66 |
M80 | 4 | 96 (4 X 24) | 14 | 2 | 80 |
Inside the IBM Z196 2817

IBM z196 2817 MIPS Chart
System | Platform | Model | Estimated MIPS | MSU | Active CPUs | IBM MMC | First Available |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
z196 | 2817 | 401 | 240 | 30 | 1 | $6,280 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 402 | 459 | 58 | 2 | $6,729 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 501 | 588 | 74 | 1 | $7,524 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 403 | 672 | 85 | 3 | $8,346 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 601 | 768 | 97 | 1 | $9,434 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 404 | 879 | 110 | 4 | $10,665 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 405 | 1082 | 135 | 5 | $12,826 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 502 | 1123 | 140 | 2 | $13,249 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 701 | 1202 | 150 | 1 | $13,977 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 406 | 1280 | 160 | 6 | $14,836 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 602 | 1460 | 182 | 2 | $16,803 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 407 | 1476 | 183 | 7 | $16,974 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 503 | 1642 | 204 | 3 | $18,758 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 408 | 1667 | 207 | 8 | $19,039 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 409 | 1855 | 229 | 9 | $21,047 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 410 | 2039 | 252 | 10 | $23,111 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 603 | 2131 | 263 | 3 | $24,108 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 504 | 2147 | 265 | 5 | $24,286 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 411 | 2220 | 274 | 11 | $25,098 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 702 | 2272 | 281 | 2 | $25,679 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 412 | 2397 | 296 | 12 | $26,990 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 413 | 2571 | 318 | 13 | $28,891 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 505 | 2639 | 326 | 5 | $29,644 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 414 | 2742 | 339 | 14 | $30,782 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 604 | 2783 | 344 | 4 | $31,208 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 415 | 2909 | 359 | 15 | $32,502 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 506 | 3118 | 385 | 6 | $34,633 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 703 | 3311 | 408 | 3 | $36,563 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 605 | 3417 | 421 | 5 | $37,603 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 507 | 3586 | 442 | 7 | $39,241 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 606 | 4035 | 497 | 6 | $43,575 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 508 | 4042 | 498 | 8 | $43,642 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 704 | 4320 | 531 | 4 | $44,854 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 509 | 4486 | 552 | 9 | $45,661 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 607 | 4635 | 569 | 7 | $46,720 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 510 | 4919 | 604 | 10 | $48,759 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 608 | 5219 | 640 | 8 | $50,485 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 705 | 5300 | 650 | 5 | $50,920 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 511 | 5342 | 655 | 11 | $51,174 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 512 | 5754 | 705 | 12 | $53,112 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 609 | 5788 | 709 | 9 | $53,248 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 513 | 6156 | 754 | 13 | $55,406 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 706 | 6251 | 766 | 6 | $56,029 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 610 | 6341 | 777 | 10 | $56,614 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 514 | 6547 | 806 | 14 | $57,884 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 611 | 6879 | 843 | 11 | $59,481 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 515 | 6929 | 849 | 15 | $59,711 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 707 | 7175 | 879 | 7 | $60,776 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 612 | 7403 | 907 | 12 | $61,651 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 613 | 7913 | 969 | 13 | $63,184 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 708 | 8072 | 988 | 8 | $63,521 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 614 | 8409 | 1028 | 14 | $63,325 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 615 | 8891 | 1084 | 15 | $65,356 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 709 | 8943 | 1091 | 9 | $65,515 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 710 | 9788 | 1191 | 10 | $67,622 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 711 | 10609 | 1286 | 11 | $69,051 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 712 | 11407 | 1381 | 12 | $70,567 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 713 | 12181 | 1473 | 13 | $70,825 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 714 | 12932 | 1562 | 14 | $72,549 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 715 | 13662 | 1648 | 15 | $74,185 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 716 | 14371 | 1731 | 16 | $80,213 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 717 | 15076 | 1816 | 17 | $81,737 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 718 | 15778 | 1899 | 18 | $82,810 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 719 | 16476 | 1983 | 19 | $92,147 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 720 | 17171 | 2064 | 20 | $84,460 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 721 | 17862 | 2144 | 21 | $85,259 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 722 | 18550 | 2224 | 22 | $86,694 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 723 | 19234 | 2306 | 23 | $90,649 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 724 | 19915 | 2388 | 24 | $93,152 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 725 | 20592 | 2469 | 25 | $95,131 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 726 | 21266 | 2550 | 26 | $97,013 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 727 | 21937 | 2627 | 27 | $98,814 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 728 | 22604 | 2704 | 28 | $100,921 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 729 | 23268 | 2780 | 29 | $103,356 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 730 | 23929 | 2855 | 30 | $105,752 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 731 | 24586 | 2927 | 31 | $108,101 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 732 | 25241 | 2998 | 32 | $110,417 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 733 | 25893 | 3068 | 33 | $112,695 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 734 | 26543 | 3134 | 34 | $119,202 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 735 | 27191 | 3207 | 35 | $121,405 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 736 | 27837 | 3279 | 36 | $123,571 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 737 | 28482 | 3351 | 37 | $125,695 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 738 | 29124 | 3418 | 38 | $127,778 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 739 | 29765 | 3489 | 39 | $129,821 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 740 | 30403 | 3564 | 40 | $131,818 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 741 | 31040 | 3639 | 41 | $134,047 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 742 | 31675 | 3713 | 42 | $136,254 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 743 | 32308 | 3788 | 43 | $138,439 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 744 | 32938 | 3861 | 44 | $140,596 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 745 | 33568 | 3935 | 45 | $142,739 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 746 | 34195 | 4009 | 46 | $144,857 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 747 | 34820 | 4082 | 47 | $146,951 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 748 | 35443 | 4155 | 48 | $149,024 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 749 | 36065 | 4228 | 49 | $151,079 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 750 | 36683 | 4300 | 50 | $156,519 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 751 | 37297 | 4372 | 51 | $158,514 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 752 | 37907 | 4444 | 52 | $160,479 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 753 | 38514 | 4515 | 53 | $162,418 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 754 | 39117 | 4586 | 54 | $164,329 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 755 | 39717 | 4656 | 55 | $166,213 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 756 | 40313 | 4726 | 56 | $168,069 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 757 | 40905 | 4795 | 57 | $169,896 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 758 | 41494 | 4864 | 58 | $171,698 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 759 | 42079 | 4933 | 59 | $173,470 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 760 | 42661 | 5001 | 60 | $175,218 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 761 | 43239 | 5069 | 61 | $176,938 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 762 | 43814 | 5136 | 62 | $178,633 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 763 | 44385 | 5203 | 63 | $180,299 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 764 | 44953 | 5270 | 64 | $181,941 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 765 | 45517 | 5336 | 65 | $183,555 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 766 | 46078 | 5402 | 66 | $185,146 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 767 | 46622 | 5466 | 67 | $186,660 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 768 | 47147 | 5528 | 68 | $188,089 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 769 | 47656 | 5588 | 69 | $189,448 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 770 | 48149 | 5646 | 70 | $190,736 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 771 | 48626 | 5702 | 71 | $191,954 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 772 | 49087 | 5757 | 72 | $193,101 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 773 | 49534 | 5810 | 73 | $194,186 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 774 | 49967 | 5862 | 74 | $195,210 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 775 | 50385 | 5912 | 75 | $196,169 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 776 | 50791 | 5960 | 76 | $197,075 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 777 | 51183 | 6007 | 77 | $197,921 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 778 | 51563 | 6053 | 78 | $198,715 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 779 | 51931 | 6097 | 79 | $199,455 | Q3 2010 |
z196 | 2817 | 780 | 52286 | 6140 | 80 | $200,142 | Q3 2010 |
Additional IBM Mainframe Specs
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