IBM z9 BC (IBM 2096) Specifications

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Highlights

The 2096 IBM System z9(TM) Business Class (z9 BC) continues the generation of IBM z9 servers introduced with the IBM System z9 EC that are designed to help optimize your On Demand Business. This generation of IBM mainframes provides an advanced combination of reliability, availability, security, scalability, and virtualization features, together with the ability to reallocate processing power. The z9 BC is designed to match changing business priorities on demand.

The IBM System z9(TM) BC is designed to provide:

  • Total of 8 PUs vs 5 PUs on z890
  • Same low entry point and 37% improvement in uniprocessor capacity as compared to z890
  • Improved granularity: 73 capacity settings as compared with 28 on z890
  • IBM System z9 Integrated Information Processor (IBM zIIP)
  • On demand: On/Off CoD for CPs, IFLs, ICFs, zAAPs, and zIIPs
  • Capacity BackUp (CBU) for zAAP, IFL, ICF, zIIP, and CP
  • Increased availability capabilities as compared to z890
  • Improved security with configurable Crypto Express2 and CPACF enhancements as compared to z890
  • Connectivity improvements:
    • FICON Express4 supporting 1, 2, or 4 Gbps with 2-port or 4-port card
    • Modified Indirect Data Address Word (MIDAW) facility
    • N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV)
    • HiperSockets(TM) support of IPV6
    • OSA-Express2 1000BASE-T Ethernet
    • OSA-Express2 OSN (OSA for NCP)

Technical Overview

The z9 BC is designed specifically as a midrange mainframe and offers extensive growth options and excellent price/performance for those customers requiring a lower-capacity entry point and more granular growth options than offered with the z9 EC.

The IBM z9 BC is designed to help enable your businesses to be resilient in the unpredictable on demand world. With two models and a wide range of capacity settings, the newest member of the IBM System z9 family delivers significantly improved granularity and enriched functions over its predecessor, the IBM eServer(TM) zSeries(R) z890. The Model S07 can provide up to twice the memory, and more specialty engines as compared with the z890. Also introduced is the System z9 Integrated Information Processor (zIIP).

The IBM zIIP is the latest customer-inspired specialty engine for the IBM System z9 family. Following on the success of the widely accepted Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) and System z9 Application Assist Processor (zAAP), the zIIP is designed to help improve resource optimization and lower the cost of eligible workloads, enhancing the role of the mainframe as the data hub of the enterprise.

The z9 BC offers four FICON Express4 features that support auto-negotiated speeds of 1, 2, and 4 Gbps. One of the FICON Express4 features is a 2-port card that provides attractive entry pricing to FICON technology adoption and is offered exclusively on the z9 BC.

All FICON Express4 and FICON Express2 features support the Modified Indirect Data Address Word (MIDAW) facility. MIDAW is a system architecture with software exploitation that is designed to help improve channel utilization and throughput, and potentially reduce I/O response times. The number of FICON Express4 and FICON Express2 concurrent I/O operations that may be active simultaneously has been increased from 32 to 64 per channel as compared to the z890.

IBM has a broad range of disk, tape and SAN products that are ready to support FICON Express4. IBM TotalStorage DS8000 series and IBM TotalStorage DS6000 series disk systems, part of IBM’s System Storage portfolio, support the MIDAW facility to help enable the potential throughput and response time benefits that the MIDAW facility can bring.

Integrated clear key encryption security features on the z9 BC include support for Advanced Encryption Standard, Secure Hash Algorithm-256, and integrated Pseudo Random Number Generation. Performing these functions in hardware can contribute to improved performance.

Application of the z9 BC advanced virtualization technologies creates a solid foundation for flexible integration of business and information management.

Innovations on the z9 BC can help to ensure you have a security-rich platform, can help maximize your resources and their utilization, and can help provide you the ability to integrate applications and data across the infrastructure. The z9 BC is designed to be a flagship component of your data serving environment.

IBM System z9 BC (z9 BC) – the next step in the transformation The z9 BC continues the transformation of the mainframe, building upon the structure introduced on z9 EC in support of z/Architecture(TM), reliability, availability, scalability, and virtualization. The z9 BC expands upon key attributes of the platform – reliability, availability, scalability, and virtualization – to help ensure you have a resilient infrastructure designed to satisfy the requirements of on demand business. With a low entry point, more engines, increased performance and total system capacity on the z9 BC as compared to a z890, you have an opportunity to continue to consolidate diverse applications on a single platform at the right capacity.

The z9 BC is designed to provide:

  • Reduction in the impact of planned and unplanned server outages:
    • Enhanced driver maintenance
    • Dynamic oscillator switchover
    • Concurrent MBA fanout card hot-plug
    • Redundant I/O Interconnect
    • Program directed re-IPL
  • Uniprocessor performance improvement up to 37% (based on LSPR mixed workload average) as compared to the z890.
  • System z9 Integrated Information Processor (zIIP)
  • Up to 3 CPs, 6 specialty engines (IFL, ICF, zAAP, and zIIP), 1 standard SAP, 3 optional SAPs on Model R07
  • Up to 4 CPs, 7 specialty engines (IFL, ICF, zAAP, and zIIP), 1 standard SAP, 3 optional SAPs on Model S07
  • Largest number of capacity settings (73) of any IBM Midrange to date
  • Available memory from 8 GB up to 64 GB offered in 8 GB increments
  • Increased host bus bandwidth between memory and I/O:
    • Up to 16 Self-Timed Interconnects (STIs), 2.7 GB each for I/O, a 35% increase in STI speed compared to z890s 2.0 GB STI bus
  • Multiple Subchannel Sets (MSS) which is designed to allow improved device connectivity for Parallel Access Volumes (PAVs)
  • FICON Express4 supporting 4 Gbps link data rate with:
    • Connectivity to existing and future 1, 2, and 4 Gbps servers, switches , directors, and devices
    • Improved performance
    • Enhanced availability with Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP) optics
  • Increased number of concurrent I/O operations that may be active simultaneously for FICON Express4 and FICON Express2, from 32 to 64 per channel, as compared to z890.
  • Up to 112 FICON Express4 channels on Model S07; a 40% increase compared to z890
  • When using the Modified Indirect Data Address Word (MIDAW) facility, improved performance over native FICON channels for programs that process data sets exploiting striping and compression (such as DB2, VSAM, PDSE, HFS, and zFS) by reducing channel, director, and control unit overhead
  • Availability enhancements for FICON
  • Increased connectivity for Crypto, FICON, and OSA in one I/O cage
  • Additional LAN connectivity option with introduction of OSA-Express2 1000BASE-T Ethernet
  • OSA-Express2 OSN (OSA for NCP), providing Channel Data Link Control (CDLC) protocol support on the z9 BC for the IBM Communication Controller for Linux on System z (CCL) allowing system administrators to configure, manage, and operate their CCL Network Control Programs (NCPs) in the same manner as their ESCON-attached 374x NCPs
  • Remote Keyload for ATMs
  • Configurable Crypto Express2
  • Capacity BackUp for zAAP, IFL, ICF, zIIP, and CP sub-capacity settings

IBM z9 BC 2096 MIPS Chart

SystemPlatformModelEstimated MIPSMSUActive CPUsIBM MMCFirst Available
z9 BC2096A012641$1,105.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096B013851$1,155.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096C014661$1,265.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096A025172$1,320.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096D015981$1,340.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096E0170101$1,390.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096B0274102$1,440.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096A0374103$1,440.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096F0187121$1,630.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096C0290122$1,685.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096B03109153$1,970.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096G01110151$1,985.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096D02115162$2,070.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096H01130181$2,265.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096C03132183$2,300.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096E02136192$2,340.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096I01150211$2,540.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096D03169233$2,820.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096F02170242$2,830.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096J01172241$2,835.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096R01193271$3,130.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096L03200283$3,200.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096N02214302$3,420.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096S01216301$3,450.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096K04219304$3,480.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096T01242341$3,670.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096M03249343$3,695.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096O04253364$3,745.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096L04260364$3,840.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096U01270381$3,970.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096P02292412$4,280.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096V01303421$4,430.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096N03314423$4,580.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096M04323454$4,690.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Q02335472$4,855.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096W01340471$4,915.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096O03372523$5,360.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096R02376522$5,400.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096X01380531$5,440.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096N04409564$5,840.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096S02421592$5,970.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Y01422591$5,980.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096P03429593$6,075.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096T02472662$6,620.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Z01480671$6,720.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096O04483674$6,750.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Q03492683$6,775.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096U02526732$7,060.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096R03552763$7,360.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096P04558774$7,425.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096V02591822$7,480.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096S03617853$8,160.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Q04640884$8,445.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096W02663922$8,720.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096T03692953$9,075.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096R04718994$9,385.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096X027411032$9,660.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096U037721063$10,140.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096S048031114$10,425.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Y028231152$10,660.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096V038661193$11,340.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096T049001244$11,520.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Z029361302$11,930.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096W039721343$12,330.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096U0410041384$12,680.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096X0310861503$13,470.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096V0411271554$13,920.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Y0312061663$14,630.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096W0412641744$15,285.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Z0313731893$16,295.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096X0414131954$16,550.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Y0415962164$17,340.00 Q2 2006
z9 BC2096Z0417902464$19,450.00 Q2 2006
IBM z9 BC (IBM 2096) Maintenance

In the IBM world, engineers possessing the skills capable of the highest expertise are recognized as “top guns.” Top Gun is internationally recognized as a top performer for IBM Z maintenance and support for enterprise-critical hardware within the data center.  Top Gun maintenance support for IBM Z helps you avoid problems before they happen. Our highly skilled IBM Z engineers act as an extension of your IT staff, problems are resolved quickly, improving your system availability, and productivity.

Additional IBM Mainframe Specs
Model
IBM z15 (IBM 8651)
IBM z14-ZR1 (IBM 3907)
IBM z14 (IBM 3906)
IBM z13s (IBM 2965)
IBM z13 (IBM 2964)
IBM EC12 (IBM 2827)
IBM BC12 (IBM 2828)
IBM z196 (IBM 2817)
IBM z114 (IBM 2818)
IBM z10 BC (IBM 2098)
IBM z10 EC (IBM 2097)
IBM z9 BC (IBM 2096)
IBM z9 EC (IBM 2094)

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