Big Blue unveils 'low end' z9 mainframe

IBM has launched its new System z9 business class mainframe computer targeting service oriented architectures (SOAs).

The new model is a low-end version of IBM's existing line of z9 enterprise class mainframes, and works in an environment that generates large amounts of data and handles transactions from many different sources.

IBM said that this makes the System z9 suitable for so-called composite applications that are typical for SOAs.

An SOA allows employees to build applications using ready-made building blocks. Rather than designing applications from the ground up, SOA allows developers and employees to reuse code between departments and combine resources from all over the company.

IBM also boasted that the systems consume relatively little energy while offering a high utilisation rate relative to industry standard servers powered by processors from Intel or AMD.

Big Blue claimed that one System z9 business class unit can handle the same workload of hundreds of distributed servers based on x86 processors.

The System z9 business class is available at a starting price of $100,000.

Dell lists an entry level Intel tower server on its website for $399 and offers rack servers starting at $749.