IBM Announces OS/390 Version 2 -- Building Upon Technology Leadership

FISHKILL, New York, June 9, 1997 ... IBM today announced a new version of OS/390*, delivering on current value-based functions and previewing those to come in future releases. Included in OS/390 are enhancements to network computing capabilities, server integration, business intelligence through data mining, data warehousing, decision support and application deployment.

OS/390, the IBM S/390* strategic operating system, is certified as Year 2000 ready by the Information Technology Association of America. OS/390 also is UNIX 95** branded, supporting the deployment of the hottest UNIX applications. OS/390 also is providing tools to help IT managers with better system management in a distributed computing environment. The initial release for OS/390 V.2 is expected to be available in September.

OS/390 V. 2 has extended its technology leadership through integration of new software technologies IBM announced earlier this year. Today, the S/390 Division is announcing that it is making that software available to OS/390 customers. OS/390 now will consist of more than 70 elements that build upon S/390 classic strengths of scalability, reliability, data integrity, security and systems management. Here are some of those new functions:

• Component Broker Series* -- Component Broker Series is comprised of Component Broker Toolkit* and Component Broker Connector*. Component Broker Toolkit provides developers with key development tools to use for development of applications using this object-oriented technology. Component Broker Connector can allow developers to gain access to the customer's existing data and transactions and develop new applications. Together, these tools are designed to help programmers improve the quality of the application they are developing. Component Broker Connector also exploits the OS/390 support of Parallel Sysplex* clustering technology by giving developers a highly available and scalable application deployment environment. Developers can access business-critical data from applications running in the same Parallel Sysplex cluster of servers, improving overall application performance rather than accessing data and applications residing in separate servers. (Beta is expected to be available in first quarter of 1998).
• Lotus Go Webserver ** -- A highly scalable, secure transaction-processing enabling Web Server solution that incorporates the functionality of the Internet Connection Secure Server (ICSS) for OS/390 as well as the integration of NetQuestion and Web Usage Mining capabilities for Web-based searches. Lotus Go Webserver allows customers to build Internet and intranet sites. ICSS, which has been rebranded to Lotus Go Webserver**, also will contain Net.Commerce for OS/390, which will help customers build an electronic presence on the Web. (Some functions of Lotus Go Webserver currently are available, with others expected to be available later this year).
• Workload Manager -- A function of OS/390, Workload Manager will be enhanced in OS/390 V.2 to help IT managers better manage their batch workloads for some environments. Workload Manager represents a major step in the evolution of OS/390 and Parallel Sysplex* clustering technology. Workload Manager allows IT managers to schedule workloads according to their business-defined specifications.
• Firewall Technology for OS/390 -- This set of software functions builds upon existing S/390 security capabilities to offer customers additional protection from unauthorized network access. Firewall technologies will use the S/390 Cryptographic Coprocessor. (Availability is expected in fourth quarter 1997).
• TME 10** Framework -- Integrated into OS/390, TME 10 functionality now will provide IT managers with a strategic distributed computing management solution that incorporates the functionality of IBM's SystemView* system management software. TME 10, announced by Tivoli and IBM last year, is based upon an open architected, object-oriented software framework and provides a cross-platform solution for managing distributed computing environments.
• Communications Server for OS/390* -- Enhances TCP/IP protocol performance for applications in the OS/390 environments.

OS/390 also can support UNIX and client/server applications including those of SAP AG, PeopleSoft, Oracle, J.D. Edwards, and Baan. Bristol Technologies' Wind/U software, now supported by OS/390, provides developers with Application Programming Interfaces to recompile some Windows NT applications and run them as UNIX applications.

IBM also enhanced DFSMS/MVS* V. 1, Rel. 4, as part of OS/390, which provides for improved storage management, data access, device support and program management for the MVS/ESA* platform. The software will support Parallel Sysplex clustering technology and will extend DFSMShsm and VSAM usability. DFSMS/MVS V. 1, Rel. 4, is expected to be available to selected customers in the third quarter of this year.

Editor's Note: IBM news releases and fact sheets are available on the Internet, via the IBM Home Page at http://www.ibm.com.

* Indicates a trademark or registered trademark of IBM Corporation.

** Lotus and Lotus Go Web Server are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation.

Tivoli is a trademark of Tivoli Corporation.

UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited.

Windows NT is a trademark or registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

All others are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.