IBM eServer Mainframe Now Faster and More Affordable

Flagship z900 Features Improved Technology, Flexible Pricing

Armonk, N.Y. - 06 May 2002: IBM today introduced powerful new processors on the IBM eServer z900, delivering double-digit price/performance improvements that make the mainframe a greater value than ever before.

In addition, the combination of increased processing power and price reductions on the z900's new Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) deliver up to a 25% price/performance improvement. IFLs are often used by customers to consolidate Sun, HP and Intel-based servers on the mainframe.

IBM also announced improved software pricing options designed to provide greater flexibility and value for customers consolidating applications to the mainframe.

"Today more than ever, our customers are demanding superior performance and compellingprice from all their technology investments," said Rich Lechner, vice president, sales & marketing for zSeries. "By providing flexible software licensing options and improving the core technology of the mainframe, we deliver the outstanding value and unparalleled quality of service our customers require."

The eServer mainframe's improved multi-chip module delivers across the board e-business benefits, including:

• Industry leadership in processing secure Web transactions, allowing more than 4,300 secure socket layer (SSL) transactions per second. Improved SSL performance, combined with digital certificate support built into z/OS -- the zSeries' flagship operating system -- delivers the scale, speed and availability that large enterprises are demanding for secure e-business;
• Up to 20% better throughput for e-business applications such as SAP, PeopleSoft and Siebel, allowing additional users, transactions and improved server consolidation capabilities;
• Enhanced HiperSockets networking allows customers consolidating Unix and Intel servers to experience up to a 5x increase in throughput between application and database servers when compared to Gigabit Ethernet, thereby significantly reducing server and network equipment costs; and
• Up to a 17% reduction in elapsed query time for Business Intelligence applications.

In addition, IBM introduced Customer Initiated Upgrade, which allows businesses to more quickly access additional processor capacity and memory, without business interruption or IBM technical support.

Additional technology enhancements for zSeries
Security enhancements include Linux support for IBM's industry-leading Cryptographic Coprocessor hardware. Customers implementing e-business applications on Linux for zSeries can now leverage the power of the mainframe's Cryptographic Coprocessor, which was awarded the highest level of validation by the U.S. Government, the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1 Level 4.

In addition, networking enhancements to OSA-Express and IPv6 protocol are extended to Linux on the mainframe, allowing the large number of network addresses required for the explosion of new Internet devices and connections. These enhancements also permit the sharing of a physical network and are designed to maintain secure separation of unrelated users.

The new IBM eServer zSeries models will be available on May 15, 2002.