IBM Debuts System z9 BC 'Baby' Mainframe
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

As we have been telling you in our Big Iron mainframe newsletter, IBM has indeed launched a new System z9 baby mainframe, code-named "Pollux" and branded as the System z9 Business Class, or z9 BC, machine. Big Blue has also decided to rebrand the System z9 "Danu" server that was announced last July, giving it the moniker the z9 Enterprise Class server. The company also made some changes to the mainframe software stack to appease low-end mainframe shops. READ MORE >

Top Mainframe Stories and Vendor Announcements

(Gartner) IBM is attempting to win more customers with a mainframe that is priced 40 percent lower than it's current entry-level big iron. The new servers, dubbed the z9 Business Class, become available May 29 and will consist of two models and 73 capacity levels. Although Big Blue has not been taking care of business very well in the lower echelons of its mainframe market, this box has the potential to make up for past errors. READ MORE >

(IBM) Buell Duncan, general manager of ISV and developer relations, says Linux on System z has transformed the platform. Always the evangelist, Duncan sees any proprietary environment as the work of the devil and praises the mainframe community for backing Linux (30 percent growth in 2005 by his reckoning) and WebSphere (nearly one-third of the installed base now run on WebSphere). He also says there are more than 1,300 independent software vendors producing applications for the System z, and that number is growing. READ MORE >

(LinuxPlanet) Wall Street firms, and financial institutions in general, have been bullish on deploying Linux. But what exactly is it that gives open source more traction in this market and why isn't everyone satisfied with this state of affairs? READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

May 7-11 -- Tampa, Florida - The IDUG 2006 North American Conference is an educational forum for database users across all platforms. The educational program consists of 11 technical tracks, each focused on a particular facet of DB2 usage. IDUG, the International DB2 Users Group, manages several DB2 technology conferences each year. The North American conference is the largest. A vendor expo is included in the event. LEARN MORE >

May 23-25 -- Secaucus, New Jersey - The Enterprise Information World conference will feature educational sessions on topics such as building and managing enterprise information management teams, increasing return on investment by cost effectively meeting regulatory compliance requirements, collaboration technologies and efficiencies, and the intersection of records management and security. LEARN MORE >

June 12-16 -- Atlanta, Georgia - The Transaction & Messaging Technical Conference features the most current information on the CICS TS V3.1 and WebSphere MQ family of products including tips, techniques, and business integration solutions. The agenda includes hundreds of sessions, a product expo, and certification testing. LEARN MORE >

June 12 -- Phoenix, Arizona - The Tivoli Information Management (InfoMan) for z/OS Users' Conference will feature topics such as ITIL, ITSM, knowledgebase management, Web 2.0, and InfoMan integration with third-party applications. Included will be demonstrations of Tivoli Enterprise Portal, Tivoli Service Level Advisor, and the IBM Configuration and Change Management Database. LEARN MORE >

July 8-12 -- San Diego, California - The 2006 Enterprise Security Solutions & RACF Users Training Conference emphasizes technical education for current and future data security challenges in business and government. The event features more than 140 classes taught by leading security practitioners, professional instructors and experts. It includes a vendor expo and offers the opportunity to network with industry experts and peers. Continuing education credits can also be garnered throughout the conference. LEARN MORE >

August 13-18 -- Baltimore, Maryland - The SHARE User Events feature IBM technical training tailored for enterprise-class IT professionals. Educational sessions focus on real-world solutions that meet business challenges and influence future IT product development. In addition to the first-class training, SHARE presents a great opportunity for networking with other professionals who work at some of the world's leading organizations and have insights into the technology and products that companies and jobs are depending on. All SHARE User Event sessions and events will take place in the Baltimore Convention Center. LEARN MORE >

October 20 & 21 -- Chicago, Illinois - The Network and Systems Professionals Association annual conference, NaSTEC, features educational tracks on large systems/mainframes, distributed systems, and professional development and includes 24 total sessions. Topics include IT compliance, TCP/IP network health checks, and security, as well as others. LEARN MORE >