It's MIPS Again, at Least for Hardware Pricing
by Hesh Wiener

Officially, as far as IBM is concerned, MIPS, short for Millions of Instructions Per Second, has been a forbidden acronym. IBMers may talk to each other about mainframe MIPS, and they might even use the word with customers, but for years it's all done under conditions that allow deniability. Now things are changing. In fact, IBM seems to be ready to do more than talk about MIPS. It's actually going to start selling MIPS, or so it seems. It's never possible to be absolutely sure in the murky world of mainframe marketing, but all the signs are there. READ MORE >

Top Mainframe Stories and Vendor Announcements

(zJournal) When you talk about the feasibility of developing a service oriented architecture, you are going to hear concerns about security. Of course, there are existing security protocols and increasingly more stringent protocols in development. Howerver, building SOA services out of mainframe code has put a bright light on authentication, authorization, and identity management. READ MORE >

(The Register) You think college kids don't dig Big Iron? Well, we'll see about that. Check out this ad campaign that aims to rekindle the mainframe flame in the hearts of aspiring IT professionals. IBM is working with more than 250 universities around the world to provide mainframe courses and, ultimately, fresh bodies to fill the seats in data centers. READ MORE >

(Insider Weekly) Ever since IBM introduced its "Business Class" mainframe, there have been questions about product overlap at the entry point for mainframe purchasers and the high end of System i customers. Most shops will choose one or the other based on the skills of its developers and the applications that are business critical. There may be a few instances of territorial boundary marking, but it's more clearly defined than some would have you believe. READ MORE >

(ASG) Workload automation and management software vendor ASG has acquired Diversified Software Systems, a provider of JCL automation software products and services. ASG will integrate the newly acquired products and services--which are claimed to be the most widely used JCL automation products for the OS/390 and z/OS environments--into its OpsCentral portfolio of products. READ MORE >

(DataDirect) Reducing the complexity of mainframe integration is the focus of this vendor-written white paper that explores standards-based mainframe integration support of Web services for service oriented architecture (SOA), real-time events for event driven architecture (EDA), SQL for direct data access and transactional support, as well as automatic presentation layer generation for extending screen-based applications to the Web. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

June 14-16 -- Boston, Massachusetts - The IDC IT Forum & Expo examines IT issues and aims to provide solutions with the potential for immediate implementation. The event will feature dedicated tracks in the areas of financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, maximizing flexibility and responsiveness, aligning IT with business objectives, information management and access, and emerging technologies. Workshop topics include leadership skills, integrating compliance into business processes, SOA implementation, and open source implementation. There will also be a vendor expo area featuring software and service providers. LEARN MORE >

June 22 -- San Francisco, California - The IDC Virtualization Forum is designed to explain how to effectively exploit computer resources. The Forum presents IDC's view of the many forms of virtualization and how the effective use of this technology can help IT and business executives address the need to cut costs, support a changing dynamic environment, and optimize use of IT resources. The program features end-user case studies that provide practical information that can be put to use. Areas of focus include the commoditization of hardware, virtual environment software, and the deployment of distributed applications. 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 >