InformationWeek

December 8, 1997

IBM To Add Mainframes With Faster Processor

System/390 machines promise to outpace bipolar competitors

BM will roll out a CMOS-based mainframe generation next year that promises to remove the last obstacles keeping users from migrating from IBM's older bipolar technology. The new machines will radically improve processor, clustering, and input-output performance.

Due in the second half, the System/390 mainframes will feature a processor code-named G5 that's at least 50% faster than the 63-Mips processor in IBM's current generation, says George Walsh, IBM's director of System/390 hardware and industry business. IBM will also remove other big performance constraints by upping the limit of input-output channels from 256-to 1,000 or more, say analysts-and increasing by several times the speed of IBM's Parallel Sysplex clustering technology.

Some users are thirsty for the extra power. "As soon as we can bring the new system in, we will run it-it can never be big enough ," says Dan Kaberon, computer resources manager at Hewitt Associates LLC, a human resources and 401(k) plan outsourcer in Lincolnshire, Ill.

Hewitt will use Parallel Sysplex to link two data centers 3-1/2 miles apart. Faster Sysplex links could reduce the hefty amount the company spends digging trenches and adding cabling for additional links as it expands the data centers.

Walsh says IBM's new processor will also boost multiprocessing performance. A 10-way multiprocessor using IBM's current G4 CMOS processors loses about 35% of its performance to system overhead; Walsh says the new processor should cut that to about 25%.

IBM's competitors aren't stand-ing still. Amdahl Corp. plans to ship next quarter a 12-way system using a 75-Mips CMOS processor.

Analysts say the new-generation CMOS processors exceed for the first time the performance of IBM's older bipolar mainframes. Also, Walsh says IBM will add functions to attract new users and applications, and will add hardware support for Java-likely in cluding a Java co-processor.

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