IBM shrinks z16 and LinuxONE systems into standard rack configs
- Reference: 1680690848
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/04/05/ibm_puts_z16_and_linuxone/
- Source link:
The systems are intended to appeal to a broader audience due to smaller size and reduced energy consumption.
The servers' configurations are tested to the same qualifications as the existing z16 high availability portfolio, but come in a rack-optimized format for use with standard 19-inch datacenter racks and power distribution units.
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Ross Mauri, general manager for IBM zSystems and LinuxONE, said: "These new options let companies of all sizes seamlessly co-locate IBM z16 and LinuxONE Rockhopper 4 with distributed infrastructure."
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The z16 was [4]introduced a year ago in a multi-frame incarnation, bringing with it a new 7nm Telum processor, which added on-chip AI inference features to power stuff like real-time fraud detection checks on financial transactions.
The [5]LinuxONE range are Linux-only versions of IBM's mainframe tech, and the Rockhopper 4 models include the technology from the LinuxONE Emperor 4, launched last September, in a more compact format.
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However, they're still powerful systems capable of handling a volume of processing that would otherwise call for many x86 systems. IBM claims that consolidating Linux workloads on a single Rockhopper 4 would let customers replace at least 36 x86 servers, reducing energy consumption by 75 percent and space by 67 percent.
Rockhopper 4 can be configured with up to 68 Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) processors running at 4.6GHz and up to 16TB of memory. One advantage of this is the system is capable of operating large databases on a single server eliminating the need for sharding, IBM says.
This is not the first time IBM has shrunk its big iron to standard rack size after launch – Big Blue did the same with [7]earlier models of z-series.
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Putting the hardware into this smaller footprint opens opportunities to include systems in distributed environments with other servers, storage, SAN and switches in one single rack, the company said.
[9]New models of IBM Model F keyboard Mark II incoming
[10]IBM boss Arvind 'kerching' Krishna paid more than $16m in 2022
[11]Bringing the IBM Thinkpad 'Butterfly' back to life
[12]IBM teases AI-infused hybrid cloudy upgrade to z/OS - Bingo!
IBM Z and LinuxONE Product Management veep Tina Tarquinio wrote that the new rackmount configurations were also a chance for IBM to lure audiences that have specific datacenter design requirements.
"With capabilities for partition-level power monitoring and additional environmental metrics, the single frame and rack mount configurations can potentially help reduce a client's carbon footprint," she says.
Manoj Sukumaran, Omdia principal analyst for Data Center Compute & Networking, said this was an interesting development that could help to shift mainframes beyond their traditional financial services/transaction processing market.
"IBM Z systems have typically been delivered as integrated racks and customers didn't have the flexibility to add mainframe along with their other datacenter hardware," he said.
The advantages of this are that the hardware would be available at a lower price point, making the mainframe more accessible. "LinuxOne and the integration of various Red Hat technologies also make it more cloud-like infrastructure than a traditional mainframe server, which makes it easier to integrate them into hybrid infrastructure and transition workloads between X86 and z16 systems," Sukumaran said.
IBM also last month announced a [13]preview of z/OS 3.1 , the next release of its mainframe operating system due for Q3.
The z16 and LinuxONE 4 single frame and rack mount options will be generally available from IBM and authorised biz partners from May, IBM said. ®
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[4] https://www.theregister.com/2022/04/05/ibm_z16/
[5] https://www.ibm.com/linuxone
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[7] https://www.theregister.com/2018/04/10/ibm_19_inch_mainframe/
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[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/04/03/new_model_f_keyboards/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/10/ibm_arvind_krishna_pay/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/01/ibm_butterfly_repair_upgrade/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/01/ibm_zos_3_1_preview/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/01/ibm_zos_3_1_preview/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
They will happily license you a lift if you fork out enough dough.
So if it can replace 36 x 1U servers and use 67% of the space, does that mean this beast is a 24U rack mounted server? Does it come with a free forklift to get it into the rack?
Probably. Based on the spares and tools that came with a p5-595 a long time ago it's likely an optional FRU. Besides, don't you already have a server lift in your DC? :)
The p5-595 process included an IBM engineer that came ahead of time to verify the installation prep like power (redundant 3-phase 60A), floor capacity, and they path from the dock to the DC were all up to snuff. I think the 24" rack was in the neighborhood of a ton (US short, long, or metric I don't recall).
Logic says 12u, since it *saves* 2/3 space (not occupies 2/3 space).
..forklift..
I can't say for certain whether they ship a forklift, but the IBM P7 775 HPC systems that used to use the same 26" racks as whatever was the then z system (z196?) came with a device called a 'lift tool" (which was basically a large trolley with a scissor lift incorporated in it) , and also had wind out rails to allow you pull the drawers out of the rack more gently than just tugging them. But removing the drawers from the racks was a relatively unusual operation, as much of the work could be carried out with the draws in-situe, as may of the replaceable units pulled out from either the front or rear of the drawer.
These were both powered using a meaty Makita rechargeable hand-held power drill which was actually part of the maintenance kit.
When we got the original details through, there was supposed to be a powered tow unit to move the racks, but when they were delivered, they resorted to old-fashioned muscle power to move the racks (although 3.5 metric tonnes per rack, without the water, was quite heavy, and creased the aluminium load spreading sheets that were used to prevent damage to the suspended floor).
I'm sort of interested in how they power these new systems. For full-blown z-systems, there is a thing called a "Bulk Power Unit" at the top of the rack that conditions the power and provides multiple-redundant power conversion and regulation from whatever is the local supply voltage (normally three-phase, of course) to what the system actually needs (I think it was 48 or 64 volts DC). This BPU is 'intelligent' in that it had it's own redundant service processor pair in it, and is controlled and monitored from the Hardware Management Console.
I wonder what they do for these 19" rack-mount units.
Re: ..forklift..
Correcting myself. The power system was called a "Bulk Power Assembly" (BPA). It was actually something like the top 6U of the frames, which were taller than a normal IBM 40U rack.
I came here expecting hot sexy pictures of some racks (containing the servers with the new form factor).
But left disappointed.
Would like to see their comparisons...
Last time I saw a comparison between X86 servers and IBM tin (albeit I think it was for Power rather than z), it specifically excluded any form of virtualisation on the X86 side for some spurious reasoning. At that point, any comparison of 32 physical servers vs 1 virtualised host was going to be a win for the virtualised host.
Also, unless they've reduced their costs significantly, Linux IFLs don't come cheap. You could buy a 4 socket (not core) server for about the same cost as a single Linux IFL last time I saw a price sheet.
So yeah, be wary of marketing fluff from IBM comparing their kit to x86.
> a single Rockhopper 4 would let customers replace at least 36 x86 servers, reducing energy consumption by 75 percent and space by 67 percent
So if it can replace 36 x 1U servers and use 67% of the space, does that mean this beast is a 24U rack mounted server? Does it come with a free forklift to get it into the rack?