IBM z16, for VSE workloads, is only supported on VSE’s latest operating system 21CS VSEⁿ 6.3.  New IBM z16 capabilities span sustainability, AI inferencing at scale, quantum-safe cryptography, improved performance and resiliency, as well as data center flexibility. 21CS clients can benefit from many new features, including

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• Increase sustainability. IBM z16 provides data center modularity and flexibility, specialty engines to offload I/O processing, on-chip AI and encryption, and the ability to sustain high CPU utilization.
• Connect to Linux on z16 through 21CS VSEn connectors, allowing customers to access accelerated AI at scale for deeper business insights.
• Take advantage of the optional IBM Crypto Express card for classical cryptography only. Enablement of IBM’s quantum-safe APIs may be supported by 21CS depending on customer demand.
• Protect IBM z16 firmware from quantum attacks through a built-in dual signature scheme with no changes required, which is designed to be transparent to 21CS VSEn.
• Access FICON Express32s, also as FCP type for SCSI disk storage, supported on 21CS VSEn 6.3. This feature running at end-to-end 32 Gbps link speeds can offer reduced latency for large read and write operations and increased bandwidth.
• Flexibility to either continue with either the standard 19” single frame, or order the new rack mount z16 option to co-locate and consolidate with other standard rack mount infrastructure, such as disk storage and switches.
• Leverage System Recovery Boost, providing full capacity for enable capped processors, at no additional cost, for recovery system shutdown 30min and 1h during boot/IPL, helping also workout faster the backlog generated while recovering.

Addressing today’s changing IT landscape

Every day, clients face challenges in delivering integrated digital services. According to IBM’s recent IBM Transformation Index report, security, managing complex environments, and regulatory compliance were cited as challenges to integrating workloads in a hybrid cloud. In today’s evolving IT landscape, it can be difficult for clients to meet business objectives while adhering to environmental regulations and increasing costs.

The new IBM z16 rack mount option is designed with the same reliability standards as all IBM z16 are for client-owned data center racks and power distribution units. This footprint is architected to let companies co-locate the latest z16 technology with distributed infrastructure and opens opportunities to include storage, SAN, and switches in one frame, designed to optimize both data center planning and latency for specific computing projects. Installing these systems in the data center can help create a new class of use cases, including data center design, optimized edge computing, and data sovereignty for regulated industries.

Securing data on a highly available system

According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach report, conducted independently by Ponemon Institute, and sponsored, analyzed and published by IBM Security, surveyed organizations with a hybrid cloud model had lower average data breach costs, about $3.8 million, compared to public or private cloud models. IBM z16 helps support a secured, available hybrid IT environment critical to customer outcomes for essential industries like healthcare, financial services, government, and insurance.

More sophisticated cyber threats require new standards of protection. IBM z16 provides high levels of resiliency offering support for mission-critical workloads. These high availability levels help consumers  maintain access to data from their bank accounts, medical records, insurance records, retail profiles and other personal information whenever they need it. IBM z16 single frame and rack mount systems offer a broad range of security capabilities, including confidential computing, centralized key management, and quantum-safe cryptography.

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