by Gonzalo Muelas Serrano

I look forward to IBM announcements for a very simple reason – every new mainframe announcement offers fresh proof of IBM’s ongoing investment in, and commitment to, the platform.

The recent IBM z16 unveiling, coupled with 21^st Century Software’s announcement of VSEⁿ 6.3 in March, provides VSE users with all the more reason to confidently move ahead with VSEⁿ and IBM zSystems servers.

Big News From the IBM z16 Announcement

Here are my key takeaways from the IBM z16 announcement:

• Security and resiliency, as always, is a high priority. The IBM z16 supports the Crypto Express8S adapters, which deliver what IBM describes as “quantum-safe APIs.” With this capability, enterprises will be able to start developing quantum-safe cryptography along with classical cryptography, and ultimately build new applications and modernize existing ones. For VSEⁿ customers, support is compatible with Crypto Express 8S with the functions they used with Crypto Express7S. These cards provide for RSA, ECC acceleration, and true random number generation. CPACF, a set of cryptographic hardware instructions for providing improved performance, is also supported. Also, the new memory interface uses transparent memory encryption technology to protect all data leaving the processor chips before it’s stored in the memory DIMMs.
  • The IBM z16 announcement also features resiliency enhancements, which make it possible to move production workloads in the event of unplanned disruptions such as fire or natural disasters or planned scenarios such as site facility maintenance. And secure boot is designed to keep bad actors from using malware to take over systems during hardware startup.

• The IBM z16 announcement moves VSEⁿ customers even more toward cloud. Tools continue to be put in place to allow businesses to modernize their applications and function and thrive in hybrid cloud environments. VSEⁿ connectors allow developers to access VSEⁿ data and workflows from cloud-native workloads co-located on Linux systems using Java APIs and REST APIs. Additionally, we intend to allow VSEⁿ workloads to be deployed as a cloud offering with focus on the resiliency and security of IBM zSystems, combined with flexibility of cloud deployment models.
• There’s much more to come for VSE users. In addition to the value that customers get from the rest of IBM zSystems hardware enhancements with IBM z16 that are transparent to the operating systems, 21^st Century Software will continue to invest and provide extra value in the IBM zSystems ecosystem, including VSEⁿ. We are committed to being strategically aligned with IBM’s direction for the mainframe, and will evolve to meet the changing needs and technological advances as they occur.

More Details on the IBM z16

If you’re looking to dig further into the details of the IBM z16 and its capabilities, the IBM z16 announcement (where VSEⁿ is also mentioned) and the IBM z16 SE Day virtual conference replays are a good starting point. In his blog, “The New IBM z16: Creating a Bright Future for Hybrid Cloud and AI with Groundbreaking Innovation” Ross Mauri, General Manager, IBM Systems, explains why this groundbreaking innovation is fully aligned with clients’ business strategies and will continue to be central to their futures.

In addition to information on its IBM z16 and mainframe server and software sites, IBM has published multiple Redbook publications and related IBM z16 documents, including:

• The IBM z16 technical introduction
• A technical guide draft, which includes details about IBM z16 processor design, I/O innovations and security features.
• A detailed list of features and functions supported on zSystems servers
• A connectivity handbook, which details the connectivity options for zSystems servers