IBM system z and mainframe systems
A mainframe (also known as 'big iron') is a high-performance computer used for large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a smaller-scale machine can offer... See complete definition.
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News
25 Jan 2022
IBM hybrid cloud strategy driving revenue growth
IBM revenue for its hybrid cloud business showed little indication of slowing down, with the company reporting sales of $6.2 billion for the fourth quarter and $20 billion for 2021. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
IBM, Samsung to deliver new energy-saving chip design
Looking to bolster its position in the next-generation chip competition, IBM unveiled a new design that allows chips to be stacked vertically, adding power and energy savings. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Mar 2022
64-bit processor (64-bit computing)
A 64-bit processor refers to a microprocessor that can process data and instructions in chunks of 64 bits. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2022
IBM hybrid cloud strategy driving revenue growth
IBM revenue for its hybrid cloud business showed little indication of slowing down, with the company reporting sales of $6.2 billion for the fourth quarter and $20 billion for 2021. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 Jan 2022
abend (abnormal end)
An abend (abnormal end) is an unexpected or abnormal termination of an application or operating system that results from a problem with the software. Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2021
IBM, Samsung to deliver new energy-saving chip design
Looking to bolster its position in the next-generation chip competition, IBM unveiled a new design that allows chips to be stacked vertically, adding power and energy savings. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Nov 2021
OLTP (online transaction processing)
OLTP (online transaction processing) is a class of software programs capable of supporting transaction-oriented applications. Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2021
Kyndryl CTO talks strategy for the '$19 billion startup'
Kyndryl, the IBM services spinoff, debuted this week amidst varying analyst opinions as to how it would fare. Kyndryl CTO Antoine Shagoury lays out why he thinks it can succeed. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Nov 2021
U (measurement)
A U is a standard unit of measure for designating the height in computer enclosures and server rack cabinets. Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2021
IBM details Kyndryl spinoff, business reorg and earnings
IBM's third-quarter earnings report was a mixed bag, with overall cloud revenues continuing to rise, and server hardware showing a sharp downturn. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Oct 2021
ISO 9000
ISO 9000 is a series of standards, developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2021
IBM boosts AI speed, security on next-gen mainframe processor
Hoping to make the mainframe more relevant to users implementing AI, IBM plans to introduce next year a processor that runs AI applications faster and with better security. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Aug 2021
UK banking giant doubles down on IBM z15 mainframes
Responding to users demands for dependable access to banking services, Nationwide Building Society continued its commitment to IBM's Z series of mainframes upgrading to the z15. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2021
IBM z/OS V2.5 integrates mainframes with hybrid clouds, AI
Bringing mainframes deeper into the hybrid cloud mix, IBM delivered an updated version of z/OS that makes it easier for IT pros to modernize applications and improve security. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2021
Whitehurst out as IBM president amid executive changes
Top executives leading IBM have moved, including IBM president Jim Whitehurst, and the company has added a new face to its systems business, recruited from HPE. Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2021
IBM's 2 nanometer CPU roadmap heats up chip manufacturer race
IBM continues its push to be more competitive in the chip manufacturer competition, showing off its first 2 nanometer chip expected to boost performance of its Power and Z series mainframes by 40%. Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
IBM leans on Red Hat to adapt Power servers for hybrid cloud
New Red Hat tools and integrated system offerings allow IBM Power users to run workloads across multiple cloud environments. Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2021
IBM revenues head south again as hardware, services sales dip
Reporting its sharpest decline in five years, IBM revenues for 2020 dove 5%. CEO Arvind Krishna highlights opportunities and vows to run IBM differently in 2021. Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2020
IBM cloud revenues climb as hardware continues to decline
IBM cloud revenues continue to increase as hardware sales drop, sharpening the company's strategy to focus on hybrid cloud. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2020
IBM Z mainframes revived by Red Hat, AI and security
It's not quite the glory days of the 1960s, but IBM mainframes are getting by with a little help from open source friends. IBM discusses the boost and plans for security and AI. Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2020
Big Blue ties its IBM Z Series tighter to hybrid clouds
In its ongoing mission to keep mainframes relevant, IBM rolled out a raft of hardware and software offerings that move it closer to the heart of IT shops' hybrid cloud strategies. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2020
New IBM Power systems offer pay-as-you-go pricing
IBM rolled out a low-end Power system with pay-as-you-go pricing to make it easier for users to deploy hybrid clouds for mission-critical applications. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2020
Tool helps mainframe developers create cloud-native apps
Reassuring mainframe developers of its commitment to the venerable platform, IBM will introduce a tool that helps them build cloud-native applications for z/OS. Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2020
IBM layoffs target services, marketing employees
IBM layoffs under newly appointed CEO Arvind Krishna largely affect its Global Technology Services and marketing groups. Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2020
IBM's new CEO makes commitment to IT, reports cloud gains
IBM cloud revenues saw incremental first quarter growth, despite the March slump due to COVID-19, and the new CEO promised to pursue a more aggressive cloud and AI strategy. Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2020
Lower-cost IBM z15 mainframes add security for multi-clouds
Two new low-end IBM z15 mainframes and security software aim to help users better prevent internal attacks, as well as monitor workloads across on-premises and multi-cloud environments. Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2020
Honeywell quantum computing system passes IBM out of the gate
Honeywell joined the quantum computing race this week with a system featuring a new quantum architecture with a Quantum Volume rating of 64 -- double that of existing systems. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2020
Mainframe software market shrinks with BMC-Compuware deal
The BMC acquisition of Compuware leaves BMC as the last major independent mainframe software company. But its new portfolio should help users transition to modern world of DevOps. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2020
New IBM Power9 server adds Nvidia, Google chips for AI workloads
Big Blue rolled out another member of its IBM Power9 server family targeted at corporate users who are ready to move beyond the training phase of their AI projects to the deployment phase. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jan 2020
IBM acquisitions may be best path back to the top
With internal AI and cloud projects such as Watson failing to deliver much revenue, analysts think IBM needs to acquire, not build, its way back to sustainable growth. Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2019
IBM z15 mainframe secures data across multi-cloud environments
IBM unveiled the latest in its line of mainframes capable of processing 1 trillion web transactions a day. The IBM z15 mainframe's software can manage data across multiple clouds. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2019
AI hardware demands drive biggest server, chip deals in 2019
Many top-tier server hardware suppliers redoubled their efforts to deliver products such as supercomputers to capture a piece of the AI and machine learning hardware market. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2019
IBM mainframes face competitive pressures inside and out
IBM's mainframe business continues to be under pressure from cloud-based competitors, and perhaps even its own Power server. But analyst opinions vary about its long-term fate. Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2019
IBM mainframe pricing overhaul inspired by cloud model
IBM's new Tailored Fit Pricing model gives enterprises more flexibility in the types of workloads they run on the z/OS platform. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Mar 2019
Don't count out IBM virtualization on the Z platform
A mainframe can house hundreds of thousands of VMs and a wide range of workloads. Also, IBM Z provides virtualization management via Dynamic Partition Manager and Wave for z/VM. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2019
Broadcom execs: Here's how the CA acquisition works
Broadcom explains why its surprising acquisition of CA Technologies can work, citing complementary portfolios and the long-term viability of mainframe software. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2019
IBM quantum computing system, apps lab seek commercial users
IBM finally introduced its first integrated quantum computer that is designed for commercial accounts. But the emergence of commercial apps may take some time. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Nov 2018
How mainframe maintenance intersects with x86 server upkeep
Mainframe maintenance overlaps with some x86 server upkeep tasks. Patching and storage management play a role in keeping mainframes up to date. Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2018
IBM boosts security, reliability in Power Systems server additions
IBM's upcoming Power Systems servers add more security and reliability for cloud environments and promise to lower maintenance costs over the systems' life span. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2018
Broadcom acquisition of CA seeks broader portfolio
Broadcom has acquired CA Technologies in a move some believe is largely financially motivated, while others see an opportunity for the companies to integrate core offerings. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2018
IBM's Cloud Private for Data brings on-prem data closer to the cloud
IBM rolled out its Cloud Private for Data platform designed to make it easier for users' on-premises data to interact with not just IBM's public cloud, but those of AWS and Google. Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2018
IBM trots out 'skinny mainframe' to widen big iron appeal
IBM hopes to attract born-in-the-cloud startups that never considered buying a full-blown z14 mainframe, with its little brother, the 'skinny mainframe.' Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2018
IBM Cloud services to secure mainframes out to the edge
Big Blue will introduce IBM Cloud services that use blockchain, containers and its z14 mainframes to deliver improved security across cloud and on-premises environments. Continue Reading
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News
20 Feb 2018
IBM Power9 servers seek market inroads to AI, cloud
IBM follows up its first Power9 server with a raft of systems designed to appeal to a wider array of markets -- most notably, AI and cloud deployments. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2017
The mainframe environment: A thing of the past or the future?
It made its name in a long-ago era, but even in the time of virtualization and cloud computing, the mainframe hasn't disappeared yet. The IBM z14 aims to keep it that way. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jul 2017
IBM Strategic Imperatives mark a transition into software and services
IBM's Strategic Imperatives are slowly morphing the server hardware stalwart into a software and services company. But IBM still needs hardware to complete the transformation. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Oct 2016
Optimize mainframe processor performance with vertical polarization
To increase mainframe processor capacity and speed, IBM turned to vertical polarization. Learn how to take advantage of it through a feature called HiperDispatch. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jul 2016
Three types of mainframe monitoring tools to track performance
Mainframe users face a variety of options when it comes to system monitoring tools. Determine if a real-time, near-time or post-processor tool is the best fit for your IT needs. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Apr 2016
How do I convert CPU hours to MIPS for mainframe capacity planning?
For better mainframe capacity planning, how do I convert CPU hours to MIPS? And is there a way to calculate the relationship between MIPS and MSUs? Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Aug 2015
What can I do to gain Java skills and leave mainframe programming?
I have two years of experience in mainframe technology, currently working as a mainframe developer. I want to change to Java technology. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Feb 2015
How do I transfer a PS file from a mainframe to a Linux server?
I need to transfer one PS file's data from a mainframe to a Linux server. Are there any JCL scripts that can do this for me? Continue Reading
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Tip
12 May 2014
DevOps and Agile IT save mainframe training from skills quagmire
The problem isn't that new hires aren't familiar with the complex, custom daily tasks of mainframe ops. The problem is that you're still doing them. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Nov 2013
What to do when a mainframe IPL stalls out without error messages
When initial program load stalls out on a mainframe logical partition, the culprit is often consoles. Connectivity is one of many potential causes. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2013
Programming thread-safe mainframe applications with the CICS ENQ command
Thread safety in mainframe applications means better vertical integration. Take full advantage with the CICS ENQ command. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2012
Setting traps with SLIP, king of the mainframe debugging tools
How to use SLIP, one of the best mainframe debugging tools, to set traps for annoying bugs. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Apr 2012
Basic Assembler Language (BAL)
BAL (Basic Assembler Language) is a version of IBM's assembler language (sometimes called assembly language) for its System/360 and System/370 mainframe operating system. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Sep 2011
Basic disassembly: Decoding the opcode
Programmers can find benefit from disassembling object code–a lost art that begins with understanding the opcode. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2011
Transaction and database management on z/OS mainframe systems
Transaction and database management tools for mainframe systems, such as CICS, IMS and DB2, have been around for decades, but have evolved over the years to fit the needs of enterprise customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2010
Two forgotten but useful CICS transactions
While CICS has evolved its system interface, the lesser-known CICS transactions ADYN and CSFE can still be useful for debugging and other tasks. Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2010
Mainframers not interested in zEnterprise blades?
According to a poll taken at the Gartner Data Center Conference, mainframe shops aren’t as interested in zEnterprise as IBM might hope, largely because of high software costs. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jul 2010
How to install Webmin and ease data center server management
In this introduction to Webmin, learn how the tool can make it easier to manage Unix and Linux servers in your data center. An expert describes how to install Webmin and get started with this free systems management tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Apr 2010
Troubleshooting PGMIDERR/AEI0 ABEND in CICS Transaction Gateway
This tip delves into resolving PGMIDERR/AEI0 ABEND errors within the CICS Transaction Gateway. The solution to these errors isn't always an intuitive one, and may require several additional and lengthy steps along the way. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jan 2010
Dealing with CICS/MQ trigger interface quirks
Despite its simplicity, the CICS/MQ trigger interface has its share of quirks, such as messages left in queues and uneven workload distribution. An expert shares fixes for common CICS/MQ message triggering problems in this tip. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Oct 2009
Developing a successful mainframe migration strategy
A successful mainframe migration strategy requires careful planning to avoid disruption to end users. This tip discusses best practices for migrating, regenerating or replacing mainframe applications. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Nov 2008
Solve the startup error 00161 and 00163 with IBM TP600?
Error 00161 on an IBM TP600 may be due to a faulty CMOS battery, and 00163 may relate to your version of utility PS2 EXE. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2008
COBOL, VS-COBOL-II and MFCOBOL: What's the difference?
The original COBOL compiler grew into greater addressability with VS- COBOL-II MFCOBOL and increased functionality in MFCOBOL. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2008
How to solve abend code 4038
A user faces the abnormal ending abend code 4038 in the process of migrating from VS COBOL runtimes to LE. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2008
Override a SYSIN DD DSN in the proc from the JCL?
Override the SYSIN DD Domain Name Source (DNS) in proc using the Job Control Language (JCL) this code syntax. Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2008
IBM's z10 Business Class: Cheaper and easier to get into your data center
IBM launched the z10 Business Class, whcih starts at about $100,000. As part of the announcement, IBM is offering a financing deal: zero payments for 90 days. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Oct 2008
Use DFHLS2WS to expose CICS applications as a Web service
DFHLS2WS is one of the Web services assistants that allows traditional CICS applications to provide or consume Web services without significant changes and without getting into the details of SOAP or XML coding. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2008
Mainframe application modernization: Web services aren't the only option
A Q&A session with a mainframe consultant elucidates the options for application modernization on the mainframe.Sometimes core applications run out of the flexibility that is needed by the business, and the options are replacing part of the core application or migrating off the platform. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Jun 2008
data center chiller
A data center chiller is a cooling system used in a data center to remove heat from one element and deposit it into another element. Chillers are used by industrial facilities to cool the water used in their heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) units. (Continued...) Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2007
CICSPlex System Manager basics
In this brief overview of CPSM, CICS expert Robert Crawford describes the risks and rewards of using it for system management, automation and workload management. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Mar 2007
CICS program list tables: PLTPI and PLTSD programs
CICS expert Robert Crawford describes the two types of program list tables (PLT) Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jan 2007
CICS trace: Getting started, formatting and externalizing
CICS expert Robert Crawford describes the handy CICS trace tool and gives code for externalizing its output. Continue Reading