IBM targets System z users with raft of updates

The improvements are designed to extend the mainframe platform into developing, deploying and running up-to-date applications and business data.

IBM argued that its System z platform could help to simplify environments, and reduce costs by migrating disparate applications and data with a lower cost of ownership and more scalable architecture.

In support of its commitment, the company claimed that 150 independent software vendors had embraced the platform, including SAP, Chordiant and Temenos, and that more than 1,000 new vendor applications had been added.

"We are experiencing a significant pipeline interest from our customers to add front-office customer interaction workloads on to System z," said Marchai Bruchey, vice president and chief marketing officer at Chordiant.

The initiative will span IBM's portfolio, and cover application architecture, development and delivery, business intelligence and database management, transaction management and IT service management.

IBM also announced a number of developments in its Rational line around System Architect v11.3 and and Portfolio Management v6.4 for mapping IT process interdependencies, and IBM Rational Team Concert for Java, C/C++, COBOL, PL/I, and EGL applications.

Recently announced IBM software products for business intelligence and database technology include InfoSphere Warehouse for System z, which adds core data warehousing and analytics capability to DB2 for z/OS, and universal access to clients such as Excel and Cognos.

In addition, the company said that Cognos 8 BI for Linux on System z v8.4 could now provide a single view across virtually any data source, while the next version of DB2 for z/OS will boost performance and significantly lower administration and maintenance requirements.

Other highlights in the transaction space include WebSphere Business Events v6.2.1 for z/OS, designed to help detect, evaluate and respond to the impact of business events based on the discovery of actionable event patterns.

IBM also made a number of announcements around its Tivoli product line, including Tivoli Security Management for z/OS aimed at simplifying security administration and user management, establishing security policy controls, and automating audit and compliance reporting.