In a move that will simplify data center management and reduce costs, IBM is offering the ability to integrate and manage workload on select IBM System x servers running Linux as part of the zEnterprise System.

This capability is delivered through the IBM zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager and the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX), which allows customers to integrate the management of zEnterprise System resources as a single system and extend mainframe qualities, such as governance and manageability, to workloads running on other select servers.

The zEnterprise System can now integrate and manage workloads running on tens of thousands of off-the-shelf applications on select general purpose IBM POWER7-based and System x blades as well as the IBM Smart Analytics Optimizer to analyze data faster at a lower cost per transaction and the IBM WebSphere DataPower XI50 for integrating web based workloads.

Up to 112 blades can be integrated and managed as part of zBX. Different types of blades and optimizers can be mixed and matched with in the same BladeCenter chassis.

Support for Microsoft Windows on select System x servers will follow.

IBM Introduces New zEnterprise 114 Mainframe Server

IBM introduced the new IBM zEnterprise 114 mainframe server, which allows mid-sized organizations to enjoy the benefits of a mainframe as the foundation for their data centers, costs 25% less and offers significantly more performance than its predecessor, the System z10 BC server.

It is projected that clients can consolidate workloads from 40 x-86 processors running Oracle software on to a new z114 with just three processors running Linux, and over a three year period, total costs for hardware, software and support on the new z114 as compared to consolidated servers can be up to 80% less with similar dramatic savings on floor space and energy.

At a starting price of under $75,000 -- IBM's lowest ever price for a mainframe server -- the zEnterprise 114 is an especially attractive option for emerging markets experiencing rapid growth in new services for banking, retail, mobile devices, government services and other areas. These organizations are faced with ever-increasing torrents of data and want smarter computing systems that help them operate efficiently, better understand customer behavior and needs, optimize decisions in real time and reduce risk.

IBM also introduced new features that allow the zEnterprise System to integrate and manage workloads on additional platforms. New today is support for select System x blades within the zEnterprise System. These select System x blades can run Linux x86 applications unchanged, and in the future will be able to run Windows applications. With these capabilities, the zEnterprise System including the new z114 can help simplify data centers with its ability to manage workloads across mainframe, POWER7 and System x servers as a single system. Using the zEnterprise Blade Center Extension (zBX), customers can also extend mainframe qualities, such as governance and manageability, to workloads running across multiple platforms.