If you’re reading this blog it means Earth wasn’t destroyed by the comet ISON. Phew! As we reflect on the fascinating path of that extraterrestrial wonder, it seems like a good time to introduce you to another “comet” we have in our sights when it comes to data centers and the mainframe.
Recently, we completed a guide on data center performance strategies and cost savings. In my discussions with recipients of the guide (which you can download for free here) and at presentations over the last year, I’ve made reference to the “mainframe comet.”
In essence, the view we take when forecasting the mainframe environment over the next 3-to-5 years resembles a comet. At the “tail end” of the comet, you’ve got a majority of customers who are looking to move some level of their data functions off the mainframe, equaling about half of the overall mainframe capacity. Burning bright at the other end is another 10% of customers, who make up one-quarter of all capacity. These are the global financial institutions, government agencies, and any business truly dealing with massive data volumes on a daily basis (in the ballpark of more than 20K MIPS).
In whole, the comet looks like this:
But as more strategies and technologies take advantage of existing mainframe environments – or at least optimize processing and I/O on z/OS – I’m curious if our “comet” may burn brighter and longer than anyone anticipates.
Hybrid environments and the data center are pulling mainframes into cutting-edge use. IBM, for one, has made significant investments and R&D dedications with zEDC, zBX and other System z hardware, earning effusive praise from writers in that community. The customers I’ve talked to surrounding the performance guide are all about doing more with – not without – their mainframe.
So what does the future of the mainframe look like to you? White-hot at 20K MIPS and beyond? A clunky way to keep around data for the auditor that you expect to flame out like the comet ISON? Or do you expect it to burn brightly in some other way?
