The name change may have been the bait that caught users’ attention, but IBM’s colossal rebranding announcement two weeks ago was more than a new moniker for the S/390. In fact, the S/390 got some significant hardware upgrades and a fairly aggressive pricing structure. And, while the new name has created a bit of a stir among users, the real discussion in S/390 shops is over the new functionality, the benefits of a pay as you go plan and the hopes of increased performance.

As part of its rebranding strategy the S/390 has been dubbed the zSeries 900. Other IBM servers now have similar “Series” names, such as the iSeries for the AS/400, and all will be identified as part of the “eServer” family of products.

The zSeries 900 is the first to be reconfigured with any significant hardware upgrades. The heart of the new z900 is the IBM multichip module (MCM). IBM has also added a 64-bit operating system, z/OS, designed to handle spikes in workload or traffic, and near zero downtime when clustered. According to IBM, the zSeries 900’s hardware upgrade will make it more conducive to handling Internet-related demands.

In addition, IBM has implemented a radically new pricing structure that lets users pay according to usage. The new technology in the z900 will let customers switch on additional built-in hardware and software automatically via the Internet when they need extra capacity. This will allow companies to pay only for the software and computing power they use.

According to Mike Kahn, an analyst with the Wellesley, MA-based Clipper Group, sees the recent name change and announcements as a continuation of what IBM started three or four years ago. "It really begun to open up the platform then by allowing Java, C++ and WebSphere to run on it," he said.

He added that the S/390 has a reputation for being pricey for what it actually does. “By charging for use rather than capacity, the zSeries will be more competitive rivaling HUH running Linux applications on Intel servers,” he said.

Overall, Big Blue's positioning of the zSeries, particularly as a tool for e-business, is seen as a vote of support for the decades-old platform. But, Search390 users have different points of view on the specifics.

User Chris Craddock sees the new pricing structure as a way to make the machine more cost effective and as a remedy to price gouging for software, a common complaint among users. "It will put a lot of pressure on certain software vendors to stop raping their customers."

But, Steve Samson, a senior technical staff member with a software solutions company in California, sees the technological improvements as good for e-business, which entails highly volatile workloads. Additions, such as intelligent resource direction and demand-based pricing with toleration for overload surge conditions, makes this possible, he said.

Samson sees the name change of the operating system as perhaps a clarifying step in its evolution. "z/OS is another renaming of MVS just like XA, ESA, and OS/390. The release numbering of OS/390 was weird and confusing. V1R1 of z/OS is a welcome change," he said.

"Why the z?," said user Bob Halpern. "Probably to be part of a catchy advertising campaign. Putting the designation first (zOs instead of 0S/390) is also an eye catcher. I expect the z (zee in the US, zed in the UK) to be the topic of many discussions, also providing some free advertising."

However, user Shmuel Metz, a systems programmer in Virginia, worries about the strategy, "I think that in the process of pursuing e-business, IBM is going to lose a lot of its traditional customers. Over the last couple of decades, IBM seems to have had trouble simultaneously looking at multiple markets; it has been unable to keep commitments and has been unable to make and carry through on long-term plans. IBM should be going after e-business, but not at the expense of its current customer base," he said.

Metz is also not thrilled by the name z/OS especially since it highlights "IBM's propensity to rename things at the drop of a hat, especially since they seem to be careless about recycling acronyms."

Yet Samson is a bit philosophical about the future of the machine. "The idea of a mainframe (like the 3090) is gone. It's just a big server with a fantastic operating system.”