>>> On 9/6/2008 at 7:49 PM, in message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Paul Raulerson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > (*sigh*) > > Good for you Mark. So how many new z/OS installs have been sold by > IBM in the past four years? > I know of exactly 2.
Most of the MIPS that IBM ships are obviously not to new customers, but to existing customers that are growing, or _replacing existing boxes_. So, how many new z/OS versus new Linux for System z customers there are isn't terribly relevant compared to that. > How many new Linux installs? I personally know of at least 48, maybe > 49. And how many of those were 1 or 2 processors, versus what was already installed and running z/OS? IBM has talked about how many "specialty engines" have been sold since their inception. That includes IFLs as well as zIIPs and zAAPs. The numbers simply aren't that huge compared to the standard engine install base, and IBM does a good job of getting most of their install base to upgrade with each new generation. As well, when IFLs were first introduced, IBM was bundling them into a _lot_ of deals. A large number of them were never used, or played wth and then ignored. Some of those are now being fired up again, resulting in "new" installs, which I'm hoping will actually lead to production use. > I have no idea how many z/OS only shops are now z/OS, z/VM, and Linux, > but I do know of quite a > few of those. The number is growing, but there are still a _lot_ of companies, big and small, that are just now starting to consider Linux for System z, and _maybe_ z/VM to go along with that. I'm amazed at how many there are of them, and how big some of them are. > I am sure willing to be enlightened though - care to share any facts? You would be better off asking IBM, since they've not shared the nitty gritty details with anyone that I know, just high-level numbers. I would think that if the number were 50%, they'd be shouting it to the world, not sticking to the 20-25% numbers they _are_ talking about. And, given my interest in seeing this platform grow, you can bet I would be doing just that as well. However, I don't want to oversell the platform, for a number of reasons, which is why whenever I see unlikely claims, I try to counter them with what I believe to be the truth. In this case, I would love to be proven wrong. I just don't think I am. But the only people that can say one way or the other work for IBM, and they're not likely to give enough details to satisfy you. > I have hated to miss the past two Shares, but > golly - been working full time on - you guess it - zLinux. I've worked for over 8 years now trying to get this platform the attention I think it deserves, so I'm very glad to hear that. I know several people in the IBM Business Partner world doing the same, and it makes me feel good to know that things are picking up (finally). Mark Post
