History of Z Series with Z Architecture - I

It got announced in October 2000

 Evolution of ESA-390

    -  24-bit, 31-bit, and 64-bit addressing Supported concurrently

    -  z900 – up to 16 Processors

    -  z800 - up to 4 Processores 

       • Linux-only model in January 2002

       • General purpose model in February 2002

          - Integrated Facility for Linux on z900/z890

 Family of operating systems

    – OS/390     z/OS

    – VSE/ESA  z/VSE

    – VM/ESA   z/VM

    – TPF          z/TPF

    – Linux for S/390  Linux for zSeries

 May 2003

    – z990 – up to 32 processors – configurable as CPs, IFLs, SAPs
    – Up to 256GB memory

 October 2003

     – The Mainframe Charter

 April 2004

     – z890 – up to 4 configurable processors
    – zSeries Application Assist Processor

 October 2004

     – Crypto Express 2

 January 2005
     – FICON Express 2

System z9 EC
(Announced July 26 2005)

- Strengthening the role of the mainframe as the data hub of the enterprise
- New versatile capacity settings designed to optimize capacity and cost
- Continued Improvement in IBM FICON performance and throughput

- On demand innovative technologies to help meet ever-changing business demands

- IBM Z9 IIP(Integration Information Processor) is designed to improve resource      optimization and lower the cost of eligible work.

System z9 BC

(Announced April 27 2006)

- Z9 Technology , for entry level to midsize capacity needs , with a wide choice of capacity settings and highly granular growth options, an increase of 2.6 times more capacity settings than zSeries z890.

- A broad set of speciality engines to facilitate integration of many types of workloads and fully leverage the power of the mainframe.

- Helps protect clients investments in mainframe technologies with upgradeability from Z890 and Z800 servers

- Key system z9 features of advanced security , resiliency, virtualization and connectivity technologies delivered in a midrange package