On Wed, 3 Feb 2010 08:04:43 -0600, Mark Zelden wrote: >On Wed, 3 Feb 2010 09:03:33 +0100, R.S. wrote: > >>Mark Zelden pisze: >>[...] >>> I don't have a stake either way, but if I were rooting for Neon and they >>> won this battle, IBM would still be free to change the licensing rules or >>> not charge less for special engines, or they could just change the code >>> and break zPrime for Neon. So the only benefit seems to be temporary for >>> anyone using the software. Long term, it could hurt everyone else. >> >>Another scenario: Neon wins, IBM tries to break zPrime and is sued for >>trust practices. Then LOSES anti-trust trial and is obliged to keep >>zPrime working. Effect: everyone can lower his HW and SW bills. >> > >zPrime working doesn't do anyone any good if specialty engines don't >get a price break (IBM can't be forced to sell them cheaper). That is >the whole point of them. So the effect is more likely to be no more >specialty engines (why have them at the same price). That hurts >everyone who uses them today** that doesn't run zPrime. > >** Everyone that uses them enough to get a price advantage. It doesn't >help to purchase a specialty engine at 1/4 the price of a general engine >and only run it at 10% utilization. But "ZAAPZIIP" in z/OS 1.11 (and the >support added to z/OS 1.9 & 1.10 via OA27495) help.
The advantage of using zAAP and zIIP engines is not the purchase price. It is that these engines are not counted when determining software charges. zIIP and zAAP engines were introduced by IBM as a way to give users a significant break on the software charges. In the case of zAAP engines, the break is for work that could easily run on other platforms. IBM has painted itself into a corner with its software pricing algorithms, charging ever increasing amounts for the same software on larger processors. Software charges are the biggest reason that users migrate work off of the mainframe. They are also a big reason why new workloads are put on other platforms if possible. IMO, the best possible outcome of this would be if it caused IBM to revamp its software pricing policies, drastically reducing prices and ensuring that they would not continue to increase as processors become faster. It would be quite painful to IBM and other software vendors at first. The net result, I believe, would be a halt to the loss of mainframe customers and new customers coming to the platform. -- Tom Marchant ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
