Another interesting question would be how does one go about licensing the needed software for a z10 from M$....:-)
DJ ----- Original Message ----- From: "O'Brien, Dennis L" <dennis.l.o'[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Windows Enabler Appliance on System z Now Available Date: Thu, 6 May 2010 12:24:14 -0700 > Interesting. Is this related to Mantissa's z86VM project? > > > > > Dennis > > > > "The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as > to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the smallest > possible amount of hissing." -- Jean-Baptiste Colbert, > 17th-century French minister of finance > > > > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Boyes > Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 11:42 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [IBMVM] Windows Enabler Appliance on System z Now > Available > > > > As discussed at WAVV: > > > > Based on requests from a number of customers, we have > assembled a virtual machine appliance for System z and > z/VM to permit running x86_64 based operating systems and > applications on System z10 hardware in virtual machines. > The appliance has been tested with (and passed) the > Microsoft Windows Server Hardware Verification test, and > Windows Server 2003 and 2008 virtual machines have been > successfully deployed and run applications such as > Exchange 2007 and Sharepoint. > > > > What is the intended use? > > > > The appliance is intended to provide a immediate way for > Intel server applications that perform mostly I/O > intensive applications to run on System z hardware, and is > best suited for server applications such as Exchange or > Sharepoint hosting. The appliance does not include > licenses for any OS (eg Windows, etc) or the applications > to run within the appliance. > > > > Based on what IBM has publically shared about System z > hardware futures, we see this as a roadmap item that will > be expanded and optimized to take advantage of new direct > execution capabilities as they become available. We are > discussing how enhancements to speed up the emulation > could be done with IBM, and will share more as things > evolve. > > > > How's It Work? > > It's based on the research with dynamic instruction > simulation done as part of the OpenSolaris for System z > work and a clean-room x86_64 instruction description. It > is (by definition) not as efficient as real iron, but it > provides a way for x86_64 applications to be run without > adding additional hardware to the data center. > > > > What Do I need to Run it? > > > > A z10 and z/VM 5.4 or greater. It may work on pre-z10 > machines, but it is likely to consume an unacceptable > amount of overhead CPU. Both IFL and CPs are supported. > > > > How do I get a copy? > > > > The appliance is available according to a mutual > assistance model based on how many physical CECs you plan > to deploy it on. You can contribute money, people or > resources to obtain a copy. > > > > Please contact [email protected] if you are interested. > > > > -- db > > > > David Boyes > > Sine Nomine Associates > >
