Hitachi to Deliver New Mainframe Based on IBM z Systems in Japan

IBM strengthens collaborative relationship with Hitachi on sourcing of hardware for new mainframe system

New Hitachi mainframe computing environment will help its customers sustain data and software assets while taking advantage of next-generation IBM z Systems technology

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IBM

May 23, 2017, 10:00 ET

TOKYO and ARMONK, N.Y., May 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced plans to deliver a new mainframe computing environment with Hitachi Ltd. that uses Hitachi's operating system and IBM z Systems hardware technology to provide clients new digital solutions while sustaining previous investments in business-critical data and software.

Hitachi will exclusively adopt the IBM z Systems high-performance mainframe hardware technology as the only hardware for the next generation of Hitachi's AP series. These systems primarily serve major organizations in Japan. This work expands Hitachi's cooperation with IBM to make mainframe development more efficient through IBM's global capabilities in developing and manufacturing mainframe computing.

The collaboration reinforces IBM's commitment to delivering new innovations in mainframe technology and fostering an open ecosystem for the mainframe to support a broad range of software and applications. IBM recently launched offerings for IBM z Systems that uses the platform's capabilities for speed, scale and security to deliver cloud-based blockchain services for building new transaction systems and machine learning for analyzing large amounts of data.

The IBM z Systems mainframe supports the z/OS, z/TPF and z/VM operating systems as well as the Linux operating system with Linux installed by more than 40 percent of z Systems clients. The IBM z Systems mainframe is the core IT system for the world's leading businesses, including 44 of the top 50 global banks, ten of the top insurers and 18 of the top 25 retailers.

"Our agreement with Hitachi allows companies to continue using the Hitachi operating system and software that's central to their business while taking advantage of the speed, scale and security delivered by the latest IBM z Systems hardware technology," said Ross Mauri, general manager for IBM z Systems. "Hitachi and IBM will continue working together to evolve the technology to provide clients with new digital solutions to transform their own businesses."

IBM and Hitachi have a long history of cooperation and collaboration in enterprise computing technologies. Hitachi decided to expand this cooperation at this time to utilize IBM's most advanced mainframe technologies which IBM delivers globally. Hitachi will continue to provide its customers with a highly reliable, high-performance mainframe environment based on the Hitachi VOS3 operating system. Hitachi also continues to strengthen mainframe functionality and services which contribute to customers' reduction of TCO, including improved ease of system introduction and operation, and better serviceability.

"We are pleased to have this agreement with IBM to strengthen our collaborative relationship," said Takeo Ishii, president of IoT & Cloud Services Business Division for Hitachi. "Hitachi has, for over fifty years, delivered its proprietary mainframe system offerings to various corporations and organizations as part of their mission-critical systems and has supported our customers' stable operations and materialization of innovations with a high standard of reliability. Hitachi will continuously provide highly reliable, high-performance mainframe systems to the customers in Japan utilizing IBM's most advanced mainframe technologies."

To learn more about the IBM z Systems portfolio, visit http://www.ibm.com/systems/z/ or the IBM Systems blog.

Contact:
Tim Dallman
507-287-0223
[email protected]

SOURCE IBM