Anyone here have hands-on with System z S390?

Rinndalir · 10-24-2015, 03:56 PM

I have noticed more activity with S390 systems and I am wondering why the renewed interest lately. If you have worked with these in any way what are the advantages? Why did you choose them? If you were not the decision maker do you know why they decided to use them?

I even saw some used ones for sale.

syg00 · 10-25-2015, 05:59 AM

Hardware or software ?.
z Series is IBM proprietary (mainframe) hardware. Based on Power, but different. s390 (these days) usually refers to the 31 (note, not 32) bit Linux implementation on said hardware. Not supported anymore.
s390x is 64 bit Linux on z - SUSE and RHEL only. Until (very) recently only ran on the proprietary VM that has been around for over 40 years. Nothing new there.
zKVM has now been released - as has the LinuxONE box; apparently a Ubuntu (only) coup.

To which do you refer ?.