“IBM Z systems are mainframes known for their ability to handle massive transaction volumes, support large-scale databases, and provide unmatched levels of security and uptime,” wrote Fausto Vaninetti, a senior solutions engineer for data center technologies at Cisco, in a blog post about the news. “The newest in the IBM Z system family, IBM z17 is the first mainframe fully engineered for the AI age, unlocking expanded capabilities for enterprise-scale AI, such as large language models, generative AI, and accelerated inferencing. However, the performance of mainframe applications depends on the underlying storage infrastructure.”
SANs play a critical role in ensuring fast, reliable, and secure access to data, Vaninetti wrote: “For mainframe environments, which leverage high-speed [Fibre Connection] FICON protocol, having a robust SAN fabric that supports these requirements is non-negotiable. A solution that combines high throughput, low latency, and enterprise-class resilience is vital to ensure seamless operations and meet stringent service-level agreement requirements.”
According to Vaninetti, some standout features of the MDS 9000 Series for mainframe environments include: