IBM today announced that China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), as a new IBM mainframe customer, has selected IBM System z9 Business Class (z9 BC) to create an advanced information technology (IT) platform to support the explosive Internet growth of China. By migrating its distributed servers to a Linux-based System z platform through "specialty engines" known as Integrated Facilities for Linux (IFLs), CNNIC also has created a new, environmentally efficient enterprise data.

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As the state network information center for China, CNNIC provides Internet-related services, ranging from domain name registry service to IP address and autonomous system number (AS Number) allocation service to catalogue database service. The demand for CNNIC's services reflects recent Internet adoption rate in China. As of the end of 2008, Chinese Internet users have surpassed 298 million while the country's Internet penetration rate of 22.6% had topped the global average level of 21.9%, making China one of the world's largest base of Internet users and Internet penetration rate.*

To support the rapidly advancing Internet development in China over the last decade, CNNIC has been increasing the computing capacity of its IT platform by adding hundreds of servers and network devices. This increased energy cost significantly and decreased operational efficiency. In short, CNNIC needed a more affordable and flexible solution to overcome space constraints and related real estate costs.

After running stringent tests and simulations of its applications and database management system on various industry solutions in late 2008, CNNIC decided to use IBM System z9 BC as the IT foundation of its "Prospective Business Research Platform". CNNIC chose IBM's mainframe technology for its superior integration capability, as well as unmatched stability and security required for its IT infrastructure. Another plus is that System z boasted of a central processor dedicated to Linux workloads.

"At present, we only utilized 60 percent of the IBM System z9 BC CPU to run about 20 workload applications that were previously processed by a flight of small and mid-range servers. It is definitely a drastic improvement compared with five percent server utilization in the past," said Dr. Zhang Yuedong, deputy director of Technology Department at CNNIC.

Dr. Zhang added, "Running Linux on System z boasts wonderful compatibility with PC Linux. Currently, both of RedHat and SUSE offer specific editions supporting System z virtual machine. We also plan to migrate some low and medium workload of mission critical businesses to the IBM mainframe in the future."

To date, CNNIC's deployment of IBM's flagship virtualization technology has enabled the company to offer the most highly available network with full utilization and around-the-clock support. Additionally, the ability to activate new virtual servers within minutes via Linux on System z has helped CNNIC realize rapid application deployment.

About CNNIC

China Internet Network Information Center, or CNNIC, was founded as a non-project organization in 1997. CNNIC takes orders from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) to conduct daily business, while it was administratively operated by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). For more information about CNNIC, visit http://www.cnnic.net.cn/en/index/index.htm

About IBM System z

The adoption of IBM mainframes, which power the top 50 banks worldwide and 22 of the top 25 US retailers, has enabled IBM's System z to nearly double its share this decade, according to IDC's high-end server quarterly tracker. Examples of the clients in the Asia Pacific region that have adopted IBM mainframes include: HDFC Bank, Industrial Bank of Korea, and RHB Banking Group (Malaysia). For more information on the facts about IBM's System z mainframe, visit IBM's Get the Facts website.

* Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China, January 2009, published by CNNIC. For more information, go to http://www.cnnic.cn/uploadfiles/pdf/2009/3/23/153540.pdf

  Media Contact

  Alvin Xiao Yi SHEN
  Communications,
  IBM China
  Tel: 86-10-63613053
  E-mail: shenxyi@cn.ibm.com

  Harriet Ip
  Communications, Growth Markets Unit,
  IBM
  Tel: 65-64181521 / 65-81618505
  Email: harrieti@sg.ibm.com

  Mylissa Tsai
  System z Media Relations,
  IBM STG
  Tel: +1 (917) 472-3680
  Email: tsaim@us.ibm.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: tsaim@us.ibm.com

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SOURCE: IBM Corporation