IBM today announced details behind the world's fastest computer chip - the microprocessor in a new version of the IBM mainframe, capable of 50 billion instructions per second. 

 

This world record-breaking speed is necessary for businesses managing huge workloads, such as banks and retailers, for which the mainframe has been designed.

 

The new zEnterprise technology is the result of an investment of more than $1.5 billion in IBM research and development in the zEnterprise line, as well as more than three years of collaboration with some of IBM's top clients around the world. It begins shipping to customers on 1 September 2010.

 

The mainframe processor makes use of IBM's patented embedded DRAM (eDRAM) technology, which allows IBM to place dense DRAM caches, or components, on the same chips as high-speed microprocessors, resulting in improved performance.

 

From a performance standpoint, the zEnterprise System is the most powerful commercial IBM system ever. The core server in the zEnterprise System, called zEnterprise 196, contains 96 of the world’s fastest, most powerful microprocessors, capable of executing more than 50 billion instructions per second. That's roughly 17 000 times more instructions than the Model 91, the high-end of IBM's popular System/360 family, could execute in 1970.

 

This new IBM microprocessor technology has new software to optimise performance of data-heavy workloads, including up to a 60% improvement in data intensive and Java workloads. Increased levels of system performance, in turn, increases software performance, which can reduce software license costs.

 

The new system offers 60% more capacity than its predecessor, the System z10, and uses about the same amount of electricity.

 

Energy efficiencies were achieved through advances in microprocessor design, 45 nm silicon technology, more efficient power conversion and distribution, as well as advanced sensors and cooling control firmware that monitors and makes adjustments based on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity levels and even air density.