Products and services that exploit zIIP include:

Hybrid Cloud

You can use IBM zIIP engines to support IBM z/OS® Container Extensions (zCX), enabling you to deploy Linux® applications as Docker containers on z/OS as part of a z/OS workload. zCX is an enabler to modernize your existing z/OS applications for hybrid cloud, because now these applications can call native Linux microservices from a Docker container on Z with minimal latency to deliver new capabilities and applications to your clients and users.

Digital Transformation

Run application programs written in Java™ on IBM z/OS and use an IBM zIIP to seize advantage of extensive Java compression capabilities — as well as pause-free garbage collection — to dramatically reduce storage and networking costs. Applications written in Java, using MQ as a Java client or using WebSphere Application Server and z/OS MF all take advantage of IBM zIIPs.

System resiliency

IBM zIIPs enable you to leverage the IBM System Recovery Boost function on an IBM z15, significantly shortening the time to shut down and restart a system for planned and unplanned outages. z/OS Communications Server exploits the zIIP for portions of internet protocol security (IPSec) network encryption and decryption, as well as for for select HiperSockets™ large message traffic. z/OS Global Mirror enables DFSMS™ System Data Mover processing for zIIP.

Database and AI

Beginning with IBM Db2® for z/OS V8, you can exploit the zIIP capability for portions of eligible data serving, pure XML, and utility workloads.   IBM Watson® Machine Learning for z/OS uses zIIP engines to bring AI to your transactional applications by offering an end-to-end machine learning platform that operationalizes predictive models.   You can also deploy Apache Spark on IBM zIIPs to run analytics and machine learning on very large, complex data sets.

Other Use Cases

For clients who desire cost-effective XML parsing services on z/OS, z/OS XML System Services can exploit the zIIP for eligible XML workloads. Many ISV software packages run on zIIPs, as well, and IBM Global Business Services can enable the scalable architecture for financial reporting (SAFR) reporting solution on IBM zIIP engines. Please refer to this comprehensive list of IBM software products that can leverage IBM zIIPs.

Technical details

Software requirements

zIIP for z/OS requires z/OS 1.8 or newer. Certain functions such as z/OS Container Extensions, System Recovery Boost and Support for other software may have additional z/OS, middleware or hardware requirements.

    Hardware requirements

    zIIP processors are available on the following IBM Z systems:

    • IBM z15
    • IBM z14
    • IBM z13

    Technical specifications

    Sizing and planning: To assist in planning for zIIPs, components of z/OS have been enhanced to report both projected zIIP usage and actual zIIP usage. The projected usage function (PROJECTCPU) is intended to gather information about CPU time spent executing code that could potentially execute on zIIPs.

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