IBM z16
Read the IBM z16 solution brief Explore product documentation
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The IBM z16™ is the latest iteration of IBM Z® mainframes with on-chip AI inferencing and industry-first quantum-safe technologies.¹

Bring AI and cyber resiliency to your hybrid cloud to speed insights and protect data now against future threats. Choose from single frame, multi frame or rack mount to fit your workload optimization and infrastructure needs.

IDC Perspective

IBM z16 delivers the 12 key requirements that are essential for modern enterprise computing.

2023 SEAL Sustainable Product Award winner, for creating impactful and "purpose-built" products for the future.

Benefits Accelerated AI

Create new value across your business with accelerated AI insights from every customer interaction.

Bring AI to your workloads (2:57)
Cyber resiliency

Secure your data and systems to protect against current and future threats.

Platform with cyber resiliency (03:24)
Modernization

Speed up modernization of workloads and integrate them seamlessly across the hybrid cloud.

Modernize with hybrid cloud (01:48)
Energy efficiency

Reduce energy consumption, floor space and carbon emissions to enable responsible IT.

Try the TCO & CO2e calculator
Features On-chip AI acceleration

Run inferencing for high volume workloads at scale and low latency to help detect fraud and more with the IBM Telum processor and integrated accelerator.

Read the Celent report
Quantum-safe crypto discovery

Start your quantum-safe journey as you modernize with the crypto discovery capability in IBM Application Discovery and Delivery Intelligence (ADDI).

Explore ADDI
Simplified compliance

Simplify and accelerate compliance to help reduce costs and improve staff productivity.

Explore the IBM Z Security and Compliance Center
Flexible capacity

Avoid service disruptions proactively by managing capacity across locations and transferring workloads on demand with IBM Flexible Capacity for Cyber Resiliency.

Explore flexible capacity
Modernize apps

Accelerate modernization with less risk and cost with the IBM Z and Cloud Modernization Center.

Take the modernization assessment Explore the modernization center
Sustainability insights

Monitor power consumption at the partition level with an enhanced environmental dashboard and API.

Explore sustainability with z16
Product comparison

Choose from three IBM z16 configurations.

Read the data sheet

Product specifications

IBM z16 multi frame

IBM z16 single frame

IBM z16 rack mount

Maximum numbers of engines

200

68

68

Maximum numbers of drawers

4

2

2

Maximum numbers of IO drawers

12

3

3

Numbers of frames

1 to 4

1

No frame

Co-locate with storage/switch

No

No

Yes

Frequency

5.2 GHz

4.6 GHz

4.6 GHz

Telum chip

Yes

Yes

Yes

Maximum memory

40 TB

16 TB

16 TB

Sizes

39, 82, 125, 168 and 200

5, 16, 32 and 68

5, 16, 32 and 68

Specifications sheets

More specifications More specifications More specifications

Energy efficiency

Carbon footprint report Carbon footprint report Carbon footprint report

Interactive tour

3D product tour 3D product tour 3D product tour

Technical guides

Technical guide Technical guide Technical guide

Protect your IBM Z investment with support and services to keep your system running optimally.

Protect your investment

See our flexible model for simpler, more economical IBM Z pricing.

Explore Tailored Fit Pricing

Resources Technical introduction guide

Take a deep dive into the technical details of IBM z16.

Configuration setup

Learn how to install, configure and maintain your IBM z16 system.

Quantum-safe cryptography

Review potential threats to classical cryptography by way of quantum computers and how to make best use of today’s quantum-safe capabilities on the IBM Z platform.

Quantum-safe security

See the actions you should take now to protect your data in the future.

Fit your mainframe into your modernization plans

Garner reviews the current mainframe market and offers I&O leaders recommendations around how to plan for its future.

Related products IBM Z and Cloud Modernization Stack

Accelerate application modernization and take a standardized approached to IT automation on IBM Z technology.

IBM DS8900F

The fastest, most reliable and secure storage system for IBM Z and IBM Power® systems.

IBM z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP)

Cost effectively include new technologies such as Java and Python in your application portfolio using zIIPs.

IBM LinuxONE 4

Delivers sustainability, scalability, security and superior performance for your data-serving needs.

IBM Application Discovery and Delivery Intelligence

Enables IT teams to make informed decisions about modernizing, consolidating or decommissioning applications.

IBM Z and LinuxONE Security and Compliance Center

Take the complexity and ambiguity out of compliance audits with automated fact collection and clear 1:1 mappings of regulations.

Take the next step

Discover how IBM z16 can help your business meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Plan for z16 platform
More ways to explore Documentation Support Global financing Redbooks Community Developer community Resources
Footnotes

¹ IBM z16 with the Crypto Express 8S card provides quantum-safe APIs providing access to quantum-safe algorithms which have been selected as finalists during the PQC standardization process conducted by NIST. Source: https://csrc.nist.gov/Projects/post-quantum-cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography-standardization/round-3-submissions (link resides outside ibm.com). Quantum-safe cryptography refers to efforts to identify algorithms that are resistant to attacks by both classical and quantum computers, to keep information assets secure even after a large-scale quantum computer has been built. Source: https://www.etsi.org/technologies/quantum-safe-cryptography (link resides outside ibm.com). These algorithms are used to help ensure the integrity of a number of the firmware and boot processes. IBM z16 is the industry-first system protected by quantum-safe technology across multiple layers of firmware.