Do more at the core with IBM Z

Unlock more business value by bringing AI to mission-critical workloads on the IBM z17™

Explore IBM z17 family Meet the all-new mainframe
Expanding IBM z17 portfolio with new single frame and rack mount systems, bringing AI at scale to more enterprise environments
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Overview

Advanced AI where you need it most

IBM Z® is a family of modern infrastructure powered by the IBM Telum® processor that runs enterprise operating systems and IBM Z software delivering greater AI accuracy, productivity and agility.

Modernization playbook IBM Z Comparison Guidebook (z17, z16, z15)

Z Models

IBM z17 right angle IBM z17 server
Single frame left-facing IBM z16 IBM z16 server

IBM z17

IBM z17™ delivers built‑in AI that accelerates developer productivity and shrinks modernization timelines. With built-in AI acceleration and a fully integrated stack, teams can understand, optimize, and evolve critical applications faster, turning complexity into continuous progress.

IBM z16

IBM z16™ is the latest IBM Z® mainframe with on-chip AI inferencing and quantum-safe technologies, powered by the IBM® Telum™ processor. It features integrated AI accelerators for unmatched speed, scale, and low latency. Available in single-frame, multiframe, or rack mount configurations, it supports hybrid cloud and workload optimization.

Features

Core Capabilities

The modern mainframe boosts productivity with up to 8x on-chip AI processors per core for real-time insights and accuracy. The IBM z17 server platform integrates AI and breakthrough tech, ensuring top security, performance and availability.

Hardware for Z

Hardware

notebook screen with codes

Software

Create a singular advantage from multiple angles

AIOps

Improve systems management, IT operations and operational resiliency with AI on the mainframe.

Artificial intelligence

Use AI and machine learning to convert data from every transaction into real-time insights with IBM Z.

DevOps

Use DevOps to accelerate the delivery of hybrid cloud solutions while optimizing workload deployment.

Hybrid cloud

Integrate IBM Z into your hybrid cloud to deliver innovation with greater productivity.

Application modernization

Modernize applications faster and enhance productivity with standardized practices and AI‑driven insights.

Resiliency

Maintain uninterrupted operations, safeguard sensitive data and defend against evolving cyberthreats.

Operating systems

IBM Z mainframes run on z/OS®, Linux®, z/TPF, and z/VM®, delivering AI integration, security, and resiliency.

Sustainability

Reduce energy consumption by consolidating selected x86 workloads onto a single physical IBM Z system.

Operating systems

Multiple operating systems can be deployed in a single system to enable greater efficiency and co-location of workloads.

Learn more about Z operating systems

Resources

Product resource hub

Explore expert resources to see how IBM Z can deliver high performance, security, resiliency, and efficiency for modern workloads in your organization.

See all resources
Gartner report
Too Big to Fail: Why Mainframe Exit Projects Are Likely to Fail in the Age of Generative AI
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Gartner report
The State of the IBM Mainframe in 2026: Mainframes continue to deliver unmatched resiliency, security, transactional integrity and backward compatibility compared with alternative platforms.
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General availability
Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization on IBM Z and LinuxONE lets enterprises run VMs and containers on one platform to simplify operations and reduce costs.
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Mainframe compliance blog
Discover how modernizing mainframe compliance can ease regulatory anxiety and strengthen your organization’s security posture in today’s complex digital landscape.
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IBM Concert for Z is an AI-driven IT operations hub that boosts mainframe resilience by unifying siloed data, streamlining insights, and accelerating response.
Video
Learn how AI on IBM z17 powers fast, high-volume transactions and detects fraud in real time without moving data.
Software
Accelerate and enhance the development of predictive AI models and LLMs on IBM Z with IBM Synthetic Data Sets.
Quantum Six report
Explores AI’s role in banking, key use cases, and a roadmap for AI adoption to drive innovation and efficiency.
Product demo
Try IBM Test Accelerator for Z and learn to automate testing, deploy integration tests, and create on-demand dev/test environments for z/OS.
Product demo
Try IBM watsonx Code Assistant for Z to accelerate app understanding, refactoring, and COBOL-to-Java modernization.