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WinterGreen Research and DataDirect Technologies Introduce New Mainframe TCO Calculator for Measuring Benefits of zIIP Specialty Engine on Lowering Mainframe Costs

System z Users Can Quickly Calculate Mainframe TCO Savings when Using a zIIP Specialty Engine with DataDirect(R) Shadow(R) Technology

LEXINGTON, Mass. & BEDFORD, Mass.
07-Jul-2009

WinterGreen Research, an analyst firm focused on the telecommunications and advanced computer technology markets, today announced it has completed work on a Web-based calculator to measure the total-cost-of-ownership (TCO) of mainframe SOA enablement when utilizing an IBM System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) in combination with DataDirect^® Shadow^® integration middleware from DataDirect Technologies, the unparalleled leader in data connectivity and mainframe integration and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS). Developed by a team of analysts at WinterGreen Research and experts at DataDirect Technologies' mainframe research lab in Sugarland, Texas the calculator can compute the daily and annual savings in dollars and MIPS capacity that can occur by exploiting the zIIP specialty engine.

The DataDirect Shadow TCO Calculator builds on the WinterGreen Research ROI Engine, a model driven architecture for delivering transparent, understandable ROI calculations. The independent, credible, ROI calculations offer a compelling business case for using the zIIP engine in combination with DataDirect Shadow for SOA-related processing vs. the General Purpose Processor (GPP) on the mainframe. DataDirect Shadow is capable of offloading up to 99 percent of process intensive SOA, event publishing and data workloads from the mainframe GPP to the non-restricted, more economic zIIP specialty engine.

“Technological advancements like SOAs, Web services, ANSI-92 SQL and XML Events address many of the challenges of mainframe integration, but cost still remains a primary customer concern,” said Susan Eustis, president and CEO of WinterGreen Research. “With this calculator, we have provided the market with a highly effective tool for real-time ROI analysis and strategic support for extending the value of the mainframe to new workloads through zIIP exploitation.”

The DataDirect Shadow TCO Calculator is a sophisticated, user-friendly tool for analyzing and modeling the impact of Web services/SOA-related processing on mainframe MIPS capacity. Working closely with DataDirect Technologies, users provide information such as the mainframe model in use, Web service invocation (type and size) and time span and a detailed report is then calculated and assembled providing the potential saving in MIPS dollars and MIPS capacity when a zIIP specialty engine is used in combination with the DataDirect Shadow mainframe integration software. DataDirect Shadow version 7 uses patent-pending technology to expand the utilization of the no-charge zIIP specialty engine to additional workloads beyond DB2, including the non-relational mainframe databases Adabas, IMS/DB, IDMS and VSAM as well SOAP/XML parsing necessary for creating Web services within the mainframe to applications residing within CICS, IMS/TM, IDMS and Natural. With the DataDirect Shadow product’s unique design , processing associated with SOA integration and data queries can be diverted from the mainframe’s GPP to be handled by the zIIP specialty engine – which does the work without using any of the mainframe licensed MIPs capacity.

“Organizations are looking for budgetary relief from their mainframe system while weighing the risks of deferring a hardware upgrade or reducing capacity (MIPS),” said Gregg Willhoit, chief architect at DataDirect Technologies. “Moving general-purpose work to the more economically friendly zIIP engine is a smart idea. Using DataDirect Shadow to further exploit the zIIP engine for increased throughput, lower CPU consumption and to improve control over mainframe cost-of-ownership is a no-brainer.”

To learn more about the DataDirect Shadow TCO Calculator and to schedule a demonstration, go to http://www.datadirect.com/products/mainframe-integration/shadow-rte/shadow-tco-home/tco-calculator/index.ssp

About WinterGreen Research

WinterGreen Research, founded in 1985, provides strategic market assessments in telecommunications, communications equipment, health care, and advanced computer technology. Industry reports focus on opportunities that will expand existing markets or develop major new markets. The reports assess new product and service positioning strategies, new and evolving technologies, and technological impact on products, services, and markets. Market shares are provided. Leading market participants are profiled, and their marketing strategies, acquisitions, and strategic alliances are discussed. The principals of WinterGreen Research have been involved in analysis and forecasting of international business opportunities in telecommunications and advanced computer technology markets for over 30 years.

About DataDirect Technologies

DataDirect Technologies is the software industry’s only comprehensive provider of software for connecting the world’s most critical business applications to data and services, running on any platform, using proven and emerging standards. Developers worldwide depend on DataDirect® products to connect their applications to an unparalleled range of data sources using standards-based interfaces such as ODBC, JDBC™ and ADO.NET, XQuery and SOAP. More than 300 leading independent software vendors and thousands of enterprises rely on DataDirect Technologies to simplify and streamline data connectivity for distributed systems and to reduce the complexity of mainframe integration. DataDirect Technologies is an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS). For more information, visit www.datadirect.com.

DataDirect and Shadow are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Any other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners

Source: DataDirect Technologies

WinterGreen Research
Susan Eustis, 781-863-5078 / 617-852-7876
susan@wintergreenresearch.com
or
DataDirect Technologies
April Harned, 646-246-0484
april.harned@datadirect.com

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