Has software development spawned the sprawl of PC servers?

The software development process played a key role early on in spawning the sprawl of distributed Windows and Linux servers. But software developers and the organizations they work for can now start to curtail these costs through the centralization of all or most computing tasks, according to speakers at ths week's rollout event for IBM's new System z10 mainframe.

"It's easy to see how we got here," said Steve Mills, senior VP and group executive of the IBM Software Group, talking about the underutilized computing capacity on many many distributed PC servers in large enterprises today.

"But there is a road out," according to Mills.

In another presentation, Buzz Woeckner of Nationwide Insurance pointed to industry statistics showing that 70 percent of all servers are utilized at rates under 30 percent.

Woeckner added that the proportion of servers with even lower utilization rates -- of below 20 percent -- is probably alarming.

Wockner claims to have garnered $15 million in savings for Nationwide in server consolidation and other benefits by installing z9 mainframes with virtual Linux servers back in 2005.

Speaking with BetaNews just after the event, Jim Porell, an IBM distinguished enginer, contended that -- whether they're running Linux or Windows -- distributed PC servers carry heavy hidden maintenance and security costs for customers.

"Companies are now hiring full-time Linux people just to do all the repairs," according to Porell.

"With Windows, you're doing patches every Tuesday. But what happens if you forget about a server while you're doing those patches, or if a server is down? Then, you're leaving the (security) door wide open."

After PC servers first came to market, many application developers became early adopters because they didn't want to wait in line for mainframe time to start working on their projects, according to Mills.

Although most people learn otherwise at about age three or four, these developers thought they were the "center of the world," he charged.

Are there any situations where keeping an application "isolated" from a mainframe -- confined to a PC server, perhaps -- makes sense?

Yes, Mills allowed -- but only if the development project lies outside of an organization's traditional activities, or if the organization isn't sure yet where the project might lead, for instance.

Beyond that, of course, an organization needs to be big enough to afford a System z mainframe -- and industry analysts generally estimate the cost of entry for that at around $1 million.

But with developers specifically in mind, the new z10 mainframe does come with new tools from IBM's Rational business unit. IBM's latest mainframe is also accompanied by Cognos business intelligence software and Tivoli systems administration tools, said Scott L. Hebner, VP of marketing and strategy for IBM Rational Software, during a meeting with BetaNews at the event.

For instance, the new Rational tools make it unnecessary for developers to learn the old-time COBOL programming language by translating COBOL applications into Web services equivalents.

Meanwhile, Tivoli's tools for the z10 are designed to monitor IT service delivery in relation to customer-specified business objectives.

Hebner also told BetaNews that IBM is working with schools to help them train students for jobs as mainframe-based developers. More than 400 colleges and universities are now joining in on the IBM Academic Initiative, Hebner said.