Mainframes failure irks IBM VARs

IBM has angered its high-end resellers by shipping more than 15 per cent of its Multiprise 3000 mainframes with problematic internal management software that is causing failure.

IBM has angered its high-end resellers by shipping more than 15 per cent of its Multiprise 3000 mainframes with problematic internal management software that is causing failure.

The problem lies in the micro-code that the S/390 uses to control and manage its internal systems. One batch of software patches was sent out in January but these failed to fix the faults. IBM is now working on new patches but a release date has still not been given.

The Multiprise 3000 was announced last September to target the low end of the S/390 market, but since then about 15 per cent of Multiprise 3000 mainframes have had at least one unexpected outage in the field and 30 per cent have had to be repaired, IBM representatives said.

Independent analyst Phil Paine said: "The unique selling proposition of the S/390 is its ability to maintain at least 99.95 per cent reliability. Take that away and you end up with an expensive product."

Brenda Zawatski, S/390 marketing director at IBM, told annoyed partners at PartnerWorld: "We are taking extraordinary action to get out of this situation."

However, one channel partner said: "How are we supposed to sell these against Amdahl and others when the product is seen to have these problems?"