Last call for MES upgrades on your z12 system(s)

Let me freshen up your memory, just in case you wanted to have a MES upgrade on your z12 system(s) like disruptively adding memory, adding books or I/O cards, you have time till the end of the year. Or e.g. you plan on acquiring an IDAA next year, but if you stay on your zEC12 or zBC12, you will have to order the necessary 10GbE cards while it's still possible. Afterwards it will be a no go. This was announced half of February this year, shortly after the announcement of the z13s (ZG16-0021).

During 2017 'upgrades' that are delivered through a modification to the machine's Licensed Internal Code (LIC) will still be possible. E.g. adding additional CBU records or activating memory that's already in the machine. Here's an overview I made a couple of months ago

Click on image for larger version

Hardware withdrawal: IBM TS3500 Tape Library models L23 and L53 and select features

Do you remember when the TS3500 base frames were first announced ? No ?
I also had to look it up : the L23 and L53 were first announced in May 2006 and now their End of Marketing date was announced : 'Hardware withdrawal: IBM TS3500 Tape Library models L23 and L53 and select features - Some replacements available (ZG16-0129)'.

Effective October 7, 2017 you will no longer be able to order the L23 (base frame for 3592) and L53 (base frame for LTO) frames. This seems like a logical evolution. We have a replacement in the meantime with the TS4500 L25 and TS4500 L55 frames.

So I wonder who would still want to order a new TS3500 Tape Library for the moment, when the TS4500 is a valid replacement. But don't worry if you want to expand an existing TS3500 : since the D23 and D53 frames are not mentioned and no field installs are mentioned either, I assume that you can still order additional expansion frames on the TS3500 tape library.

Here's some information on the TS4500 Tape library

• The IBM TS4500 Overview page where you can find a demo, the Data Sheet and an Infographic on 'Why TS4500 for z Systems'
• The IBM Knowledge Center TS4500 documentation page