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IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS , V4.2, further reinforces competitiveness, compliance, and control

That is the heading on the announcement letter for CICS TS 4.2 Open Beta. 

CICS TS 4.2 Announcement letter for the America's

CICS TS 4.2 Announcement letter for Europe, Middle East and Africa

CICS TS 4.2 Home Page

Senegal joins the growing Mainframe customer base with New System to Transform Senegal's Import and Export Processes

DAKAR, Senegal, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Customs Directorate of Senegal's Ministry of Finance has turned to IBM (NYSE: IBM) and CFAO Technologies, an IBM Business Partner in West Africa, to help modernize Senegal's import and export processes. The new system, based on two IBM z10 mainframe computers, will give customs officers and their partners on-line access to real-time information across all of the country's 30 border checkpoints. )

The new system will empower customs officers across Senegal to make better decisions and will ensure the improved management of customs processes such as import and export duty. For example, the new system will allow customs officers to check to see if the correct duty has been paid on shipments of goods coming into Senegal.

"Senegal's import and export business plays a key role in the economy of the country," said Simon Pierre Thiaw, CIO of the Customs Directorate, Senegal Ministry Finance. "By implementing some of the most advanced and powerful IT systems available, we are able to transform our customs processes and ensure that the work we do is performed as accurately and efficiently as possible. While we considered alternative offerings from other vendors, we were convinced by the price/performance ratio of the IBM system."

The Senegal Ministry of Finance joins a growing number of organizations and companies in growth markets that are deploying IBM mainframe such as the First National Bank of Namibia, Comepay in Russia, Kazakh Rail, HeiTech Padu in Malaysia, the China Internet Network Information Center, Korea's BC Card, Korea's Dongbu Insurance.

IBM has once again made a hit with the mainframe, as Big Blue's Systems and Technology Group saw revenues increase 21 percent overall and mainframe sales rise nearly 70 percent in Q4 of 2010.

By: Darryl K. Taft   eWeek

IBM just keeps on winning with the mainframe. Year after year, decade after decade, IBM keeps delivering new mainframe functionality and its customers keep on buying it.

In fact, the mainframe led IBM's Systems and Technology Group's 21 percent increase in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010, as mainframe sales rose nearly 70 percent. The mainframe is IBM's heavyweight champ. It keeps going the distance and winning. If IBM were in a prize fight, the mainframe would be the main event.

Read the full article here: eWeek   

"Systems revenues increased 20 percent (21 percent, adjusting for currency). Revenues from System z mainframe server products increased 69 percent compared with the year-ago period. Total delivery of System z computing power, as measured in MIPS (millions of instructions per second), increased 58 percent. Revenues from System x increased 18 percent. Revenues from Power Systems increased 2 percent compared with the 2009 period; entry systems revenues were up 30 percent and mid-range systems grew 7 percent. Revenues from System Storage increased 8 percent, and revenues from Retail Store Solutions increased 26 percent year over year. Revenues from Microelectronics OEM increased 30 percent."  

This is from IBM's 4th quarter results. (link IBM)

That's the most important career-related issue facing IT executives today, as they make staffing decisions for next year while also worrying about their own job prospects amid a steady stream of corporate downsizing and offshoring announcements.

Ask any IT pro who is out of work right now, and the answer to this question is a resounding yes. They'll point out that more IT infrastructure and support jobs are being outsourced, and that it's harder than ever to find full-time employment.

"Luftman sees job opportunities growing not only with emerging technologies but also in support of legacy systems. In particular, he sees rising demand for IT professionals with experience in Cobol, IBM's CICS transaction systems and IBM's IMS database management system."

Read the rest of Carolyn Duffy Marsan's article at Computerworld.com