IBM zEC12: The Third-Generation High-Frequency Mainframe Microprocessor

Author

Shum, C.K. ; Busaba, F. ; Jacobi, C.

Volume

33

Issue

2

fYear

2013

fDate

March-April 2013

Firstpage

38

Lastpage

47

Abstract

The zEnterprise EC12 is the latest generation of IBM´S System Z Enterprise Class mainframe servers. the microprocessor operates at an ultra-high frequency of 5.5 GHz and incorporates many pipeline-optimization and instruction-processing techniques. It also supports innovative instruction set-architecture extensions for future software exploitation to acquire performance gains. this article highlights the various factors inside the zEC12 microprocessor for achieving the best possible computing performance.

Keywords

IBM computers; business data processing; instruction sets; mainframes; microprocessor chips; performance evaluation; pipeline processing; IBM zEC12; System Z Enterprise Class mainframe servers; frequency 5.5 GHz; instruction processing techniques; instruction set architecture extensions; performance gains; pipeline optimization; software exploitation; third-generation high-frequency mainframe microprocessor; zEnterprise EC12; Instruction sets; Microprocessor chips; Microprocessors; Optimization; Program processors; Servers; IBM computers; branch prediction; high-frequency microprocessor; mainframes; microprocessors; runtime instrumentation; transactional memory; zEC12; zEnterprise EC12; zSeries;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Micro, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0272-1732

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MM.2013.9

Filename

6461370