Tony Harminc wrote: >Only IBM is in a position to truly know the market share, because only >they know exactly how many z/OS systems are out there.
Not truly, not exactly. IBM's omnipotence is routinely overestimated. ;) IBM presumably knows how many z/OS licensees(*) are licensing the z/OS Security Server elements. Presumably most(**) z/OS customers that do not license z/OS Security Server are licensing some other security provider product(s), though IBM would not know those details. Also, IBM would not know which z/OS Security Server licensees also license other security provider products.(***) Anyway, I assume IBM could make some "reasonable" estimates, as other parties could, but I'd say IBM doesn't truly know these market shares. For what it's worth, Barry Schrager's estimates seem plausible to me, too, but I have no special insight. Writing my own views for myself, as always, even if I do not always insert a disclaimer. (*) z/OS licensees is not quite the same thing as z/OS systems (or enterprises with z/OS). Every discrepancy I can think of is illegal, though. (**) I suppose it's also possible (though I'm sure rare) to run z/OS without one of the three most popular security provider products. That's an interesting side question. I have not yet encountered even one z/OS LPAR (or z/VM guest) running without one of the three most popular security provider products. Has anyone else? If so, how was that z/OS instance configured? (***) As one simple example, customers that license the IBM Rational Development and Test Environment for z (RDTz) have z/OS Security Server licenses (within those particular license terms and conditions) at no additional charge. Do those RDTz licensees actually use the z/OS Security Server, or do they use another security provider product? IBM would have no reliable way of knowing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Timothy Sipples IT Architect Executive, Industry Solutions, IBM z Systems, AP/GCG/MEA E-Mail: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
