IBM Corp yesterday boosted the bottom-end ES/9221 mainframes the 9370 successors, adding Subsystem Storage Protection, which prevents CICS/ESA system software and control blocks from being overwritten by applications – but users need to be running CICS/ESA 3 with MVS/ESA SP 4.2.2 to gain the benefit; and Sysplex Timer, for Models 120, 130, and 150, Escon Channel-to-Channel support for basic mode on all entry models, and new upgrade options to go to the 150, 170 or 200 from the 120, adn to the 170 or 200 from the 130. All models of the ES/9000 family now provide the Sysplex Timer attachment capability. The Escon Channel-to-Channel support for basic mode eliminates the need for an IBM 3088 Multisystem Channel Communication Unit or the equivalent feature on the ES/9000 entry models. Escon Channel-to-Channel support for basic mode on all entry models requires MVS/ESA SP 4.3, which is not available until March 1993. Upgrade prices cost from $97,850 to go from a 120 to a 150, $243,050 to a 200; going from a 130 to a 170 sets the user back $131,800 and to a 200, $202,900. The upgrades and features not dependent on the unavailable operating system are all available this month of next. As from January, IBM withdraws the 9373/025, 30 and P30 and the 9375 50 and P50.
