Meta Group reckons that IBM may try to address the problem that users are finding the upgrade from a six-processor 3090-600J to a six processor ES/9021 Model 900 too big a jump by inserting a five-processor model between the four-processor 820 and the 900: a five way machine is typically partitioned into a three and a two, but attracts only one set of software licences; it would be of interest only to those that had just one 3090-600, since most 3090-600 users have more than one of the things, and a user with three 600s would typically do something like upgrade one to a 900, sell one and replace it with an 820, and keep the third for a bit.
