As a new mainframe customer, Transzap operates Oildex, which provides one of the most comprehensive Internet-based ePayable, digital data, and spend analysis solutions in the energy industry. Because Oildex serves more than 4,200 companies and 44,000 users, Transzap needed a computing platform that would support its operations without requiring additional monthly costs in extra hardware, software or human capital, as the company encountered with its former "rack and stack" server environment.

"Transzap processes over $80 billion in transactions but we are still a small company with fewer than 100 employees", stated Peter Flanagan, CEO of Transzap. "We invested in the mainframe for its ability to scale to meet our business needs at a moment's notice, and to provide our customers with a highly reliable environment with powerful virtualization capabilities."

"Transzap is not only a new mainframe customer but they are also running System z to behave like a cloud computing environment, a highly efficient architecture designed to deliver software services seamlessly to clients", stated Anne Altman, general manager of System z. "Transzap's mainframe is not only a highly secure and resilient in the face of rapid or unexpected uptakes in usage, but with the mainframe's ability to turn on a 'specialty engine' within minutes for specific workloads, it's inherently elastic - like a cloud."

Transzap currently supplies its Oildex services via an SaaS (software as a service) model, providing their customers with lower costs of ownership, faster deployment and easier maintenance.

Prior to installing the mainframe, Transzap's systems ran on distributed infrastructure, which made it challenging to manage. The multiple servers made technical configurations complex and laborious. Additionally, the company incurred linear technology costs for its growth. Transzap now utilizes the System z9 BC with a number of Linux specialty processors and z/VM for running virtual Oracle database servers connected to 18 terabytes of IBM DS6800 Enterprise Storage and IBM TS3400 Tape Library subsystems. The combined IBM solution represents the heart of the Transzap system, as the company also uses other equipment.

Most importantly, Transzap now has an affordable solution to support rapid incremental growth and a system that is reliable, centrally managed and highly secure. And, Transzap customers benefit as the mainframe heralds more than 40 years in proven technology innovation and performance.