Mainframe offers big bucks

R Raghavendra / TNN / Mar 13, 2007, 00:58 IST

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Mainframes are high-end servers are creating a huge requirement for talent across companies in India.

BANGALORE: You wouldn't think crash courses can bring big bucks, and so quickly. But that's what crash courses in Mainframe computing are doing today. Aditya Vij (name changed), a BSc graduate, passed with a second class in India. After completing a six-month course, Aditya is now earning $140,000 in US.
Ravikumar B (name changed) is a hotel management student from Coonoor.A course on Mainframes systems management has fetched him Rs 10 lakh per annum.
Mainframes are high-end servers are creating a huge requirement for talent across companies in India. And the reason is simple: A high-end Mainframe machine is like this one box that replaces over 70 servers.
Typically, annual license for any branded server could cost upto $4,000 per annum. IBM's largest System z machine contains 54 processors in one box. Each of these processors runs at 540 mips (million instructions per second).

Although there are other servers with more processors, the processor speeds and the mainframe architecture, which support massive, large-scale operations are the key differenciator.
As more companies begin to understand the value of mainframes, the requirement for mainframe experts is expected to increase exponentially. Within 7 months after launching Mainframes in India, IBM has sold six machines to some of the top names in the business.

Companies adopting mainframes need to have a certain size and scale of operations. An entry-level mainframe with 7 processors is designed to replace about 40 servers.
Today, India has close to 3 lakh mainframe experts spread across various companies. TCS alone is said to have close to 15,000 mainframe professionals.
According to N Ram Subramani, founder and CEO of Maples, an IT infrastructure solutions consulting firm, a one-time licence fee for each Mainframe machine could vary between $3.2 million to $9 million, while annual software and maintenance fee can cost a little over $1 million.
IBM's latest Z990 machines, which it is offering for under Rs 90 lakh per machine for the first five customers in India as a promotional move, can replace nearly 100 servers.
"Unix has remained a religion in this country (Mainframes run on Java). Such initiatives are to erase false notions about mainframes," says Sreenath Chary, business unit executive, IBM SystemsZ.
"A mainfame professional today commands a full 100% premium when compared to a Java programmer. IBM is looking at top educational institutions to introduce mainframe as part of the syllabus."
Mainframes-related work from US too is heading towards India. "Two things," says Subramani, "will result in mainframe projects moving to India. Problems concerning H1B visas are beginning to take its toll. Nearly 71% of US companies run on mainframes.
Experts in this segment are mostly over 50 years of age and the younger generation is not taking up mainframes. Today, you pay $80-100 per hour for a mainframe expert in US, while offshoring it to India can cost $25-35. So, it is natural for more mainframe work to come to India for remote management."
About 35-40 mainframe machines are currently deployed in India These include customers like the RBI and Indian Airlines. "Besides infrastructure management, we will train students on mainframes as this is proving to be a big job opportunity for students," he says.

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