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IBM is adding faster Ethernet, I/O acceleration and a converged adapter that combines Ethernet with RDMA and coupling functions to make IBM Z easier to integrate into hybrid enterprise networks. The options address different needs: a reported dual-port 100 GbE adapter for high-speed links, Network Express for 10G-to-25G converged connectivity, and operational tools for managing and securing the resulting infrastructure. Compatibility depends on the specific system and configuration.
What is changing in IBM Z networking?
IBM’s direction is to make IBM Z a more integrated participant in standard Ethernet/IP networks while adding higher-throughput and lower-latency I/O paths. In a Network World interview with IBM product management, Andrew Crimmins, IBM master inventor and principal product manager for IBM Z, described the goal as connecting the mainframe more readily with cloud environments, distributed systems, storage and AI infrastructure.
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The underlying shift is from relying on multiple specialized adapters toward sharing Ethernet-based infrastructure for conventional IP traffic and high-performance functions such as RDMA. That can simplify some physical layouts, but the reported capabilities do not establish a universal adapter, optic or performance configuration.
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Why use DPU-based I/O acceleration?
Network and storage traffic require I/O processing as well as link capacity. Crimmins described moving some of that work onto purpose-built data processing unit (DPU) technology, rather than leaving it to the main processor path. The Network World report also says removing ASICs from I/O cards enabled higher-port-density cards for protocols including Fibre Channel and FICON. In some configurations, higher density can reduce the number of cards and I/O drawers required; the report does not quantify a general reduction.
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Which IBM Z networking adapters are described?
The reported 100 GbE adapter and Network Express serve different roles. The first is a high-speed Ethernet option with two 100 GbE ports; Network Express is a converged adapter with Ethernet, RDMA and coupling functions and a reported 10G-to-25G range.
| Option | Reported capabilities | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| 100 GbE adapter for IBM Z and LinuxONE | Two 100 GbE ports with QSFP SR optics. The cited IBM material describes the adapter as plugging directly into the Central Processor Complex drawer, avoiding an external I/O drawer for high-speed network connectivity. | This is a described configuration, not a guarantee that every system or deployment can use it. Confirm the system, adapter and optic configuration with IBM. |
| Network Express | A converged adapter introduced with the z17 family rollout in 2025. It brings OSA Ethernet, RoCE/RDMA and Coupling Express 3 Long Reach functions onto one physical adapter. The report describes 10G-to-25G transmission, single-mode LR/LX and multimode SR/SX fiber, and Enhanced Queued Direct I/O (EQDIO). | EQDIO is described as taking advantage of z17 on-chip I/O processing to improve Ethernet traffic handling. Supported functions and optics depend on configuration; the report does not provide a complete compatibility matrix. |
| Coupling Express 3 Long Reach | A two-port, Ethernet-based long-distance coupling card for connecting remote operations. | The report does not state a speed range or a full reach specification. |
Can Ethernet and RDMA share an adapter?
Network Express combines OSA Ethernet and RoCE/RDMA capabilities on one physical adapter, alongside Coupling Express 3 Long Reach functionality. This is a way to consolidate different I/O roles on shared hardware; it does not mean every protocol must be active together or that every configuration supports every combination. Network Express’s reported 10G-to-25G range is distinct from the dual-port 100 GbE adapter described above.
For the 100 GbE option, the report identifies QSFP SR optics but does not name a third-party part or establish universal compatibility. Infrastructure teams should verify the IBM system and adapter, optic, fiber type and intended reach before ordering any transceiver.
How does this fit AI across enterprise infrastructure?
IBM’s premise is that enterprise AI will span multiple platforms rather than run on a mainframe alone. Crimmins told Network World: “Enterprise AI will rarely operate on one platform alone. Models, applications, and data will be distributed across mainframes, cloud platforms, accelerators and other infrastructure.” Networking matters in that picture because data and services must move among those environments.
IBM argues that Z can run AI close to high-volume transactional data, potentially avoiding unnecessary data movement and supporting faster decisions and stronger data governance. Those are IBM’s stated reasons for the approach, not independently measured outcomes established by the networking report.
What IBM announced for z17 in 2026
In a July 7, 2026 announcement, IBM expanded z17 deployment choices with single-frame and rack-mount systems. IBM says the expanded portfolio offers up to 20% more capacity than z16; that is IBM’s portfolio comparison, not a universal performance result. IBM also says its testing found up to four times fewer cores for specified AI-infused OLTP workloads on OpenShift compared with similar workloads on x86. That figure is IBM’s test claim and applies to the stated workload and platform comparison.
IBM says z17’s Telum II processor enables real-time AI inference in transaction processing, while support for the Spyre Accelerator can extend capabilities to generative and agentic AI workloads. These system and accelerator developments provide context for the networking additions, but they do not by themselves show how a particular customer’s AI workload will perform. IBM’s z17 announcement provides the vendor’s portfolio details and claims.
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What management and security tools accompany the hardware?
I/O visibility and automation
IBM Infrastructure Management for Z and LinuxONE includes I/O Topology Visualization, which maps physical and logical I/O connections among systems, adapters, fabrics, switches and endpoints. Crimmins described the first release as delivered and said customers had historically drawn such diagrams manually; additional roadmap features should not be treated as already available.
IBM Infrastructure Manager and IBM’s Terraform package support configuration of I/O resources and logical partitions, including automation practices such as Ansible playbooks. Crimmins said IBM Infrastructure Management for IBM Z and LinuxONE had recently become generally available at the time of the interview. IBM’s July 2026 portfolio announcement also mentions OpenTelemetry support and enhanced I/O topology visualization.
Threat monitoring and segmentation
Network World reports that IBM’s summer 2026 zSecure Detection rollout combines threat monitoring, network insights, AI-driven access-anomaly detection and automated response for z/OS. The package includes network micro-segmentation capabilities that generate policies from observed networking behavior. IBM describes these capabilities as a way to limit unnecessary connectivity and lateral movement; the report does not independently verify security outcomes.
Hybrid Cloud Mesh
IBM separately describes Hybrid Cloud Mesh capabilities for Z modernization, federated AI and location-independent application networking. In IBM’s announcement, features for VM migration, Z modernization and federated AI were in public preview at publication, so that status should not be assumed to reflect current availability. IBM’s Hybrid Cloud Mesh announcement includes the product details and IBM’s statements about the offering.
What should infrastructure teams verify before choosing?
The sources describe product capabilities, not a complete deployment or procurement matrix. Before selecting an option, teams should check:
- Whether the specific IBM Z or LinuxONE model and system generation support the adapter and the required functions.
- Required link speed, port count, protocol, latency and I/O path for each workload.
- Whether Ethernet/IP, RoCE/RDMA or coupling connectivity is needed, and how those roles will be configured.
- Optic and fiber compatibility, including single-mode versus multimode and the required reach.
- Whether the intended adapter placement changes I/O drawer or rack requirements.
- Current regional availability, supported combinations and procurement details with IBM or the system supplier.
The Network World coverage is a reported interview with an IBM product manager and an analyst, not an independent lab evaluation. IBM’s z17 capacity and core-count figures are vendor claims; the cited material provides no independent networking benchmark, complete pricing data or compatibility matrix.
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