ORLANDO, FL--(MARKET WIRE)--Feb 26, 2008 -- At the annual SHARE mainframe users group conference in Orlando today, IBM (NYSE:IBM - News) announced that 20,000 (to be confirmed by SHARE) members of the world's largest mainframe user group, SHARE, can now access Destination z resources and exchange information about all IBM Systems & Technology Group platforms, including the company's flagship System z. SHARE has joined the IBM community -- available at www.ibm.com/systems/destinationz -- as the first client member organization representing 2,000 companies. With SHARE's enrollment in the IBM mainframe ecosystem, Destination z now includes stakeholders in the reseller, academic, system integrator, ISV and client categories. The news comes on the same day as IBM today announced the world's most powerful computer, the z10, to the world (see press release at www.ibm.com/press/z10).

"Connecting our wide member base to the IBM Destination z community is a great extension to SHARE's mission," said Martin Timmerman, executive president of SHARE. "On top of 50 years of user focused education, professional networking, and industry influence, SHARE now gains more direct access to technically deep information and experts. This collaboration has enabled us to go from being a mainframe supporter to an influencer role, as SHARE will provide rich user perspectives for mainframe development including the ongoing evolution of System z as a secure data center transaction hub."

"IBM launched Destination z to help clients migrate workloads back to the mainframe, reducing the spiraling costs and security issues inherent in uncontrolled distributed server sprawl. By applying our collective knowledge, IBM and SHARE will enable customers to more quickly garner the economic value of System z for its unbeatable performance, energy efficiency and security," said Karl Freund, vice president of marketing for System z at IBM. "For example, SHARE's participation will allow members to tap into IBM's proven methods for running an economically and environmentally friendly data center."

About Destination z

Announced in 2007 (see press release at http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21758.wss), IBM Destination z has enlisted over 35 global business partners and 13 academic institutions, with expanding discussions with industry leaders on a daily basis. Together, mainframe constituents will continue to innovate through exchange of ideas, methods, and expertise around the IBM mainframe. Adding user groups, with SHARE as the first, helps business partner members to refine software, deliver progressively more effective migration and datacenter transformation services, and enlarge their base of resellers. For academic institutions, SHARE's membership equates to cutting-edge mainframe courses and stronger corporate relationships to connect corporations with skilled mainframe professionals.

For more information about System z, log on to www.ibm.com/systems/z. For details about SHARE, please visit www.share.org.

     Contact:
     Mylissa Tsai
     IBM
     Phone: (914) 766-4294
     Email: tsaim@us.ibm.com