Your organization manages 100,000+ MIPS of IBM mainframe infrastructure. You're evaluating z17. And somewhere in your budget planning, you're staring at a spreadsheet that shows mainframe costs potentially escalating from $50M annually to $259M annually by year 10.
You need to know: Is this inevitable, or is this a negotiation problem masquerading as a technology problem?
The answer, backed by 30 years of enterprise mainframe negotiations and data from hundreds of major deals, is that it's almost entirely a negotiation problem. And it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars to get it right.
We've just published Z17 Shackles, a comprehensive white paper that shows enterprise organizations exactly how IBM's contract structure creates cost escalation, and more importantly, how to prevent it.
This isn't a generic "negotiate better" guide. This is a detailed technical and financial breakdown written specifically for organizations managing:
The white paper includes:
Most organizations don't actually understand their z17 financial exposure. We break down:
Those aren't hypothetical numbers. They're based on real IBM pricing patterns and successful mainframe negotiations across financial services, government, airlines, healthcare, and manufacturing.
IBM doesn't volunteer these. You have to negotiate for them. The white paper details exactly what to demand:
Total protection value: $77.5M (10-year impact)
This is what separates a $612M commitment from a $1.3B+ commitment. These aren't nice-to-haves. These are deal fundamentals.
We know mainframe dependency varies dramatically by sector:
For each sector, Z17 Shackles shows the specific contract risks and how other organizations in your industry have negotiated protections.
One of the most valuable sections: a detailed timeline showing how your negotiating power shifts during a contract lifecycle.
Today (before commitment): 95% leverage Year 1: Still strong at 90% Year 3: Drops to 55% without exit clauses Year 5+: Approaching zero without protections
This visualization alone is worth the cost of the white paper. It explains why everything you negotiate now matters exponentially more than anything you negotiate later.
We include a detailed walk-through of a major financial services organization managing 100,000 MIPS that faced exactly this situation:
This case study includes the specific contract terms that made the difference: the exact MIPS-based pricing structure, the migration credit amounts, the escalation caps, and the exit clause language.
Here's the direct answer: Because if you use even one insight from this white paper correctly, it pays for itself 1,000x over.
If your organization is evaluating a z17 commitment, you're likely looking at:
A $2,500 investment in understanding your negotiation position before you commit is not an expense. It's risk management.
Here's what you're actually paying for:
If your organization uses one contract protection from this white paper correctly, you could save $10-50M or more. The $2,500 investment becomes the softest, sweetest background noise you’ll ever hear.
You should buy Z17 Shackles if:
✓ Your organization manages 100,000+ MIPS of IBM mainframes
✓ You're evaluating z17 options in 2025 or early 2026
✓ Your current mainframe spend exceeds $50M annually
✓ You have decision-making authority over mainframe contracts
✓ You want to understand your negotiating position before committing
✓ Your CFO/board needs detailed financial modeling for approval
✓ You want to ensure you're not leaving hundreds of millions on the table
You probably shouldn't buy this if:
✗ Your organization manages less than 10,000 MIPS
✗ Your mainframe strategy is already locked in with no flexibility
✗ You're not involved in vendor negotiations
✗ You don't have budget authority for IT decisions
When you purchase Z17 Shackles for $2,500, you receive:
The White Paper (PDF)
Immediate Access
Premium Distribution
Here's what every CFO, CIO, and procurement leader evaluating z17 is asking themselves right now:
"Are we about to lock in costs that will escalate to $259M annually by year 10, or are we going to negotiate a contract that keeps us at $75M annually with strategic flexibility?"
That's not a $2,500 question. That's a $691M question. Z17 Shackles gives you the roadmap to the right answer.
Purchase for $2,500 (one-time fee)
Click here to securely request and pay for the document. Upon successful payment, you will immediately receive an email with a PDF Whitepaper.
What happens next:
If you're already a NET(net) Savings Cloud Subscriber (Silver, Gold, Platinum), this white paper is included in your subscription at no additional cost. Contact your account manager for access.
New subscribers can add this white paper to their onboarding package when they join.
This white paper is comprehensive and detailed, but if you have specific questions before purchasing:
Email: info@netnetweb.com
Subject: Z17 Shackles Questions
Phone: [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
We're happy to discuss whether this resource is the right fit for your organization's situation.
IBM's z17 announcement is real. Your need to upgrade is probably real. But your cost escalation from $50M to $259M annually - that's entirely optional.
Z17 Shackles shows you how to make it optional.
PURCHASE Z17 SHACKLES FOR $2,500.
Z17 Shackles is written for enterprise organizations managing 100,000+ MIPS with 100+ million lines of code in production. It's based on 30 years of mainframe negotiation experience and hundreds of real enterprise deals. It's not a generic procurement guide. It's a technical and financial blueprint for getting your z17 commitment right.
Your negotiating power is highest right now, before you commit. Every month you wait, IBM gains more leverage. Z17 Shackles should be read and discussed with your stakeholders before you enter serious IBM negotiations.
Don't let $691M in avoidable costs become inevitable costs because you didn't understand your options.
At NET(net), we don't just optimize IT investments—we weaponize them for competitive advantage. As the world's leading technology investment optimization firm, we've spent over two decades perfecting the art and science of extracting maximum value from technology supply chains while neutralizing vendor pricing manipulation.
Our battle-hardened methodology has influenced trillions of dollars in technology investments, captured hundreds of billions in documented value, and transformed how enterprises approach every facet of IT spend—from emerging technology such as AI, ML, IoT, RPA, Quantum, and Blockchain, to IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, to enterprise hardware and software solutions, and professional services arrangements including strategic outsourcing relationships.
We're not consultants who theorize about optimization—we're the specialists who help you devise and execute your strategy. Our proven frameworks turn vendor pricing chaos into strategic opportunity, licensing complexity into competitive advantage, and cost centers into value engines. Whether you're facing an aggressive vendor audit, navigating a forced migration, or simply refusing to accept runaway IT costs, NET(net) delivers the expertise, experience, and execution you need to dominate rather than merely survive.
Founded in 2002, NET(net) has established itself as the essential strategic partner for enterprises and technology providers who demand performance, not promises. We've mastered every major area of IT optimization because we understand that in today's vendor-hostile environment, half-measures guarantee defeat.
Experience the NET(net) advantage. Contact us at info@netnetweb.com, visit www.netnetweb.com, or call +1 (616) 546-3100 to discover how we can transform your technology investments from cost burden to strategic weapon.
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