Residual values of ES/9000 mainframes are severely threatened by a tenfold increase in the cost of replacing a failed thermal conduction module, or TCM, reports Technology News of America. The high price may make it impractical for 9021 and 9121 machines to be independently reconfigured or repaired, leaving IBM with a monopoly. During the 308X generation IBM began putting processor components in special packages called TCMs that only IBM can repair. To enable independent firms to repair or reconfigure mainframes, IBM offered a replacement service. An independent service company could return a failed TCM and get a working unit of the same type for $20,000. IBM sold TCMs outright for $100,000 or more, making exchange the only practical option for the independents. TCM replacement on the 3090 line used to cost $20,000, too. But on August 26, IBM raised the price to $28,500 for the type T1 TCMs used on 3090s and J-prime processors. On January 1 the price will jump to $46,000 – morethan double the original price. More ominously, IBM said it will charge $276,100 for the exchange of a type T2 TCM – the kind used in real 9021s. And the price for replacing a failed TCM in a 9121 is $224,000. Since neither lessors nor refurbishers can afford this, reconfiguration could become impractical.
