Key features of Zing 16.07
- Improves Java application performance up to 3X through support of new transactional memory features in latest-generation Intel Xeon E5 2600 (“Broadwell”) processors
- Optimizations to improve performance and scalability of Apache Cassandra, Datastax Enterprise, and Apache Spark
- New Zing pricing options for startups and early-stage companies with revenues under $25 million
- Free Zing evaluation and immediate downloads from the Azul website
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Azul Systems (Azul), the award-winning leader in Java runtime solutions, today announced the immediate general availability of release 16.07 of the company’s Zing runtime for Java. Zing is a drop-in replacement for legacy Java Virtual Machines (JVMs) and is ideal for businesses looking to improve the performance and consistency of their Java applications, drive new revenue, and deliver the best possible customer experience.
Java remains the most popular programming language across the enterprise, as reported by a variety of sources including the TIOBE Index. In order to run, all Java applications require a software layer that sits between the operating system and the application itself called the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Oracle’s HotSpot is the JVM that is mostly widely deployed across the enterprise, and other enterprise software vendors such as Azul, IBM and Red Hat also provide JVMs. Since all of these JVMs conform to the same Java platform standards (called Java SE), any Java application can use any JVM, and as a result enterprises chose the best JVM to meet their specific application and IT requirements.
Despite Java’s prevalence and popularity, Java applications in production can suffer from a variety of problems including performance, scalability, runtime inconsistency, and inefficient use of server CPU and memory resources. Azul’s Zing eliminates JVM-specific issues like runtime stalls associated with garbage collection and various other revenue-robbing performance artifacts that are difficult to identify and resolve. Zing’s consistent performance and scalability, even under unpredictable load, allows Java developers and DevOps personnel to focus on developing innovative new features and capabilities in their applications and eliminates an entire class of engineering work associated with tuning and optimizing the JVM.
Key features and benefits of the new Zing release 16.07 include the following:
| New Zing Feature | Business Benefit |
| Support for Intel’s Transactional Synchronization Extensions (TSX) found in Intel’s “Broadwell” Xeon servers | Handle more transactions, more data, and more customers in the same data center footprint with no change to the Java application; improve developer productivity by reducing need to optimize Java code; take full advantage of latest-generation Xeon servers |
| 8-10% improved performance for Apache Cassandra, Datastax Enterprise, and Apache Spark deployments | Lower cost to troubleshoot and repair Cassandra NoSQL database problems caused by the Java runtime; lower operating and IT costs; improved Cassandra database resiliency (fewer node failures) |
| 75% reduction in compiler pauses during application warm-up when using Zing’s ReadyNow technology | Faster time to fully optimized performance after application restart; simplifies deployment practices of “warming up” the application |
| General performance improvements – 5% average improvement across a wide range of applications compared to earlier releases of Zing | Less developer time required to tune applications to reach a certain performance target; more time available to innovate and add features valuable to the business; better application resiliency under load improves overall customer experience |
| New, simplified pricing plans targeting startups and companies with annual revenues under $25 million per year | Helps fast-growth companies embrace enterprise-grade Java technology, enabling them to stay focused on the features their customers require without struggling with Java configuration and tuning challenges |
| Free evaluation and immediate downloads from the Azul website | Evaluate the unique features of Zing now, free of charge, in your environment, running your Java applications |
“The Java runtime (JVM) is essential technology for enterprises ranging from early-stage startups to the Global 1000,” said John Abbott, Distinguished Analyst at 451 Research. “Azul’s latest Zing release adds uniquely compelling new performance and functionality for business-critical Java workloads.”
“With Zing 16.07 we are delivering a Java runtime that allows our customers to drive more revenue by delivering a better user experience and improved performance and scalability,” said Scott Sellers, Azul Systems president and CEO. “Zing’s support for TSX features in Intel’s latest Broadwell-based Xeon processors is a performance game-changer for Java developers writing multi-threaded code, and allows applications to scale to unprecedented levels. We’re especially excited to announce our free Zing evaluation program, allowing users to download Zing now free of charge, and try its unique features and capabilities in their environment with their applications.”
Pricing and Availability
Zing 16.07 is available immediately from the Azul website and the Amazon Web Services Marketplace. The single license annual subscription price for Zing is $3500 USD per server, with significantly lower prices for higher volumes and longer-term subscriptions. Special pricing is available for start-ups and companies with $25 million or less in annual revenue, and for ISVs and manufacturers looking to embed or integrate Zing with their products.
For additional information about the Zing runtime for Java visit www.azul.com/zing. Free Zing trial downloads are available from www.azul.com/zingtrial. Users of Amazon Web Services can find Zing AMIs in the AWS Marketplace.
Note for editors: Background information on hardware transactional memory and its impact on application performance and scalability is available from Intel and Azul.
Video by Azul Systems CTO Gil Tene (Gil is also available for questions or briefings) https://www.infoq.com/presentations/hardware-transactional-memory
Selected materials from Intel Corporation:
TSX Instruction set overview: https://software.intel.com/en-us/node/524022
Performance white paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6877452
Intel software blog post (introductory): https://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2012/02/07/transactional-synchronization-in-haswell