The z/VM hypervisor already natively supports the ability to run hundreds to thousands of Linux servers on a single mainframe.

Mantissa is attempting to match that performance for Windows via z/VOS.

The company says z/VOS will eliminate the need to acquire and maintain desktop hardware and costs associated with PCs such as high power consumption.

"The product has been a bear for the development group but the thought of being able to run 3,000 copies of Windows on one System z so fascinated the team that we needed very little additional incentive," Mantissa CEO and founder Gary Dennis said on the last summer when he introduced the z/VOS concept.

Dennis did not respond to inquires asking for comment on this story.