This whitepaper examines the real-world impact on business security based on platform architecture. For that purpose, metrics for major architectures such as IBM’s z Systems platforms, UNIX and x86 products were compared. Research data was compiled by Solitaire Interglobal, Ltd. (SIL). Information from organizations concerned with the effectiveness of their security form the base study data, supplemented by threat and security information from the Global Security Watch (GSW) whose main focus is the impact on business operation, organizational assets, and prevention and remediation costs.