IBM Puts Full-Court Press on Linux
IBM has announced broad platform support for Linux, the open-source version of Unix that's rapidly gaining devotees.
IBM's Linux initiative features alliances with Linux distributors, Linux support for IBM flagship products, and a service offering that IBM calls the most comprehensive in the industry.
IBM will work with four Linux distributors -- Caldera Ssytems Inc. (Orem, Utah), Pacific HiTech Inc. (Oakland, Calif.), Red Hat Software Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.) and SuSE Holding AG (Oakland, Calif.) -- to develop co-marketing, development, training and support initiatives that will help customers deploy Linux.
IBM will also develop Linux versions of several of its flagship products such as the WebSphere Web application server, Lotus Domino, DB2 Universal Database and the Transarc AFS enterprise file system. IBM also plans to port Linux to selected RS/6000 models.
"There are more than 10 million users running Linux software and many of our customers are asking for Linux solutions," says Steve Mills, general manager, IBM Software Solutions. "We want to give our business partners and customers peace of mind and confidence that if they want to use Linux, IBM will be there to support them, as we do with their other systems."
See the March 22 issue of MIDRANGE Systems to read about the AS/400 Division's plans for Linux and how AS/400 shops can employ Linux in their enterprises.
--D. Callaghan