Oracle Brings 9i to Linux/390
DB2 Has Friends
Joining DB2 in the ranks of enterprise databases on mainframe Linux, Oracle said yesterday its 9i database has been adapted for the Linux/390 platform. Oracle has released its flagship databases for Intel-based Linux for some time.
Administrators comfortable with Oracle on Linux should not expect any surprises, according to Doug Kennedy, vice president of global platform partners at Oracle. “We want our build to be as consistent as possible across all Linux versions,” he says.
Kennedy says Oracle has been working to narrow the number of platforms it supports for the past few years, so it would not release a version of its database if it did not believe it was in Oracle’s strategic interest. “The fact that we’re release it for Linux/390 speaks volumes,” he says.
Oracle offered preview builds of the database on its Oracle Technology Network developer portal and solicited feedback from users. Kennedy says users were excited and requested a fully-supported version for mainframe Linux. A developer’s release is available today for free download
Although IBM Corp. offers its own database for Linux/390, Kennedy believes there will be a market for Oracle. He does not regard it as a competitive situation, but rather a matter of customer choice. “It’s up to the customer,” he says, “Its about delivering to the customers what they want.”
About the Author
Chris McConnell is Product and Technology Editor for Enterprise Systems.