IBM's $1B Linux Bet Creates Momentum, Dec 16, 2000

Solution providers say the IBM investment is a big opportunity to boost Linux's momentum, particularly in Web-hosting environments.

IBM Chairman Louis Gerstner said his company is investing $1 billion in Linux as part of a bet that the open-source operating system could overtake Microsoft's Windows NT in 2004.

IBM is building for Shell a supercomputer-scale cluster of Linux computers, the largest such installation in the world, marking IBM's progress in moving the alternative system into mainstream commercial work.

IBM's workstation will, as previously reported, run on the 64-bit version of the Windows 2000 OS, as well as on Linux and IBM's own AIX 5L. The timeframe for this is expected to be: AIX 5L, available on the Itanium launch date, Linux in Q2, and Windows in Q3, according to Rudd.

Scandinavia's leading telecom and Internet provider will replace 70 Sun servers with a single IBM mainframe in a multimillion-dollar deal

IBM Corp. mainframes running Linux will replace Sun Microsystems Inc. servers at Scandinavian telecommunications company Telia, Big Blue said Wednesday.

IBM Japan Ltd. is giving demonstrations at the Bluetooth Developers Conference in San Jose, California, from December 5-7, highlighting uses for a watch-type device that communicates with a notebook PC via Bluetooth technology.

IBM's big plans for Linux are getting bigger every day. While the Armonk, N.Y., company's initial goal was to enable Linux on the mainframe, it is now working to effectively cluster large-scale Linux configurations.

More than 300 IBM employees from around the globe are set to convene this week in Austin, Texas. But they won't find the usual IBM fare on their plates.

he featuring of the Linux watch at the Zurich conference was an indication that IBM now has a Linux story to tell and the Linux watch is just the smallest part of it. It was not presented as a PR gimmick, but as evidence that IBM can tailor Linux to suit the small environment. IBM is now able to demonstrate a commitment to Linux across the range, which no other hardware vendor can currently match or even comes close to. Linux runs on every box in IBM's rebranded eServer range.

In perhaps the most significant alliance for any of the dozen or so Linux software companies, IBM announced it will offer the Red Hat Linux operating system on all of its new server and mainframe computers.

In order to face the shift of the Internet to serious business use, IBM announced a new range of servers built specifically for business--entrusting a number of its new server models to the stability of Linux. http://www.linuxnews.com/stories.php?story=334

The future of Project Monterey was thrown into doubt last month when SCO announced that its server and professional services division would be sold to Linux distributor Caldera.

IBM today announced major Linux initiatives aimed at speeding the ability of Asia Pacific customers and key software vendors to increase productivity within the Linux operating environment.

International Business Machines Corp., Intel Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and NEC Corp. are to announce Wednesday that they will invest several million dollars to create a laboratory where programmers can test Linux software on the large computer systems that are common in the corporate world.

Austin, Texas - To help enterprises satisfy the growing national demand for enterprise Linux skills, TeamLinux Corporation today announced that it is partnering with TurboLinux, to offer a series of Linux courses geared toward Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPI). Also joining in the venture are IBM - which is providing Netfinity and workstation systems for the courses - and O’Reilly Publishing, which will offer all its Linux textbooks for purchase in the classrooms at discounted rates. "From the outset, one of our core strengths has been our in-house knowledge and training program," says Dan Maher, TeamLinux chairman and chief executive officer. “To go nationwide so soon after our March launch with three household names in our industry is central to fulfilling our education mission." TeamLinux is a rapidly expanding professional services, training and product organization that offers integrated support solutions for enterprises using Linux and open source technologies. The partnership with TurboLinux, in which TeamLinux’ certified instructors will lead the classes, helps systems and network administrators learn all aspects of Linux in a geographically convenient location. "Because TurboLinux is dedicated to helping expand the Linux knowledge base, harnessing the strength of TeamLinux’ nationwide network of training centers and expertise is key to meeting customer demand nationwide,” says T. Paul Thomas, TurboLinux president and CEO. Maher reiterates TeamLinux’ dedication to the global open source and Linux communities. “Our mission is to fill a gap in this exploding marketplace, and to accomplish that we have assembled a team with certifications and experience on all major platforms. It is this veteran team that will provide training support for TurboLinux,” Maher says. About TeamLinux TeamLinux is an enterprise professional services, training and product organization that provides completely integrated solutions enabled by Linux, open source and other new technologies. The company’s service offering includes Enterprise Assessment, Network Design and Management, Information Security, Database Design, Application Porting, Web Site Design and Implementation, Network Operations Center Design and Deployment, Open Source and Linux Training, Interactive Kiosks and Design Services, Internet Appliances and Embedded Devices, and Industrial Design Services TeamLinux provides national coverage through their regional centers of expertise. The Central Region (Dayton, OH), serving the East and Midwest, has expertise in interoperability, office suite applications, hardware / network configuration, and interactive kiosks and design services. The Dayton office also houses the executive offices of the CEO and Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning. The Western Region (Irvine, CA), serving the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, has a focus on e-commerce and internet applications, middleware, and firewall / information security. The Southwest Region (Austin, TX), covering the Southeast and Southwest, focuses on training, web design and operation, and Internet appliances, chip design and embedded Linux. Each regional office houses consulting professionals, interoperability labs and complete training centers.

IBM has announced that researchers are running the Linux operating system on a prototype wristwatch device, in a research test designed to show that Linux can be used as the basic software on the smallest devices.

A team of IBM summer interns has created a free, new tool that eases the task of writing Linux-based software. The tool, called Sash Weblications, allows Web developers who don't have extensive programming experience to write software that runs on the increasingly popular Linux operating system.

Big Blue, the open-source champ, is backing the Bluetooth wireless protocol available on Linux in an effort to kick-start more apps development.

IBM is offering special deals for mainframe hardware and software in an effort to reduce the obstacles for using Linux on the traditional computers.

Since 1999, IBM has made several announcements in support of Linux. IBM has done so because it wants to position itself as a leader, in case Linux takes off in a big way.

Next week, IBM will announce it is moving to a cheaper, more Unix-likeLinux mainframe pricing model, on both the hardware and software fronts.

BM today released new tools that combine Linux with Bluetooth wireless technology, merging two of the hottest technologies in an effort to spur wireless networking.

Irving Wladawsky-Berger, IBM's VP for technology and strategy, talks about why Linux has become so important for IBM right now.

A greater number of IBM's servers, laptops and desktops will now come with the Linux operating system, company officials said

While some Linux vendors in recent weeks have been tossed about by stormy stock market waters, IBM is proceeding full steam ahead with its support of Linux.

IBM has announced that some of its popular Thinkpad laptop computers will be available with Linux.

International Business Machines Corp. will introduce a portable computer that runs Linux, boosting support for this upstart OS.

IBM Corp., looking to spread its arms ever wider to embrace Linux across its entire server line, is preparing to move the operating system to the supercomputer realm via superclusters of Netfinity servers.

Customers of IBM's Netfinity servers will now be able to buy machines pre-loaded with the Linux operating system and will be able to choose from three flavors of the open-source software.

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