IBM’s New PowerLinux Offerings Target Linux Midmarket

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IBM has launched an aggressive strategy for its PowerLinux systems with three solutions to focus on big data, industry apps and open-source infrastructure services.

Big Blue introduced new Power Systems and PureFlex System offerings to help customers exploit the cost efficiency of Linux and virtualization for business-critical workloads. IBM PowerLinux Solutions offer deep integration of new Linux-specific Power7 processor-based hardware with industry-standard Linux software from Red Hat and SUSE for analyzing big data, managing industry-specific applications and delivering open-source infrastructure services. A PowerLinux compute node is also available for the recently announced IBM PureFlex System, part of the new IBM PureSystems family of expert integrated systems.

The new IBM PowerLinux systems are value-priced for the midmarket and above, and are designed to provide customers with lower deployment time and costs, and greater performance, dependability and workload density than competitive x86 platforms at similar price points.

IBM is offering the new integrated and workload-optimized PowerLinux Solutions in conjunction with its ISV and OEM partners, starting with three specific Linux-centric workloads. IBM PowerLinux Solutions are designed to match each workload’s specific performance requirements, offering customers a simpler Linux-based IT environment that can help reduce infrastructure costs and free IT staff to focus on bringing innovative products and services to market faster.

“Our tests have shown excellent performance results for Zucchetti human resources and ERP industry application software running on the new PowerLinux Systems-an improvement of at least 40 percent compared to Linux machines based on Intel x86,” said Alberto Cazzulani, HR business unit technologies and services manager for Zucchetti Group, a provider of software and technology solutions in the Italian software market with more than 450,000 installations and 85,000 clients. “PowerLinux represents an ideal platform for our customers to use over time, supporting current and future development needs without requiring additional hardware investments.”

By basing the new solutions on lower-cost Linux-specific Power Systems and PowerVM for Linux virtualization technology, IBM can provide more value to customers at a lower cost than competitors in the x86 Linux market. In addition, replacing aging x86-based Windows servers with PowerLinux systems and open-source applications can further reduce costs by eliminating high proprietary software license fees and upgrade charges. This new strategy expands the ability for IBM to address customers’ Linux application needs more effectively, just as it does for AIX and IBM requirements with Power Systems, the company said.

IBM introduced two new Linux-specific systems. The new IBM PowerLinux 7R2 System is a two-socket, high-performance, energy-efficient server that supports 16 Power7 microprocessor cores and a choice of industry-standard Linux operating systems: Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Scalable and efficient with a built-in PowerVM for PowerLinux hypervisor, the PowerLinux 7R2 System can run multiple Linux workloads, offering a 33 percent lower solution stack cost for virtualized infrastructure.

IBM also introduced the IBM Flex System PowerLinux p24L Compute Node, a Linux-specific two-socket compute node for the recently announced IBM PureFlex System, which contains 12 or 16 Power7 microprocessor cores, the option of Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating systems, and built-in PowerVM for PowerLinux.

The three new PowerLinux Solutions include the IBM PowerLinux Big Data Analytics Solution. IBM says the highly threaded, parallel processing capabilities of PowerLinux provide optimal compute and I/O performance for big data analytics projects using Apache Hadoop, a software framework that enables distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of computers. IBM OEM partner Fixstars is planning to deliver a Hadoop-based appliance for big data based on PowerLinux for the small and midsize business (SMB) market in 2012.

 

For more, read the eWeek story: IBM Targets Linux Midmarket With New PowerLinux Offerings

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