IBM Achieves Major "Linux on POWER" Milestone

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the delivery of the 2,500th Linux application available for POWER -- extending the flexibility of one of the world's most pervasive processor architectures. The application, Sybase Unwired Accelerator, quickly and securely extends corporate applications to mobile environments.

The number of tested, native applications available for the Linux on POWER platform has grown more than 200 percent in the last two years, marking it as a fast-developing new IT ecosystem.(1) The availability of business-critical applications and building blocks such as Sybase Unwired Accelerator and IBM WebSphere Business Services Fabric demonstrates that businesses can increasingly look to powerful, reliable 64-bit Linux systems such as IBM System p servers running the Linux operating system for the applications that run their core functions.

Addressing demand from mid-sized customers to improve business flexibility, employee productivity and asset security, IBM also announced its newest Express Advantage offerings running on the POWER architecture that now support the Linux operating system.

Linux on POWER speeds consolidation

By combining the flexibility and cost-savings of Linux with the scalability and robustness of the POWER platform, customers across industries are integrating their environments using Linux on POWER as a means to reduce costs and consolidate workloads. The unique architecture of Linux on POWER is helping companies consolidate new Linux and open source applications to meet the complex computing needs of today.

"A booming customer demand to cut costs and consolidate workloads has spawned a growing ecosystem of application vendors supporting the IBM Linux on POWER platform," said Scott Handy, vice president, Worldwide Linux and Open Source. "The world's fastest growing operating system offers a secure, reliable and high performing platform for customers and Independent Software Vendors to grow revenue and expand into new markets."

The rapid expansion of the Linux on POWER ecosystem underscores IBM's commitment to accelerate the growth of Linux solutions, offering clients unparalleled technologies to address today's most complex business and scientific challenges. IBM POWER5 processor-based systems, which include System p, System i and BladeCenter JS21servers, have been tuned for Linux, offering features specifically designed for critical computing in the areas of RAS, performance, scalability, and virtualization, at surprisingly affordable prices.

This year, IBM and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) have brought 372 new applications for Linux on POWER to the System i environment through the System i Initiative for Innovation program launched in 2005; as well as 670 applications for Linux on POWER to the System p environment, beefing up System p's portfolio of business applications.

With IBM Linux on POWER, clients benefit from a system platform that is specifically tuned to help dramatically improve utilization rates and systems management and help achieve improved computing performance. ISVs, open source and enterprise developers, as well as systems integrators and resellers are also realizing business value from the Linux on POWER platforms.

Sybase Unwired Accelerator

Sybase has been working with IBM during the last two years and has had strong success in delivering leading edge data management and business intelligence solutions. Sybase will now be offering mobility solutions on the Linux on Power systems with the announcement of Sybase Unwired Accelerator. This landmark 2500th application enables professionals using mobile devices to make better decisions and improve productivity through real-time access to ERP, Business Intelligence and other enterprise applications.

"Our customers are amazed at the speed we can take their enterprise data and processes to their mobile devices, and it is a great product for us because it supports nearly every mobile device," said Tom Gaster, president of Decision Systems Inc., a leader in Mobile Business Intelligence solutions using Sybase's Unwired Accelerator. "This announcement will increase the choices for our customers who want to take advantage of the power and scalability of the IBM System p."

"Sybase has been very successful with its data management and business intelligence solutions and we are extremely pleased that Sybase Unwired Accelerator is the 2500th application for the Linux on System p platform," said David Jacobson, senior director, product marketing, Sybase, Inc. "The pairing of Sybase Unwired Accelerator solution with the Linux on System p platform enables our customers to successfully realize their vision for an unwired enterprise."

The Growing Ecosystem

Business Partners and ISVs have been key to the expansion of Linux on POWER offerings. Hundreds of new Linux-based ISV solutions have emerged as a result of an IBM multi-pronged program approach to deliver compelling solutions to both large and small to mid-sized businesses. In addition to the milestone 2,500th application, some of the latest additions to the ever growing ecosystem include:

IBM WebSphere Business Services Fabric

IBM WebSphere Business Services Fabric helps bring mission-critical, industry-specific applications to Linux on System p servers as part of a service oriented architecture. The WebSphere Business Services Fabric will initially target healthcare and insurance companies looking to streamline and automate core business processes and transactions with providers, members, employers, financial institutions and other industry participants while extending the life of heritage IT investments.

IBM WebSphere Business Services Fabric software helps accelerate the development and deployment of business services that business users need to respond quickly to market and competitive pressures. It provides hundreds of industry-specific, pre-built, SOA standards-based accelerators, tools and frameworks. IBM WebSphere Business Services Fabric offerings help solve business problems that are specific to a given industry such as HIPAA compliance in healthcare and ACORD in the insurance industry.

DCSnet

DCS Automotive France, a Reynolds and Reynolds' subsidiary, built DCSnet for the French market. DCS Automotive's industry-specific, mission-critical application, DCSnet, manages and reports on every area of the dealers' business -- from sales to aftersales. DCSnet is a powerful yet easy-to-use solution which provides customers with the ability to maximize profitability, minimize inefficiencies and deliver customer care to an exceptional standard by ensuring that everyone in a dealership is working from the same information. The Reynolds and Reynolds company is one of the world's leading suppliers of IT solutions and services to the automotive retail sector.

Centric CRM

Centric CRM is a robust, open-source, J2EE Java-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution architected for reliability, scalability and ease of use and maintenance. Centric CRM allows organizations to be world class in the methods by which they interact with customers and other stakeholders while leveraging the emerging world of open technologies. The Centric CRM reference architecture is tuned to run on IBM System p servers, IBM open source middleware and Novell's open technology platform. The software stack includes IBM WebSphere Application Server Community Edition and IBM DB2 Express-C running on SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell.

IBM Express Advantage Offerings Support Linux on POWER:

With today's news, IBM announces its newest Express Advantage offerings for mid-sized businesses running on the POWER architecture support the Linux operating system.

IBM System p5 Solution Edition Express for mySAP ERP provides a high-performing cost-effective IT infrastructure to run the SAP®, integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) software application, mySAP ERP. Additionally, the IBM System i IP Telephony solution is the first-ever IP telephony solution designed to run on a single, easy-to-manage system along with a customer's business applications.


1. http://www.ibm.com/systems/linux/power/apps/all.html