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| Tech Update Linux |
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REALITY CHECK
SuSE infuses Blue blood into Linux
Windows, Unix alternative
By David Berlind
March 22, 2002
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That sort of commonality within the IBM family kills two birds with one stone. First, it gives IBM customers a smoother migration path, regardless of which direction they are sizing (up, down, or lateral). Second, it creates some awfully compelling alternatives to Windows and competing Unix solutions -- particularly Sun's solutions. For example, for businesses concerned about the scalability or reliability of Windows, IBM provides an option for trying Linux on an Intel platform such as the recently introduced and very scalable x440 servers. To this IBM adds the ability to move up the food chain to something with a reputation for being bulletproof -- like a pSeries, iSeries, or zSeries system. With the partitioning that's available on the bigger iron, IT shops can consolidate 10 Linux computers into one system so that all of them can leverage the availability and scalability features of the host.
So where does SuSE fit into the picture? The open source nature of Linux gives IBM a chance to bend an OS that it doesn't own around its other intellectual property. This option is not readily available with Windows or Java. Windows is under the tight grip of Microsoft. Java is theoretically "bendable" through participation in the Java Community Process, but that still doesn't compare to how easy it is to get Linux running on IBM mainframes the way Big Blue wants. Who's going to argue -- especially when IBM open sources all the code to make it work? While IBM open sourced the code to run Linux on its various systems, it doesn't actually sell its own distribution of Linux. IBM has left it up to other distributors to pick up that open source, incorporate it into their distributions, and compete by offering something special beyond the code itself.
SuSE, a German company that both Intel and IBM have small minority stakes in, does this by offering IBM's customers peace of mind. According to SuSE's Geck, that peace of mind comes in the form of a "single throat to choke if something goes wrong." In addition to making sure that Linux is running smooth as silk on all of IBM's platforms, SuSE also makes sure that IBM's customers don't mistakenly move their Linux installations out of lockstep with what's supported by companies like Oracle and SAP. "Considering the pace at which changes, patches, etc. become available for Linux, that's easy to do" says Geck. "We make sure that users don't suddenly find themselves in a situation where they are running enterprise applications on uncertified versions of Linux -- a situation which would void their support." Essentially, SuSE is providing a set of very controlled high-end Linux versions that are guaranteed not to upset the production environments relying on them.
So, does that clear things up? Is that the sort of strategy and flexibility you're looking for from a technology partner like IBM? Or are you waiting to see if Linux gets more traction in the datacenter before considering it? Talkback or write to me at david.berlind@cnet.com and let me know what you think.
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