The Linux Executive Report from IBM
February 28, 2013
The Linux Executive Report from IBM: February 28, 2013. A monthly summary of important trends and market research, case studies and information about IBM's Linux initiatives of interest to senior management.
Linux News
Ericsson has introduced the Ericsson Cloud System, a cloud solution for carriers and service providers. The Ericsson Cloud System enables distributed cloud capabilities such as computing and storage capabilities in the network, resulting in a better experience when using cloud applications, and more efficient utilization of network resources. According to Ericsson, the new solution will help address an increasing focus on quality of experience among smartphone users. With operators looking for new revenue, the company says, networks and the cloud need to evolve in parallel.
IBM accelerated its strategy to enable businesses of all sizes to leverage the benefits of big data and cloud computing with new Power Systems and Storage Systems. The new systems, which include two new PowerLinux Systems, are aimed at helping to provide deep insights into big data, simplify data storage in the cloud, and reduce costs through consolidation.
In a new blog, Kelly Beavers, vice president and business line executive, IBM Systems Software, writes about IBM SmartCloud Entry, which now supports the open source KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) hypervisor. The result, she explains, is that with just one product, customers can support virtual machines that are running on KVM, VMware, and/or PowerVM: Cloud computing is one of those technologies for which people have differing definitions, but SmartCloud Entry does the most basic things that just about everyone expects from a cloud solution: web-based provisioning for a cloud, and a pay-as-you go model. SmartCloud Entry supports those two critical capabilities with a couple of key attributes that decrease risk to organizations. First, it makes it really simple for a company that is new to the cloud to get started with a private cloud safely and behind their own firewall, and second, it does so with pricing that is completely affordable for the mid-market.
A new performance result reveals that the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor delivered unprecedented storage I/O performance with the highest virtualized storage I/O rates ever reported for a single virtual machine. The new result shows that KVM delivered 50% better performance than competing hypervisors, as well as low latency and consistent throughput for I/O requests.
The Linux Professional Institute (LPI), a Linux certification organization, is making changes to its LPIC-2 and LPIC-3 certification programs. The new objectives for these certifications are presently under development. New exams will be available in English on October 1, 2013 with local translations and pricing to be announced.
Demonstrating that even the most demanding and complex workloads can be virtualized, IBM has announced that the company has achieved its lowest-ever cost/transaction rate with KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine). The results were achieved with IBM's x3650M4 platform, a high-performance 2-socket, 2U x86 server; IBM DB2 ESE 9.7; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4; and KVM.
Inside Linux at IBM
A wide-ranging assortment of case studies explaining how organizations have successfully implemented KVM for business advantage is available.
IBM hosts Linux on System z Executive Council meetings in locations across the United States to provide education on Linux on System z. Check back frequently for information about educational opportunities coming to a city near you. Information is also available about Live Virtual Classes for z/VM and Linux.
Inside IBM's Linux Partners
The 2013 Red Hat Summit has announced its most robust agenda to date with 11 tracks and more hands-on labs than ever before. The ninth annual Red Hat Summit will be held June 11-14 at the Hynes Center in Boston.
The 2013 Red Hat Summit has announced its most robust agenda to date with 11 tracks and more hands-on labs than ever before. The ninth annual Red Hat Summit will be held June 11-14 at the Hynes Center in Boston.
The Linux Foundation 2013 event and co-located Linux training schedule includes Linux events worldwide and co-located Linux training opportunities, answering the global demand for technical Linux content, knowledge and collaboration. Go here for the complete list of 2013 events and training opportunities.
At Red Hat Summit in June, IBM identified three technologies which would play a major role in the next era of computing - open virtualization, big data and open cloud. Six months later, all three are having a major impact. In this presentation, progress in each of these areas is discussed - how IBM and Red Hat are delivering integrated solutions to solve real-world business problems through smarter computing.
SUSE's annual global user conference, SUSECon, will be held November 12-15, 2013, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The event provides the opportunity for SUSE users to learn about and see first-hand the latest open source developments from SUSE, including what's new in enterprise Linux, cloud computing, big data, server management, and integrated systems. SUSECon registration opens April 1, 2013.