The Linux Executive Report from IBM
October 29, 2014
The Linux Executive Report from IBM: October 29, 2014. 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
Building on client demand to integrate real-time analytics with consumer transactions, IBM is adding new analytics capabilities to the mainframe platform helping enable better data security and providing clients with the ability to integrate Hadoop big data.
The world's first OpenPOWER App Throwdown was held at IBM's Enterprise2014 conference in Las Vegas to recognize some of the most innovative applications being developed to solve real business challenges.
IBM has introduced a new range of systems that can handle massive amounts of computational data faster at nearly 20% better price/performance than comparable Intel Xeon v3 Processor-based systems. "Our open innovation business model and approach to OpenPOWER will disrupt technology providers that offer closed, proprietary solutions produced within the walls of one company," said Doug Balog, General Manager, Power Systems, IBM Systems & Technology Group. "Today's announcement provides clients with a greater choice to help them gain the fastest, deepest insights to solve their business problems."
Internet hosting provider OVH has launched an on-demand cloud service based on IBM's POWER8 processor, tuned specifically for big data, high performance computing, and database workloads. The newest RunAbove service is enabled by PowerKVM virtualization, the Fedora Linux open source operating system, and OpenStack Infrastructure-as-a-Service software.
Michael D. Day, Distinguished Engineer and Chief Virtualization Architect, Open Systems Development, IBM, describes the advantages provided by Docker, an open source project for container-based virtualization in a new blog.
KVM is a key open source technology providing virtualization capabilities to Linux and is expanding in use, states a new IDC white paper authored by Gary Chen. The paper, sponsored by the Open Virtualization Alliance, examines the current state of KVM, identifies keys to future KVM success, and presents information about the progress the community has made.
SUSE and MariaDB Corporation (formerly SkySQL) have formed a partnership that expands the Linux application ecosystem on IBM Power Systems. Customers can now run a wider variety of applications on POWER8, increasing their flexibility and choice while working within their existing IT infrastructure. The partnership was unveiled at IBM Enterprise2014, supporting the $1 billion investment to be spent over the next five years to develop Linux and open source technologies on IBM Power Systems.
Inside IBM's Linux Partners
The recipients of the Linux Foundation's Linux Training Scholarship Program have been announced. The program provides funds to developers and IT professionals who show promise but cannot otherwise afford to attend a Linux Foundation training course. Each scholarship recipient will have the fees of one training course covered for them.
The Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII), a project hosted by The Linux Foundation to identify and fund critical open source projects that are in need of assistance, has issued a call for new grant proposals.
The Dronecode Project is a new Linux Foundation Collaborative Project, bringing together existing open source drone projects and assets. The result will be a common, shared open source platform for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Linux and KVM Events
Registration is open for the OpenStack Summit, which will be held in Paris, November 3-7.
Red Hat Summit brings together thought leaders and executives from across the technology industry to participate in keynotes and sessions on community, innovation, collaboration and customer success. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Red Hat product teams, hear from expert users at leading customer and partner companies, get hands-on training and learn best practices and strategies for innovation and success.
With sessions that are consistently rated as excellent in the annual attendee survey, and recognized as the highlight of the conference, SUSECon presents content from SUSE employees, customers, partners and other contributors.
Linux and KVM Success Stories
Whether your business provides big data and analytics to others, or you use big data and analytics to enhance your own products, research and marketing, it is necessary to have a fast, efficient and reliable infrastructure and architecture.
In 2013, Bon Ton Stores invested in upgrading IT, continuing to update and expand its eCommerce sites, and launching a new mobile site supporting delivery of promotions and online purchasing.
Challenged to do more with less, Dundee City Council identified IT as an area in which it could cut costs. The council consolidated its Oracle Database environment supporting critical services from distributed servers to an IBM zEnterprise BC12 platform, dramatically improving efficiency.
EVERTEC, Inc., based in Puerto Rico, offers a comprehensive suite of services for core bank processing, cash processing and technology outsourcing. EVERTEC relies on IBM zEnterprise EC12 system running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z to support key financial systems and Oracle databases.
IBM Enterprise Linux Server (ELS) can help save software licensing costs, while consolidating different kinds of workloads onto a single server, supporting CIOs in their today's budget challenges. ELS also helps to overcome server sprawl, by requiring less physical servers, less floor space, less energy, with increased flexibility due to IBM z/VM virtualization and simplified management based on IBM Wave for z/VM.
IBM Research and SCA are partnering to create a shared service cloud for the municipalities of New York that is predicted to eliminate 25% of government's IT budget by streamlining applications and connecting siloed municipalities. The IBM mainframe is the platform that New York trusts to host that cloud. In addition to its time-tested scalability, reliability and security, it offers the lowest total cost of ownership — supporting the state as it strives for reduced spending and a smarter, future-ready IT infrastructure.
IBM Business Partner L3C LLP focuses on three ways to help businesses across the UK increase profitability and reduce costs: consultancy, managed services and complementary IT resources. L3C deployed IBM System z servers running Linux to provide companies of any size — including small, midsized and very large enterprises — with scalable, cost-effective, high-performance cloud services.
Government agencies in the U.S., China, and France are improving the lives of their constituents through increased transparency, robust services, and 24x7 access. And while they each differ in their approach to civic governance, they all have one thing in common: the IBM mainframe is their core infrastructure platform.
Although big data promises to dramatically alter the business environment, technology is only a decision enabler.
IBM designed the Enterprise Linux Server from the ground up to add real business value without increasing IT costs. The Enterprise Linux Server's integrated combination of industry leading server and virtualization technologies provide a simple, efficient and trusted infrastructure foundation for businesses with growing Linux workloads.