The Linux Executive Report from IBM
September 24, 2009
The Linux Executive Report from IBM: September 24, 2009. 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
IBM has opened a new Africa Innovation Center in Cape Town to foster the development of information technology and business skills and to expand its customer and business partner ecosystem in the region. The IBM Africa Innovation Center in Cape Town will provide local customers, business partners, start-up companies, ISVs, IT professionals, and the academic community with access to training workshops, consulting services, a broad technical infrastructure, as well as hands-on assistance to help solve business challenges and bring new technologies to market.
Yesterday, IBM and Canonical introduced a new personal computing software package for netbooks and other thin client devices. Part of IBM's Smart Work Initiative, the new package targets the rising popularity of low-cost netbooks to make IBM's industrial-strength software affordable to new audiences in Africa. This is the first cloud- and premise-based Linux netbook software package offered by IBM and Canonical.
Linux is at the center of computing now as well as computing that is being built for the future, emphasized Bob Sutor, vice president of Open Source and Linux, IBM, in his Monday keynote address at the first annual LinuxCon in Portland, Oregon, hosted by the Linux Foundation.
Inside Linux at IBM
More and more companies are turning to Linux to help simplify systems management for better results. Learn about the advantages of Linux applications integrated with System z and the capabilities that make Linux on System z, the perfect platform for deployment of business-critical workloads in this 1-hour teleconference.
Inna Kuznetsova is Director, IBM Linux Strategy. Her team drives Linux business across IBM, sets business goals and ensures business management system support for them. The team also follows the market trends and identifies key short- and long-term strategies; and works across the broad IBM organization to provide proper coverage of Linux in sales, marketing and product management. Kuznetsova recently talked with Linux Executive Report about IBM's Linux strategy, how the approach has evolved, and what she sees ahead for Linux in the enterprise.
Think About It
According to new IDC survey conducted to gain insight into usage of IBM System z mainframes, almost 50% of the 300 respondents are planning to increase their spending annually on mainframe hardware and software. The study, "Mainframe Directions in the Multi-Platform Data Center 2009-2013: Today's Workloads and Future Outlook," was conducted during the winter and spring of 2009 all participants were IBM mainframe users.