IBM’s New Server Made for Linux

IBM has just announced the expansion of its server lineup, with a new mainframe system designed specifically for Linux that may be aimed, in particular, at higher-end x86 systems. This new system uses IBM’s specialty Linux processor and can run either Novell SUSE or Red Hat systems. It does not support the mainframe operating system z/OS but it includes mainframe management software in addition to IBM’s z/Virtual Machine system. Together, they make up the company’s latest “solutions edition,” or what IBM calls lower-cost, integrated stacks for the mainframe.

There are two servers in this new Enterprise Linux Server line, and the starting price on the lower-end model, with its two processors, is $212,000. The system is intended to be competitive with large multicore systems used for virtualization consolidation. This Linux-specific line is IBM’s best and latest attempt at reducing the cost of its mainframes.

IBM plans to upgrade its z10 next year, always in keeping with its three-year upgrade cycle. The company’s mainframe sales have been down 26% in the most recent quarter when compared with the same quarter last year, and server sales have been flat across the board for three quarters running. Courtesy of computerworld.com