“IBM is about to revolutionise the Linux market by releasing
two distinct versions of Linux mainframes. A version of Linux
has been written for the mainframe which works “down on the iron”
but which can also run in a logical partition (an LPAR). There are
several implications of this. Firstly it means you can run all
Linux applications in an LPAR on the mainframe and access all
“legacy” applications directly LPAR to LPAR. So think Apache, and
web site applications running directly on the same 99.999
availability box as the transactional systems that execute the web
transactions.”
“Secondly it means that IBM can sell a massively capable all
Linux machine (with all Linux partitions monitorable and
controllable from a single console). This should be highly
attractive to ISPs, especially large ones that are currently
running huge server farms. If IBM gets the pricing right then it
could clean up amongst the 50 percent or so of ISPs that depend on
Linux. Finally it may mean that IBM has finally found a way of
reviving the mainframe in full view of the dot coms that it so
desires as customers.”