“IBM is trying to liven up its mainframes with some new
Linux initiatives.“
“On Monday, IBM executives detailed plans to make the
installation of copies of the Linux operating system on S/390
machines easier for nonmainframe personnel, as well as less
expensive. In addition, a number of IBM partners, such as
management platform vendors BMC and Computer Associates plan to
announce products to monitor and manage Linux running on Big Iron.
For instance, CA is expected to announce agents and other products
that will help IS staff manage Apache and IBM WebSphere Web server
applications on Linux on the S/390.”
“Although IBM has seen huge growth in the use of its mainframes
for some of its bigger users, fierce competition from high-end Unix
server vendors like Sun has forced Big Blue to discount the
licensing fees for the product. Facing declining revenue, the firm
is now trying to lure customers back by offering relatively
inexpensive Linux software and related support services.”