[ Thanks to Bonnie
Greene for this link. ]
“IBM’s xSeries 135 with Linux… is the first specifically
designed appliance server that can be automatically configured and
deployed out of the box, according the company’s product
description. The Linux-basaed applicance server, powered by an
engineered variant of TurboLinux through a partnership with the
Linux company, was designed with the mindset that “many customers
are going down the open source path, and want Linux-based
appliances,” said Brian Sanders, IBM’s xSeries software solutions
manager. IBM’s other Linux server series supports all four major
distributions, Sanders added.”
“We’ve developed these new appliance servers because we’ve seen
the market mature,” Sanders said. “These new appliances offer
customers a way to leverage their skill resources.” These customers
were often unable to start all the projects they’d like, Sanders
added. “These appliances were made to be plug-and-play as much as
possible to free up those skills resources.” The appliance
servers also come with a common Web-based interface that allow for
a “common look and feel” as well as providing the user who doesn’t
know Linux to harness the operating system’s potential, making it
easier for users to make the switch, he said.”
“Customer demand for the Linux appliance server came from a
number of customer areas, Sanders said. “Large customers creating
exchanges for their employees so they can access benefits online on
home terminals as well as ISP/ASP providers wanted an efficient,
economical OS,” he explained. “This is software we have integrated;
plug it in and it’s going to work. You’re not sacrificing quality
for price.”