IBM Commits $1 Billion to Fuel Linux on Power Systems

RMN Digital | September 17, 2013 | CIO Info, Corporate, Enterprise, Europe, Feature, Regions, Strategy | No Comments

At LinuxCon 2013 today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced plans to invest $1 billion (USD) in new Linux and open source technologies for IBM’s Power Systems servers.

The investment aims to help clients capitalize on big data and cloud computing with modern systems built to handle the new wave of applications coming to the data center in the post-PC era.

Two immediate initiatives announced, a new client center in Europe and a Linux on Power development cloud, focus on IBM’s ecosystem supporting Linux on Power Systems which today represents thousands of independent software vendor and open source applications worldwide.

Specific details of both initiatives include:

Power Systems Linux Center in Montpellier, France: The new center is among a growing network of centers around the world where software developers can build and deploy new applications for big data, cloud, mobile and social business computing on open technology building blocks using Linux and the latest IBM POWER7+ processor technology. The first center opened in Beijing in May. Additional centers are located in New York, NY, and Austin, Texas.

[ Also Read: IBM Center in Beijing to Focus on Linux Applications ]

Linux on Power development cloud: To serve the growing number of developers, Business Partners and clients interested in running Linux on Power Systems, IBM is expanding its Power Systems cloud for development. The no-charge cloud service is ramping up its infrastructure to provide more businesses the ability to prototype, build, port, and test Linux applications on the Power platform as well as applications built for AIX and IBM i.

Today’s news comes on the heels of IBM’s recent OpenPOWER announcement that makes the IBM POWER microprocessor available under license to other companies for open collaboration and development. The consortium marks the first time that IBM is making its key server hardware available to drive open innovation.

In the picture above: A new IBM Power Systems Linux Center for developers, clients and partners opened in Montpellier, France today.