IBM Really Likes LinuxIBM Really Likes Linux

IBM continues to make good on its promise of extending Linux compatibility throughout its entire server lineup. The company this week will ship a Linux version of its p630, a Power4-based server that previously had run only on IBM's AIX Unix operating system. The Linux-ready p630 runs a 64-bit version of SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 and is available in single-processor, two-way, and four-way configurations. Pricing starts at $15,500 for a single-processor server, about $1,500 less than a comparable p630 running AIX.

By attaching Linux to its Unix server brand, IBM is paving the way for versions of Linux that can scale beyond today's four-way servers. IBM will introduce early next year a native Linux version of its p650 server, which scales to eight processors. IBM is looking ahead by offering Linux on Power4 servers, says Charles King, Sageza Group research director. There aren't a lot of 64-bit Linux applications, "but a lot of young programmers are interested in Linux, and IBM has been very aggressive" in pursuing independent software vendors.