29
Fri, Nov
0 New Articles

IBM Hints at Expanded Role for Linux on iSeries

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
A few weeks ago, Craig Johnson, IBM's iSeries Linux Product Marketing manager, mentioned a very interesting fact during an iSeries Nation conference call. Last month, IBM quietly launched two Technology Previews in which iSeries customers can participate as beta test sites. Under the previews, IBM is testing DB2 Universal Database (DB2 UDB) and WebSphere Application Server running on Linux in an iSeries logical partition (LPAR).

 

Even if you're not interested in the beta tests themselves, it's important that you know about them. Why? Because they offer important clues as to where IBM is taking the iSeries platform and the companies that use them.

 

Currently, the vast majority of Linux servers manage infrastructure tasks. They act as file and print servers, mail servers, firewalls, proxy servers, and Web servers. In the three-tier architectures that are surfacing in many companies--composed of database servers, application servers, and "edge of network" servers--this puts Linux squarely in the "edge of network" category.

 

IBM acknowledges that Linux is best suited for this role within IT architectures...for now. Over the next several years, however, the company believes that Linux will also become a major player in the application server space and that it may even take over some database serving roles. This explains why IBM supports Linux versions of WebSphere Application Server and DB2 UDB running on its zSeries mainframe and why it is now extending that support to the iSeries. Put simply, the computer giant is preparing Linux to become a platform for application serving--and perhaps the platform for application serving--on its zSeries, iSeries, and pSeries systems.

 

Slowly but surely, enterprise application vendors are starting to agree with IBM about the future of Linux. As a case in point, SAP now ships its mySAP.com e-business platform on Linux for the zSeries. Since the iSeries also supports mySAP.com, it probably won't be long before the product family runs in an iSeries Linux LPAR. Such support would likely come via SuSE, which announced last month that its Enterprise Server edition of Linux (which is now available for the iSeries) has been certified for mySAP.com. On a similar note, Oracle offers its Oracle9i database and application server on Linux. This could make it possible for these products to run in iSeries LPARs in the near future.

 

Some enterprise applications vendors already support Linux on the iSeries. For instance, Magic Software offers its eMerchant customer relationship management solutions on iSeries Linux partitions. Linux Business Accounting Systems has shipped its General Ledger applications for the iSeries. And while I'm not at liberty to mention their names, other enterprise application vendors are testing their solutions on iSeries Linux LPARs at this moment.

 

What are the implications of these events for the iSeries platform? I believe that, over the next two to three years, a significant percentage of iSeries enterprise software vendors will port their application logic to application servers running within a Linux LPAR. In most cases, an OS/400 LPAR will continue to host the backend database. Such a configuration makes sense for several reasons. For years to come, Linux will lag behind OS/400, UNIX, and mainframe operating systems in its support for database technologies such as journaled file systems and storage management software. However, new 64-bit distributions of Linux are already emerging to support enterprise applications and middleware that require large memory spaces. These Linux distributions will allow owners of partitioned systems such as the iSeries to deploy multiple Linux LPARs--each running multiple application servers--for far less money than it would cost to deploy those application servers across multiple physical servers.

 

By offering WebSphere and DB2 UDB on Linux LPARs, IBM can also make the iSeries more appealing to enterprise application vendors who have never considered the server. For years, software vendors have avoided the iSeries because they didn't believe they would get adequate returns on investment for porting to OS/400. By contrast, Linux offers an appealing revenue opportunity to most developers. As a result, transforming the iSeries into a Linux-based application server could make it significantly more attractive to a broader pool of vendors.

 

In short, it's likely that Web-enabled enterprise applications on the iSeries will increasingly rely on Linux, not only for "edge of network" tasks, but for application serving as well. IBM is paving the way for this development and is offering software vendors and customers a chance to play a role in the effort. If you're interested in taking part by participating in the technology previews, contact your IBM sales representative or Business Partner.

 

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: