| Although we are aware of Linux adoption by large | | | | including HP, IBM and SGI are throwing their |
| enterprises, most people do not know that there | | | | weight behind Linux and each has a SMB specific |
| are sizeable numbers of installations in small and | | | | business strategy with significant initiatives to lure |
| medium businesses (SMBs) as well. This base is | | | | them.HP has announced that some of its high end |
| set to grow as server vendors lob tailor made | | | | computing tools from the HP-UX environment are |
| Linux servers and applications at SMBs.Country | | | | ported onto Linux and made available to SMBs. |
| manager, pSeries & Open power, IBM says, | | | | This includes a clustering solution called HP service |
| "Unlike large enterprises, SMBs do not have to | | | | guard for high availability of applications and |
| face the challenge of migrating legacy applications. | | | | management tools such as Systems insight |
| The popularity with SMBs has helped Linux grow | | | | Manager(SIM) and open view that offer third |
| at 30 percent globally".The general consensus is | | | | party integration. Additionally HP is creating a |
| that Linux did better in 2004 than anyone had | | | | reference architecture stack, including hardware, |
| predicted. Director Enterprise Marketing & | | | | OS, database and Middleware. HP certifies a stack |
| alliances, Customers solution Group, HP India says, | | | | so that customers can feel more confident on |
| " As per IDC India, Linux in the server market | | | | deploying their core business application on Linux. |
| grew by 48 percent in OND, 2004 over JAS, | | | | Linux servers are popular in high performance |
| 2004, while the windows and Unix markets | | | | computing(HPC) environments such as research |
| showed a modest 3 percent and 3.4 percent | | | | labs.IBM has recently launched a new family of |
| growth respectively during the same period."For | | | | eserver Openpower systems based on its |
| any OS to succeed, applications need to be made | | | | Power5 processor specially designed for Linux. |
| available. SMBs can be major draw for Linux | | | | The Power5 comes with a micropartitioning |
| servers as it offers them lower TCO and tighter | | | | technology called Virtualisation Engine(VE) wherein |
| control on their IT spends. Since many SMBs | | | | each processor can be sliced into ten virtual |
| already have home grown applications, a | | | | partitions with each partition acting as a new |
| proprietary OS will be the single largest area of | | | | server. IBM's eserver Openpower 710 is a single |
| spending. It is here that Linux offers a big | | | | CPU processor with 3 HDDs and 512 MB memory |
| advantage.The availability of version 2.6 of the | | | | with RAID level 1 and 5. This eserver offers |
| Linux kernel in Red hat Enterprise Linux 4 and | | | | SMBs an affordable alternative to higher priced |
| Novell's SuSE 9 will give a big boost to vertical | | | | entry level Unix or Linux system. Openpower |
| scalability. As SMBs become a part of the global | | | | offers a 64bit platform at a price point of a 32 bit |
| supply chain, they want enterprise applications on | | | | offering. We believe that it is the right product for |
| Linux to keep their investment low. This trend will | | | | the mass market.Sun Microsystems has the Sun |
| be a key enabler for the Linux server market | | | | fire V20 and V40 severs based on the 64 bit |
| worldwide.Why Linux Based servers?Cost is a | | | | AMD Opteron processor, which has been |
| factor and Linux offers better security as the | | | | successful with SMBs. It also offers the Solaris 10 |
| source code of proprietary software is always | | | | Opetron combination. Sun is aiming to position |
| kept a secret. With a community supporting it, | | | | Solaris 10 as its trump card to take the fight to |
| any security hole in Linux is quickly found and | | | | commercial Linux with support - email, phone and |
| patched.Linux not only lets an organization save | | | | onsite - available at a small price. Advanced |
| on software costs, it also offers long term long | | | | scientific research, elite foods, Sage Design |
| term saving on hardware. Instead of being forced | | | | systems, Centre for DNA fingerprinting and |
| to upgrade software with Linux, an SMB can take | | | | diagnostics, are Sun customers running there core |
| control of its IT strategy. Chief technology officer | | | | application on Linux.Linux servers are used by |
| of IDBI bank says, "You decide when you wish to | | | | SMBs for CAD analysis, CFD (Computational Fluid |
| upgrade, not the vendor, hence you get tighter | | | | Dynamics) and FEA(Finite Element Analysis). Linux |
| control on your spending." This can be particularly | | | | systems are rugged as they come with SGI |
| important for users, such as SMBs that cannot | | | | Propack over and above the standard Linux |
| afford to keep up with the pace of change in | | | | Kernel. This gives customers the ability to scale |
| commercial software.Business application and | | | | there computing environments with independent I |
| LinuxThere is credit to Oracle for driving the Linux | | | | O, memory and power supply.Banking on |
| server market. During the early part of 2004, | | | | SupportLinux is getting traction and getting into |
| Oracle came up with a value offering. It offered | | | | commercial business applications in verticals such |
| pre- configured Oracle E-Business Suite special | | | | as manufacturing, small banking and hospitality. |
| edition on Lintel Boxes for a 10 user License for | | | | Availability of tally o Linux will result in a new |
| $36,000USD. The traction of this offering was | | | | chapter being inked in the Linux server market. |
| seen towards the end of 2004 when we closed a | | | | Red hat has 950 ISV partners who develop |
| dozen deals that were in various stages of | | | | applications that run on its Linux distributions. Linux |
| implementation, says General Manager, Oracle | | | | offers secure and scalable solutions to meet SMB |
| India. This is a testimony that SMBs are opting for | | | | requirements. IBM has 35 to 40 pure Linux |
| Linux servers. SAP is following Oracle in making | | | | partners that offers consultancy and assist it in |
| application available on Red Hat Enterprise | | | | integrating and implementing services for its |
| Linux.Customized and certifiedAll server vendors | | | | customers who are using Linux. |