IT KEE

German Railways Achieve Major Milestone in Strategic Move to LinuxWith the Successful Move of 55,000 Lotus Notes Users to Linux, the First Milestone in the Deutsche Bahn's Strategic Enterprise-Wide Linux Migration Has Been Achieved
FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- Feb 2, 2005 -- Deutsche Bahn, the company that manages the German railway system, has successfully completed the migration of their Lotus Notes system to an IBM eServer zSeries 990 running Linux.
Deutsche Bahn chose Linux as the strategic server platform for its IT infrastructure, on the advice of their IT service provider, DB Systems, who believes the benefits will be continuous cost savings, higher flexibility in terms of vendor-independence, and integration advantages as the migration project is rolled out.
Deutsche Bahn's IT systems will be migrated to Linux in a step-by-step process. Enterprise-wide applications like SAP systems will be moved from Unix to Linux, together with other key applications such as the sales support system for passengers. The information system for train timetabling has already been moved from an HP Non-Stop platform to Linux.
"Our mission at DB Systems is to develop and deliver an efficient and economical IT service for German railways. Linux is a key element in our strategy, and the smooth process of migrating our mainframe-based Lotus Notes system is a clear sign that this major project will be successful," says Detlef Exner, Director of IT Production.
DB Systems initiated the project in 2003, and took the final decision to make Linux the strategic server platform throughout Deutsche Bahn in 2004. The migration is planned to finish by the end of 2005 when all critical systems such as databases, application servers, web servers, mail servers and network infrastructure will be running on Linux.
IBM is a key partner and technology vendor to Deutsche Bahn, actively supporting the Linux migration by advising on best practice for migration and Linux implementations across all of IBM's technology platforms in both software and servers.
"IBM congratulates Deutsche Bahn on their visionary decision to move all critical systems to Linux. This strategic choice is further proof that Linux has matured as a strategic enterprise platform offering a variety of advantages like cost savings, shorter development time and high level of security. IBM continues to deliver strong support for Linux across all of IBM's technology platforms as still more companies look for simple, safe and cost-effective enterprise computing," said Steve Menadue, VP IBM Systems and Technology Group EMEA.
Lotus Notes is being used for Deutsche Bahn's mail system supporting 55,000 users, and as the technology platform for more than 5,500 databases containing 6.5 Terabytes of data. The system runs on an IBM eServer zSeries 990 with SuSE Linux Enterprise Server Version 8.

Information Builders Boosts WebFOCUS on zSeries Linux
Linux mainframes are beginning to show their worth as business intelligence and reporting platforms. Information Builders Inc. announced benchmarking results of a WebFOCUS 5.3 test on the IBM eServer zSeries 990 mainframe running Linux under IBM z/VM software and using up to four z990 engines. The results show that in that environment, WebFOCUS performance provides near linear scalability as users and processors are added.
The demonstrated near linear scalability of the WebFOCUS BI solution when running on an IBM z990 can enable organizations to consolidate multiple reporting systems onto one server and one environment. The Linux operating system gives developers increased flexibility when it comes to interfacing with other information systems over an Internet infrastructure. "WebFOCUS is positioned to become the 'killer ap' for Linux on zSeries," said David Sandel, vice president for Information Builders. "WebFOCUS can access all data natively on zSeries, like DB2, IMS, VSAM, Adabas, etc. Because of its combined BI and integration capabilities, WebFOCUS allows organizations to build comprehensive operational applications that leverage all enterprise data within one physical location." For more information on IBI, go to www.informationbuilders.com.

linux adoption.

According to Handy, IBM currently has 6000 ISV applications running Linux on x86 servers and expects that number to grow to 12,000 by 2007. "We are doubling down," he said. With Chiphopper, those applications developed for Linux on the x86 platform can also run across the IBM product lineup. After an applications is validated through Chiphopper, he added, ISVs can turn to IBM for support if problems emerge. "This will spread the adoption of Linux, enabling customers to pick the right server for the right job and move to another server as needs change," Handy said

Jack Messman, chairman and CEO of Novell, announced a multi-pronged initiative to "harden" Linux for mission-critical applications. "Linux has been on the edge of the network and has been used for file and print, and workgroup serving," Messman said at a press conference following the keynote address. The current challenge, he said "is to truly harden Linux for mission-critical data centers with tools for complex transaction processing." The goal is to have Linux serve as the platform for enterprise-level applications such as enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management.

IBM announced the IBM eServer Application Server Advantage for Linux, also known as Chiphopper, the IT industry's first combination of support and testing tools that will deliver on the promise of a cross-platform Linux solution for ISVs. Chiphopper enables a single version of of an ISV's Linux application to operate across all of the IBM eServer line, from entry-level x86-based servers, blades and clusters, Power-based servers to Linux on the mainframe, enabling many ISVs to address the approximately 40 percent of IBM's server revenue that is non-Intel based. "A single source code runs across all of the servers," Scott Handy, vice president, worldwide Linux strategy at IBM

I haven’t met with a single customer that said their top business concern is their inability to create services out of applications. What’s missing in these conversations are real business problems customers need to solve today. Telco and wireless service providers worry about customer churn. Pharmaceuticals stay up nights trying to get new drugs that save lives to market faster. Hospitals want patient records kept up to date and available to doctors when needed during emergencies.
A different kind of conversation needs to start. This conversation needs to focus on how solving real business problems is critical to helping customers transform to on demand businesses that can quickly respond to rapidly changing market environments. An SOA can help do this by providing an industry standard framework that is interchangeable, adaptive and flexible, but most importantly is closely linked to the business. The industry standards argument for nearly every other successful use of industry standards also applies to SOAs. Standards make it easier to do business and create efficiencies of scale.
Business leaders who are not aware of the benefits an SOA can provide will likely lose a competitive edge in the marketplace as more nimble competitors take advantage of this new, enabling technology. The business value SOAs provide is so great that analysts predict in just a couple of years enterprises will spend $21 billion on software and services to achieve these benefits.
SOAs are strategically centered at the intersection of business and technology to enable enterprises to adapt quickly to changing environments. An SOA allows the IT department to literally keep pace with business imperatives as it automates business processes by abstracting the process from the underlying application and IT systems. This separation of automated process from IT creates enormous business flexibility, allowing business leaders to take greater control of how business is transacted within the enterprise and with partners, suppliers and customers.
Nearly every business process in every company is linked to technology. With an SOA, an organization can provide services to employees, customers and business partners without the time and expense involved in past proprietary efforts. Because everyone follows the same set of standards, enterprises can be responsive, flexible and competitive. Evolving an SOA across the enterprise frees up IT resources and helps to ensure that investments in technology are focused on core capabilities aimed at growing the business.
Customers need to approach building an SOA based on the needs of the business. A detailed identification and prioritization of services that a business needs to develop or expose to support improved business processes must be developed. A company, or more specifically, and IT department, can’t guess what services will add the greatest value. They need a systematic approach to building a roadmap for implementing a service-oriented architecture.
This approach can help ensure that goals set by business process modeling can actually be implemented to generate the greatest result in an efficient manner. Evolving an SOA across the enterprise frees up IT resources and helps to ensure that investments in technology are focused on core capabilities aimed at growing the business.

First National Bank of Omaha makes move to Big Blue
By Luke Meredith

In a move the company is citing as a victory for its open source integration strategy, IBM announced Thursday that the First National Bank of Omaha will switch from Sun servers and EMC storage to IBM systems running Linux by April 2005.
Big Blue said the bank is integrating in order to consolidate and simplify its core IT operations, using IBM mainframes as the centerpiece of a new system that will include on-demand technology. By integrating its data center based on open standards and infrastructure simplification concepts, with blades on the front-end and consolidated mainframe servers on the back end, First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) is aiming to reduce server sprawl, harness greater control over its infrastructure and, most importantly, save money.
On-demand will allow the bank to take on extra capacity within a couple minutes, and for as long or as short as they need it. Jim GoethalsInfrastructure Simplification Program Manager, IBM
IBM stated that FNBO, the lead bank within a First National Bank of Nebraska system that controls $16 billion in managed assets, wanted to eliminate the expensive ownership costs that came from managing nearly 600 servers running multiple systems, and wanted to establish a streamlined IT department equipped with the scalability offered by on-demand technology.
"This is a phenomenon happening across the financial industry, where people are adding additional servers to address [specific issues]," said Jim Goethals, an infrastructure simplification program manager with IBM. "The bank has put itself in position for future on-demand capabilities. It's a major step for them in that direction."
According to IBM, FNBO will replace 30 Sun Solaris servers with one eServer zSeries 990 mainframe, Big Blue's most sophisticated zSeries computer, to monitor and maintain key banking operations. FNBO is junking 560 Intel processor-based servers and replacing them with 70 IBM eServer BladeCenter systems -- with the mainframe acting as their hub -- for Web-based banking and office applications support.
FNBO is also planning to migrate its WebSphere applications from Sun Solaris to virtual Linux servers on the z990, which will run IBM's z/VM operating system, and is moving to Big Blue's TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller virtualization software for its storage device management needs, according to IBM.
Under its current multi-tiered systems, storage and software operations, the bank has had to grow its network and server staff at 30% per year to keep up with the required administrative tasks.
IBM promised that by consolidating the data center, FNBO'S total server count will drop by 88%. The bank will have fewer network connections to safeguard, which should reduce its network security costs dramatically.
In taking on an on-demand system, FNOB is essentially moving from buyers to renters during crunch time -- a direction the bank's mortgage department would shudder at. FNOB will rent computer resources from Big Blue when its needs outweigh the capabilities of its infrastructure by using Capacity on Demand, a service that expands the number of processors available in currently installed zSeries servers and allows the bank to tap added computing resources as needed.
Companies such as FNOB have tried to move away from the alternative -- buying extra hardware and software purchases to have on call for peak usage. IBM said switching to an on-demand service can facilitate both scalability and cost savings.
"On-demand is being driven by the clients themselves. In studies we've done from the CIO [chief information officer] side, they're expecting revenue growth while managing costs. One way to do that is to increase flexibility and to have the resiliency to handle business transformations," Goethals said. "[On-demand] will allow the bank to take on extra capacity within a couple minutes, and for as long or as short as they need it."

Sun finally announced the availability of the Solaris 10 operating system on an open-source basis, and will allow free use of the technology in 1,600 patents related to Solaris. Solaris on x86 is an attempt by Sun to gain back developers, industry partners and customers who have embraced Linux. This might have been a good idea…four years ago. Sun now has to fight the Linux momentum. Sun’s patent announcement was limited in scope compared to the 500 patent pledge that IBM made. While movements towards a more open environment are good, open source Solaris will face many challenges that clients should consider. Our position is clear:
IBM’s embrace of Linux is the result of client demand. Linux thrives because of strong customer acceptance. There are more than 1.2 million developers with Linux skills, which has grown over the years.
Independent software vendors have embraced Linux, with over 6,000 Linux applications available for the IBM eServer product line. In contrast, Sun contends that they have around 1,100 Solaris/x86 applications available.
IBM has enabled over 300 middleware products on Linux. In contrast, even some Sun middleware products are not available on Solaris 10 x86.
Solaris 10 is not an open alternative like Linux. Sun did not make Solaris 10 available under the "General Public License" (GPL) as is Linux and most open source software. It is available under licensing that restricts all development to benefit Solaris only. There can be no exchange of innovation between open Solaris and any other open source product including Linux. Even after their announcement, questions remained about what and when Sun will make available.
Sun’s 1,600-patent announcement should not be viewed on the same level as IBM’s 500-patent pledge. IBM’s patent pledge allows any developer to use our patented innovation in any open source program or product that meets the OSI definition, and does not restrict it to any particular product. On the other hand, Sun’s 1,600 patents can only be used for development that benefits Solaris. They can not be used for other open initiatives. Essentially, Sun is asking the developer community to help them innovate their software.

MEANWHILE, AT SUN
So with that as background, let me tell you that we have watched with fascination (and not, I think, with pleasure) as Sun’s COO Jonathan Schwartz, a very prominent blogger, has from time to time used his well-read platform to do a kind of marketing by blogmail.
The latest is an Open Letter to IBM CEO Sam Palmisano in which he implies that IBM has refused to support Sun’s Solaris 10 (by porting its infrastructure software (DB2, WebSphere and so forth) to the platform) because it wishes to use its monopolistic powers against Sun and other competitors. My first reaction was, “I must have misread this,” so I read it again – twice. Then I checked with IBM to be sure that they do, in fact, support Solaris 10 on the SPARC platform. They do.
Never mind that (a) IBM is not a monopoly, last I looked and (b) Solaris 10 is a new product (it was launched in November), so it’s very early for it to have a visible marketplace, beyond upgrades for existing customers.
The real story (as a number of publications have noted) is that IBM chooses not to port their software to Sun’s Solaris 10 –x86 platform because they’re waiting to see if there is sufficient customer demand. Since even Sun (so far) has been selling most of its –x86 Opteron systems with Linux, not Solaris, we suspect that the jury is still out on how big the –x86 market for Solaris 10 might be. Sun’s blog manages, unfortunately, to give the distinct impression that IBM is shunning ALL of Sun’s Solaris 10 platform, not just the –x86 portion.
My problem with this is not that Jonathan Schwartz and Sun shouldn’t have a marketing blog. Blogs are technology not a religion.
But many bloggers are hoping to establish their credibility as an alternative source for trustworthy information in their areas of expertise. Many old media journalists have not been at ease with this notion, sometimes being pleased to have bloggers as sources for information, but at other times quick to point out that bloggers do not enjoy the resources or the editorial process of a large newspaper or a monthly print publication. Bloggers who are serious about providing careful, thoughtful writing on subjects in which they are well versed want to give their readers (and the traditional media) every opportunity to learn to trust the Blogosphere. Using blogs to write marketing material, written from a particular viewpoint, and without the transparency that bloggers and their readers are famous for demanding, doesn’t help.