IBM isn't just focusing on the potent promise of mainframe Linux. The company also announced that DB2 Universal Database for Linux would be made available on Intel-based clusters. WebSphere, already available on single Intel CPU Linux, also will be supported on the clusters. That way, a company can scale either vertically up to RISC or mainframe architectures, or horizontally on existing Intel servers. Here Handy explains that the new database will be supported not only by Red Hat, SuSE and TurboLinux, but also by Caldera Systems. Unlike the other Big Four Linux vendors, Caldera, according to CEO Ransom Love, has opted to focus on the Intel side of its business. But, according to Handy, IBM is still partnering with Caldera on the Intel platforms.
IBM also announced that the DB2 Universal Database for Linux will be available on December 15, with new WebSphere for Linux on Intel release on December 22, the mainframe, zSeries, version will be out on January 26, 2001.
That last date is optimistic for a full rollout. Only SuSE is currently shipping a 390 Linux. TurboLinux still promises one by the end of the year. Red Hat's McNamara freely admits that Red Hat won't be rolling out its mainframe Linux until quarter one 2001, and as for the bundled operating system, DBMS and Web application server, he expects that it won't be out until the second quarter. IBM may be gunning for Sun, but Sun will have time to reload.
