Compaq last week moved to bolster its Linux range with the launch of software and services aimed at enterprise users of the operating system.
Compaq's initiative may partly be a response to the challenge from IBM, which has been vocal in its commitment to Linux since it announced last year that the open-source operating system would be integrated into all of its platforms. IBM intends to support Linux applications on a complete range of enterprise systems, from PCs to fault-tolerant mainframes. While this transition is not yet complete, high-end IBM systems such as the zSeries mainframes and many mid-range pSeries systems are already able to support Linux applications.
Compaq, however, is determined to give IBM a run for its money. Compaq  which, according to analyst firm IDC sells more Linux-based servers than any other computer maker  is now offering support for server clustering and software tools to enable the migration of applications between its proprietary Tru64 Unix system and Linux.
IDC's figures give Compaq a 30.5 percent share of all Linux server sales last year. Dell ranks second with 13.7 percent, followed by IBM with 13.5 percent.
Compaq has also announced its investment and participation in a Linux lab, and a contest to help spur development of Linux applications for handheld devices, including the Compaq iPaq.
Mike Winkler, executive vice president of global business, said Compaq has credibility in this field and was among the early proponents of Linux.
Stacey Quandt of analyst firm Giga Information Group noted that Compaq was the first hardware maker to support Linux but that its close relationship with Microsoft probably caused it to temper its support for the operating system. That enabled IBM to gain the higher Linux profile.
'It was the first hardware vendor that was really behind Linux,' Quandt said. 'It even gave [Linux founder] Linus Torvalds systems to work on and supported Linux since the early 1990s. I think for a while Compaq was turning a blind eye to Linux because of Microsoft.' Now, IBM is definitely perceived as the leader in Linux systems, Quandt added.
Compaq said its new initiatives show its commitment to Linux. Clustering could enable customers to build their own supercomputers by tying together hundreds of servers. The software tools and services will allow interoperability between Linux and Tru64 through common interfaces and applications for the two systems.
Many corporates welcomed the latest developments. Stacey Son, vice president of hosting technology for Verio, an operator of Web sites for businesses, said. 'It seems that both [IBM and Compaq] have been advocating Linux a lot lately.' Son said he was pleased to see major hardware makers embrace open-source software and that Verio would consider Linux solutions from either firm. 'Finally, some of the big PC makers are taking Linux seriously,' he said.
However, Compaq's move is somewhat surprising given that chief executive Michael Capellas said as recently as February that he expects Linux to play only a peripheral role in enterprise computing. 'We see Linux being positioned around the edge, taking share from SCO and Novell. The advantage of Linux is low cost. I don't see the need for proprietary layers on Linux to make it scale up,' Capellas said.
