Still think Linux isn't mission-critical ready? IBM disagrees and claims to have the solution providers, customers, and support structure to prove it.
Advanced Communication Design Inc., a US$10+ million solutions provider and OEM dedicated to solving in-store merchandising problems, is providing music retail chain Wherehouse Entertainment Inc. with listening kiosks that can be mounted either in listening 'bars' with multiple systems or as solo units inline with CD rack displays.
Behind the solution lies IBM Netfinity M5000 servers with IBM Server Driver (a Linux compatible RAID), Red Hat Linux 6.0, and ACD's own customized vertical applications.
Marco Scibora, ACD's president explains, the system "provides shoppers with the ways and means to sample a store's entire inventory of music before buying by letting them scan in any CD's bar code and then listen to the album's samples."
Is this mission critical though? Scibora thinks so, "It's mission critical for music retailers. With pressure from e-commerce sites, and downloadable music, stores need a way to bring music to walk-in customers."
The next question, of course, is why Linux instead of NT or another Unix? Scibora has an answer: "Linux is very reliable, and its help resources are extremely fast."
For instance, he notes, "One of our programmers recently encountered a serious development problem, and we had it fixed within 24 hours thanks to a developer in Milan, Italy."
In short, open source works. Besides, Scibora adds, "Now that Linux has major corporate help support from IBM and other companies, it makes a great environment for customized programs.
In addition to all that, Scibora says he has found that Linux has "good performance and we've found that the cost is right. We really love it."
The Customer
Insurance? Is there a more stodgy business around when it comes to adopting new IT? We don't think so. Nevertheless, Hill House Hammond Ltd., one of the UK's largest insurance companies, is adopting Red Hat Linux running on IBM Netfinity servers for its branch networking.
The Hill House Hammond installation is, "to the best of IBM's knowledge is the first financial services, mission critical use of Linux," according to Mike Riegel, global executive for Linux, IBM Netfinity Server Line.
Neil Turner, Hill House Hammond's IT director, explains that "We manage the relationship with our customers through local branches." This, in turn, "provides us with a competitive edge in terms of customer service."
But, why the relatively new Linux? "The Netfinity/Linux solution has enabled us to equip them with a high-quality high-performance system that is cost effective," says Turner.
This isn't just a small, pilot project. The total order is for 290 Netfinity 3000 servers, one for each of the 250 branches and the others for training and development purposes.
While the firm will still use high-end IBM RS/6000s running AIX for its core sales and services database, it is firmly committed to Linux for mission-critical work. Indeed, one of Linux's advantages is that its Pick Systems Inc.-based applications work well and are fully interoperable on both platforms. This enables the company to use relatively inexpensive Linux-Netfinity platforms for broad distribution of mission-critical applications and information, while keeping the more powerful AIX-RS/6000s systems for central office work.
Critical Support
All very nice, but what's in for resellers and integrators? Plenty, according to Riegel. IBM will be providing worldwide VAR support for Linux on Netfinity systems. This support will be available through phone and e-mail.
What makes it attractive is that the first 90 days of support are free. Better still, it starts with the first call rather than when a reseller picks the Netfinity off the loading dock.
Take that, add in support for Caldera, Red Hat, Suse, and TurboLinux--the major reseller Linux distributions--and IBM has support that's worth shouting about.
That's not the real news from IBM about Linux, though. The real news for LinuxWorld Expo next week , says Riegel, is that IBM is "Not showing up at LinuxWorld with hardware, we're showing up with solutions." That's mission-critical music to any reseller's ears.
