Linux Community Magazine

In "Linux on System z: A Success Story", we elucidated on the Linux-Mainframe bonding from which the IT world has benefitted immensely.Ever since the announcement of the Linux on System z alliance the IT world has been debating about it incessantly. The merger of two strong and unique operative techniques has created several avenues for it's customers to work with.

From the innumerable possibilities that lay with the Linux on System z union, the IT world has been able to recognize a few.Virtualization and Cost Savings: From it's beginning in 2000, the Linux on System Z has brought for its customers an easy to manage and easy to scale cost efficient business atmosphere for the purpose of large-scale computing. The Total Cost of Ownership(TCO) lowers with the Linux on System z's virtualization capabilities. It's main savings are in the maintenance, cooling, software support, power and infrastructure based expenditure.

Management Capabilities: With the provision of the patch management software distribution and the advanced infrastructure backup consolidation Linux on mainframe counters the management capacities of enterprises. Back up consolidation has the advantage of immediate and flexible provisioning of additional resources for workload balancing of backup with relation to daytime jobs.Business Integration: Linux-System z merger results in the immense flexibility to support the running of multiple applications. Integrating the standards of the industry and solutions of open resource with critical business applications, IBM's new hybrid features are available via IBM z/VSE and z/OS on System z.Security: The best product that has come of the Linux on System z union is it's most reliable security and integrity features. The advantages of integrating hardware based security features into the operating environment. The threat of data leakage is tackled with the help of the cryptographic and encryption solutions. The Access Control Management is also an additive to the other security featuresBusiness Resiliency: The combination has brought in several layers of fault tolerance in its efficiency in fault checking. The redundant mechanism helps from fail of the system during times of outages and unprecedented disasters.IT Optimization: Optimization of an organisation's IT assets through consolidation, virtualization, standardization and integration of the infrastructure falls under the capability of Linux on System Z. The IBM Tivoli was introduced to draw better IT efficiencies, optimization and quality for the Linux on System Z.Flexibility: The feature of open source in Linux makes it easier for application integration. The consolidation builds an steady system of servers along with it's growth as opposed to the higher number of physical servers. It also provides the option of matching the hardware platform with the requirements of the application.

From the increasing number of takers, it is evident that the Linux on Sytem z has gathered a huge market and wooed several in the IT industry. The stand out features of the association has brought along with it a smarter computing option which is automated, integrated and secured. The self explanatory 'Linux on System z' evidently brings together the best of the two IT boons together. The scale that it further treads is one to watch out for.