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Under a Big Blue Shadow
PenguinCandidate writes "Linux server market share numbers can be tricky, with HP touting itself as a leader and IBM garnering all the press. For one analyst, it's all about identity." From the article: "HP can say that it has led the worldwide Linux server market for 29 consecutive quarters. HP can also say with confidence, thanks to IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker from May 2005, that it outpaced IBM by nearly eight percentage points in quarterly revenue share. And yet, that Big Blue thundercloud remains. "
One thing? Which would that be? IBM makes hardware from servers down to semiconductors. Their software line spans PC development tools, RDBMSs, operating systems, and groupware.
-mkb
IBM has become, at Gerstner's direction, a "global services juggernaut." Their support of Linux is not directly tied to a plan to sell more Linux servers. It is tied directly to their capability to provide comprehensive services through their Global Services division. It's a good strategy. That division is the bane of just about every other major tech services provider.
There exists no way of exchanging information without making judgments. --Bene Gesserit Axiom
HP is actually going to be contributing to Ubuntu. Of course, their reason is so that they can sell laptops that work flawlessly with Ubuntu.
Still, it's pretty cool. They laptops will come with FreeDOS (no Windows!) and you can get an Ubuntu CD from HP.
Fiasco of Carly?
Complete and utter bollockssssss.... Fiasco of the Don Capellas cretinomoron - yes. Carly - no. Whatever people say about her any Compaq/HP shop can clearly tell you that during her reign the quality of hardware shipped drastically improved. If you have bought HPaq hardware over the last 6+ years you can clearly see the day when the cost saving idiot Capellas reign started. The quality of build immediately dropped to rock bottom. Passive cooling was replaced by cheap mexican fans which failed in 3-5 months, spec of the average box in fact dropped instead of rising. 512MB memory limit on a desktop down from 784 and thermal throttle on the CPU which effectively made it slower then the older models.
After that, during Carly it recovered to a more or less sane state - custom designed motherboards matched to the case instead of cheap chinese OEM shit, passive cooling assisted by the main chassis fan (an old Compaq TM), etc.
Whatever you say while I am not a Carly fan, she actually fixed a lot of the shit created by Don Cappellas. It would have been nice to see her go to be replaced by someone to improve further. Instead, she is being replaced by a Don Cappelas clone which means that all of us who buy Compaq are likely to have to look for an alternative vendor once again.
Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
http://www.sigsegv.cx/
I'm only partially in agreement with you. As far as HP having more units running linux in the field, I think that might be true, but what about the quality and price of the units.
The saying used to be 'No one ever got fired for buying an IBM' and there is a reason for this. The IBM boxen are a very nice, well designed box. I just purchased an xSeries 246 over the less expensive HP model. The reason for this is simple. IBM has been around longer than I have, and have a track record that I don't think is matched anywhere else in the industry including Microsoft. IBM also contributes heavily to the linux community so if you call IBM for support, they actually know what linux is.
Another point that has become somewhat of a sore spot that companies like HP and Dell are going to have to learn quickly is support. When I call IBM, I get someone with a brain who isn't just reading from a script. All too often when you call a company like HP/Dell you get some foreigner who is reading form a script, and hangs up on you when you deviate from that script.
I can't think of a single admin that wants to be treated like some idiot user when their shiny new $15,000 server just decided to put its fingers in its ears.
HP may be moving more units that happen to have Linux on them, but I strongly feel IBM's presence is going to be here for a very long time to come because the folks at the top have a brain in their skull, and are concerned with more than the bottom line.
If you want something like a Linux mainframe, wait till the mobo makers finally realize that getting in on the ATCA/cPCI blade server market at the low end, creating much less expensive systems that make efficient cluster servers in a box, is a good thing. Maybe a couple more years till we see it. I would love to be able to put one master board in and four or five drones in, an OpenSSI/K12LTSP server installation, and have powerful upgradeable central administration of hardware and software. I don't need IBM for that. I need Tyan, Asus, and so on to get on with it.
If my grammar and spelling are off, I am [distracted/tired/careless] (take your pick)
Well, I have worked for both companies, so I personally have to say they both have good hardware. Each has had some line that left a bit to be desired, but overall, still good equipment.
But with that said, HP is acting more like the IBM of old, while IBM is acting like the HP of the 80's.
IBM is working with groups and pushing what they are into. I agree that their customer support is better than others. Sadly, they keep selling off their lines.
HP, OTH, is just wanting to sell hardware and it seems like they have killed their engineering side and pushed things with the sales side. IOW, they are taking a road that will allow for short term profits, but long term will kill them. You are not the first that I have heard say that HP cust. cupport is now abismal. That is sad. I knew some of the folks in Fort Collins, who did that work and they were sharp.
how does the song go? "I need a hero"?
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
... that at this stage of the game "Nondescript Old Beige Box In The Corner" still garners the most Linux server installation title... but that's not good marketing I suppose
[what?]
Am I the only person who reads this and wants to scream ?? I mean, why can't somebody come up with proof that Microsoft is browbeating every major distributor such that they will not sell any average consumer a machine with Linux pre-installed? This is so, so, freaking frustrating.
I really want somebody to sue Microsoft bigtime over this massive restraint of trade practice.
(we now return you to your regular programming.)
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
I believe the http://www.tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_perf_results. asp?resulttype=all
explains why people are using power servers for things, throw in the LPARs that run, AIX, LINUX, and AS400. If you have more then 2 servers, and want to share those unused dev/test CPU's and memory, pSeries boxes are the way to go.
Yes we love linux on little boxes, but with a few P570s loaded with multiple versions of Linux on Lpars you could go a lot farther then with the HP itanium which is quite a bit more expensive for the output numbers an oracle server will need.
Throw in that almost all nextversion gaming consoles will be sporting a power Cell chip system, dumping the Intel business to a producer that can lowball the market to death doesn't seem such a bad play.
Actually, HP also has a fully supported Linux SOE for internal use. They call it LinuxCOE (common Operating environment)
Like others have mentioned, they do a lot of Linux development, but it's mainly to support their own platforms.
Have a look at their Linux website
(Disclaimer, I work for HP)