Quoting eChannelLine

IBM has introduced an open beta version of the System p Application Virtual Environment (System p AVE), a virtual Linux environment that enables x86 Linux applications to run without modification on POWER processor-based IBM System p servers. According to the company, System p AVE will allow most x86 Linux binaries to run unmodified on System p servers.

Behind the scenes, p AVE creates a virtual x86 environment and file structure and executes x86 Linux applications by dynamically translating and mapping x86 instructions and system calls to a POWER Architecture processor-based system. By using caching to optimize performance, an application's performance can improve the longer it runs. By using p AVE, IBM expects ISVs that don't already have a native Linux on POWER product to be able to expand their addressable market at minimal cost by running existing x86 Linux applications on System p servers without having to recompile, release new media or documentation, or maintain a unique POWER technology product.

The company also intends to leverage its highly successful Chiphopper program to help ISVs natively support System p servers with the x86 Linux version of their application. ISVs and customers can currently download the p AVE open beta, and IBM intends to make the technology generally available in second half of 2007.

The Pitch

IBM opens System p servers to x86 Linux applications.

Mission Accomplished?

As computing technologies become increasingly commoditized and users increasingly sophisticated, delivering product "solutions" to address specific business processes and applications offers vendors a way to differentiate products and compete more effectively. Over the past half decade, to differentiate products, IT product development depended as much on partner collaboration as on individual vendor innovation. For hardware vendors whose server, storage, and networking devices represent a solution's central core, partnerships helped open doors, connecting them to ISVs, consultants, service providers, and other partners. These partnerships became as integral to overall success as developing new technical bells and whistles.

How does IBM's new System p AVE environment fit into this scenario? In two ways. First, IBM intends to use its long-standing support for Linux to drive new market opportunities for itself and its partners. In addition, the rapid growth in consolidating multiple applications and workloads via virtualization technologies should increase demand for the company's well-regarded POWER-based System p servers.

A key to making this strategy a winner? Applications. Though some 2800 Linux applications already run natively on the System p platform, the vast majority of available Linux tools and software are x86-based, reflecting its status as the most common platform for Open Source developers and ISVs. IBM established its Chiphopper program (also known as eServer Application Advantage for Linux) in early 2005 to help Linux-on-x86 ISVs natively port their applications to all the company's server platforms, but undertaking such efforts tend to require proof that market opportunities exist.

IBM's System p AVE aims to ease this process, providing ISVs a simple method for getting x86based Linux applications up and running on IBM's System p servers. By doing so, partners ad customers will be able to the easily test, demonstrate, and run their Linux applications in System p environments, and determine if native porting is desirable or necessary. As a result, IBM hopes to increase market opportunities for its Linux ISVs partners, expand the number and variety of Linux offerings for System p customers, and increase sales of robust System p server consolidation solutions.

Is this a reasonable scenario? Yes, but not without its challenges. Most importantly, its success depends on IBM's ability to sell the superiority of POWER-based System p servers over commodity x86 technologies, particularly for consolidating business-critical applications. For most enterprise customers, this is a no-brainer, but the rapid growth of evolving x86 server and virtualization technologies translates into a significant challenge in changing the minds of others. That said, IBM's System p AVE environment appears to be a win/win effort that should provide the company and its partners a means to simplify the development and delivery of a new generation of innovative Linux business solutions.

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