IBM Power Systems Includes Unix and Linux [VIDEO]

Datamation content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

IBM is aiming to re-invent itself in a new hardware era where it no longer sells x86 based servers. IBM sold off its x86 server business to Lenovo in a $2.3 billion deal that officially closed on October 1.

Doug Balog is the General Manager of Power Systems within IBM’s System and Technology Group and it’s his job to advance the Power server market position in the new non-x86 era at IBM.

As contrast to the x86 business, which was largely about Linux, IBM’s Power business includes two other operating systems. IBM Power runs and supports both the AIX Unix as well as the IBM i operating system that was originally known as AS/400.

In a video interview, Balog explains how the different operating systems supported by Power all relate.

“We have a long and wonderful history with both IBM i and AIX, that run many retail companies, banks, telcos and governments around the world,” Balog said. “They are running core business applications and in most cases those applications aren’t going away.”

Balog emphasized that he is continuing to invest in IBM i and AIX to serve client needs. When it comes to new applications though, the focus is in another direction. He explained that new mobile, web and analytics applications tend to be built with an open stack of software development tools, which is where Linux fits.

That doesn’t mean that the different operating system cannot all work together on the same Power platform. IBM offers its users the choice of native Linux KVM or PowerVM for virtualization.

“PowerVM is the platform that will allow multiple operating systems to run,” Balog said. “So if you’re running AIX and you want to attach to that some Linux partitions, that’s a great answer for it.”

Watch the full video with Doug Balog below:

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at Datamation and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.