By Xinhua
Beijing : The “Lx86” capability, to be included in IBM’s PowerVM virtualization software, allows x86-based Linux applications to run on IBM’s System p and Power-based Unix systems without modification, media reported Thursday.
“The capability will simplify the consolidation of Unix and Linux server sprawls,” said Scott Handy, vice president of marketing and strategy for IBM Power Systems. “Running Linux applications in the Unix environment can reduce the cost of server consolidation and energy consumption and increase asset utilization.”
The systems will automatically detect and run Linux-based binaries designed for x86 environments.
“Lx86 is a way to say ‘Whatever you have, it can run,” said Scott Handy.
Lx86 will be a useful tool for people looking to migrate from Linux systems to other IBM systems, IBM said. The company offers both Unix and Linux operating systems on its servers.
The capability will be included in all editions of IBM’s PowerVM platform, which it also renamed Tuesday from the Advanced Power Virtualization platform.
The software now includes an Express edition targeted at small- and medium-size businesses. It allows customers to create up to three partitions on a server and control the use of processor cycles to get optimal performance.