From: rhett <rhett@lineo.com>
Subject: Lineo and Force announce high availability partnership
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 14:47:00
To: lwn@lwn.net


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


FORCE AND LINEO ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE HIGH AVAILABILITY LINUX
SOLUTIONS

Companies Will Produce Linux Cluster Platforms on a Pentium III Processor-Based
 CompactPCI System


SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Jan. 29, 2001 -- Force Computers, a Solectron company
(NYSE:SLR) and a leader in embedded computing, today announced a partnership
with Lineo, Inc., a provider of embedded Linux™ solutions, to develop
a Linux cluster solution with High Availability features for mission-critical
applications. Branded the Force Availix™ Platform 8-i500, this unique
Linux operating system-based cluster solution demonstrates Force's capabilities
 to integrate CompactPCI® technology with third-party hardware and software
to provide embedded systems for differing availability requirements.
The Force Availix Platform brings enhanced reliability to mid-range CompactPCI
applications with redundant features such as cluster controller boards,
RAID controllers, hot-swappable power supplies, as well as 2 x 36GByte
hot-swappable RAID disks and a redundant fan option for increased availability
and serviceability.  The system can scale to seven Pentium® III processor-based
 single board computers (SBCs) and supports CompactPCI HA Hot Swap.
"Force is partnering with Lineo to provide a CompactPCI-Linux solution
that meets the demands of ISPs, ASPs and telecommunications companies
for scalable computing power on a highly available platform," said Achim
Apel, vice president of Force Computers Service Division.  "Combining
Lineo's Availix clustering software and HA Arbiter hardware with our CompactPCI
 technology provides an ideal platform for Web serving, e-mail and other
server-based Internet applications at an attractive price."

Heart of the solution: Lineo HA technology
At the heart of the platform is the Lineo HA Arbiter board that features
redundant hot-swappable arbiter logic to synchronize clocks of all boards
and coordinates access of peripheral boards to the bus.  Lineo Availix
clustering software includes a load balancer, cluster manager/monitor
and hot-swap manager and controller monitor, offering several powerful
features for configuring, monitoring and administering Linux clusters.
"The implementation of Lineo Availix software on a Force CompactPCI platform
offers a very competitive solution for companies in search of high availability
 features at an affordable price point," said Bruno Simon, general manager
of Lineo's HA Group.  "Force's leadership in the global embedded market
makes them an ideal partner as we continue to penetrate the fast-growing
embedded space."

Pricing and availability
Available March 2001 from Force, prices for the Force Availix Platform
8-i500 with four Pentium III processor-based SBCs begin at US$40,000.

Product demonstration at Linux Expo Paris
Force and Lineo will demo the Force Availix Platform 8-i500 at Linux Expo
Paris in the CNIT la Défense, booth C24, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, in Paris.  Force
will also talk about the system at LinuxWorld in the Javits Center, booth
455, Jan. 30-Feb. 2, in New York.  For show details, see http://www.linux-expo.
com and http://www.linuxworldexpo.com.

Force Computers Service Division
Force Computers Service Division offers a broad range of integration services
to meet customers' needs for individual solutions integrated from Force
products and third-party hardware and software.  The Force Availix Platform
is a prime example, demonstrating the capabilities of Force Computers
Service Division.

About Force Computers
Force Computers (www.forcecomputers.com) was founded in 1981 and is a
leading designer and worldwide supplier of standard and custom systems
and board-level computer platforms and services for the embedded market.
 The processor-independent company helps its customers develop embedded
applications based on Alpha, MIPS, Pentium®, PowerPC™, PowerQUICC™, SPARC®,
StrongARM and 68K™ technologies for embedded UNIX®, Linux™, Windows NT®
and real-time applications.  Force supports VME, CompactPCI®, PCI, PCI/ISA
and PMC bus architectures, as well as custom form factors.  An ISO 9001
certified company, Force Computers practices Total Quality Management
principles in all phases of the company's global operations.  The company,
along with its parent company, Solectron Corporation, is the 1997 winner
of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Manufacturing.
 Force's corporate headquarters and Asia Pacific headquarters is located
in San Jose, California.  Force's European headquarters is located in
Munich, Germany.

About Lineo, Inc.
Lineo, Inc. provides Linux-based embedded systems, real-time and high
availability solutions that include software, hardware reference designs
and professional services.  Lineo's solutions allow OEMs to create devices
and systems that interact with the Internet while helping OEMs to reduce
system requirements, per-unit costs and time-to-market.  The company's
key product lines include: Embedix™ (embedded Linux system software),
uClinux™ (embedded Linux for MMU-less processors), NETtel (Linux-based
Internet appliances for secure networking) and Availix™ (mission-critical
high availability Linux cluster solutions).  Contact Lineo at www.lineo.com,
via e-mail or by calling (801) 426-5001.

###

All brands are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.  Specifications subject to change without notice. Monetary
amounts are stated in U.S. dollars.

Force Computers	
U.S. and Asia Contact: 			Europe Contact:
Lorraine Walston 			Ulrike Mueller	
Force Computers Inc. 			Force Computers GmbH
408-369-6144				+49 89 608 14-0
Lorraine.Walston@fci.com 		Ulrike.Mueller@force.de

Lineo, Inc.
U.S. and Asia Contacts:			Europe Contact:
Blake Stowell				Laurent Rousseau
801-426-5001 ext. 321			+33 1 414 002-02
Blake.Stowell@lineo.com		Laurent.Rousseau@lineo.com