From:	 "James Greene (US)" <jamesg@Text100.com>
To:	 "'lwn@lwn.net'" <lwn@lwn.net>
Subject: IBM Delivers Open Platform for Business Partners to Quickly
	 Create e-business Solutions for Linux
Date:	 Thu, 9 May 2002 09:05:52 -0700


IBM again has demonstrated that the momentum behind Linux is real, and
building. By leveraging the significant marketshare gains of DB2 vs. Oracle
and WebSphere vs. BEA, today at DeveloperWorks Live, IBM will introduce
"Blue Ice" --  the first comprehensive open platform for SMB's to quickly
and easily deploy robust Linux-based solutions.

The platform will include DB2, WebSphere, xSeries servers and Linux. This
flexible platform allows customers to reduce the time of implementing Linux
solutions.

With support from Business Partners and ISV's alike, IBM's Linux platform is
now being pulled together in a complete end-to-end offering.  According to a
recent IDC report, small businesses represent 48 percent of all Linux server
installations making this an important addition to IBM's Business Partner
program in support of the Linux community.

IBM is betting that Internet standards will free customers to choose from a
range of platforms supporting multiple development environments. This
offering called the eServer Integrated Platform specifically targets SMB's
and is based on open, industry-standards that will support a variety of
Java-based applications including solutions for finance, retail, e-commerce,
telecommunications, distribution and manufacturing.

IBM not only coined the term "e-business" in 1994, but it invested in an
e-business strategy with the assumption that the intersection of the
Internet and commerce would drive massive change.  IBM's portfolio of
Servers, Software and Services has been shaped by its embrace of e-business
and Internet standards.  With today's announcement, IBM is making
Linux-based e-business easier than ever.

If you would like to speak to an IBM spokesperson regarding the eServer
Integrated Platform please feel free to contact me directly.

Regards,

James
IBM Delivers Open Platform for Business Partners to Quickly Create 
e-business Solutions for Linux

New Business Partner Offering Improves Time to Market for 
Small and Medium-size Business Solutions


San Francisco, CA, May 9, 2002. . .Today at DeveloperWorksLive!, IBM, in its
latest example of enabling Business Partners to address the growing
technology needs of small and medium businesses, introduced the first
comprehensive open platform for quickly and easily deploying e-business
solutions on the Linux* platform.  

With the new eServer Integrated Platform for e-business, IBM has taken the
guesswork out of deploying a robust, reliable Linux solution platform.  The
platform will be coupled with IBM's Start Now marketing and enablement
program providing Business Partners with marketing materials, sales tools,
and detailed deployment instructions needed to effectively deliver this
offering to SMB customers.

This solution, delivered by trained and qualified IBM Business Partners,
includes the hardware and software Business Partners need to rapidly build
and deploy a wide variety of Linux-based solutions.  The platform will help
Business Partners quickly deliver customer solutions on an open platform
that is integrated, pre-configured and tested for maximum results.  

The eServer Integrated Platform for e-business includes IBM eServer
xSeries**, WebSphere** Application Server supporting Web Services and DB2**
database software for Linux.  The offering will support a wide variety of
Java-based applications including solutions for finance, retail, e-commerce,
telecommunications, distribution and manufacturing.  Initial support from
independent software vendors (ISVs) includes eOneGroup, Selectica, Marcole
and Rational.

The platform provides Business Partners with a blueprint of software and
hardware configurations, instructions for proposing, implementing and
extending complete solutions, extensively tested implementation scenarios,
ISV tools and financing options.

Throughout the year, IBM will broaden the integrated offering to include
other IBM eServer systems, giving solution providers a wide range of
standards-based platforms to support any size e-business application for
Linux.

"The new IBM eServer Integrated Platform for e-Business is a perfect
deployment platform for MarCole's popular Gift RegistryWorksTM solution,"
said Dan Wade, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development, MarCole, a
leading developer of in-store and Internet gift registry, e-catalog, and
interactive shopping systems. "IBM's vast experience with e-business
infrastructure has been embodied in this offering which will bring our
customers the security and reliability they demand."

"In today's marketplace, SMB customers are calling on business partners to
build integrated solutions based on open standards to easily integrate with
other systems," said Richard Michos, Vice President Linux Servers for IBM.
"With this new offering, IBM business partners are able to deliver a
complete top-to-bottom platform that connects Linux, Java, Intel and Web
Services 
-- giving partners the premier platform for e-business applications for
Linux."

The Integrated Platform for e-business initially supports SuSE Linux and
includes:

*	eServer xSeries:  IBM's x300, x330 and x360 will be included to
provide customers the most powerful Intel-based servers with
mainframe-inspired technologies.
*	WebSphere Application Server:  The first e-business software to
support Web services - a more automated way to link companies, customer,
suppliers and employees over the Internet - will provide customers a
standards-based platform for creating, running and integrating e-business
applications across a variety of computing platforms. 
*	DB2 database software:   DB2 is the industry's first multimedia,
Web-ready relational database management system, strong enough to meet the
demands of large corporations and flexible enough to serve medium-sized and
small e-businesses. IBM provides the broadest database Linux support in the
industry, from hand held devices to the mainframe. 

Availability
The eServer Integrated Platform for e-business is available through
authorized IBM Business Partners. To learn more about this offering, please
visit the following Web site:  www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/linux/integrated/

About IBM 
With 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate, IBM is the
world's largest information technology company. IBM is a leading provider of
e-business solutions and is dedicated to helping companies, Business
Partners and developers leverage the potential of the Internet and network
computing across a wide range of businesses and industries. The company
offers a host of cross-industry and industry specific solutions designed to
meet the needs of growing companies.  For more information, visit
http//www.ibm.com/software.

####

*Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.
**Indicates trademark or registered trademark of International Business
Machines Corporation.

All other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their
respective owners.

IBM enserver Integrated Platform for e-business - Quote Sheet

eOne Group
"eOne Group, the first Independent Software Vendor (ISV) to validate IBM's
new eServer Integrated Platform for e-Business verified some not altogether
unanticipated results.  eOne received the new platform and initially
brought our flagship end2end e-Business product, eOneCommerce, to life in
10 hours. eOne then worked with IBM and implemented recommended changes,
and as a result eOne redeployed eOneCommerce in two hours.  After two hours
the eCommerce suite of products was fully functional with DB2 and WAS.
>From eOnes perspective given our hands on experience with IBM's new
integrated platform, based on the xSeries server, it appears that the goals
of this program will be met and exceeded.  The eServer Integrated
e-Business Platform will provide enterprises, cross industry both large and
small with a quick to market, reliable, best of breed e-Business
implementation.

Businesses looking for a low risk and high ROI proposition will find it in
new eServer Integrated Platform for e-Business, which will be backed up and
supported by IBM."

- Dan Watson, President of eOne Group


MarCole
"The new IBM eServer Integrated Platform for e-Business is a perfect
deployment platform for MarCole's popular Gift RegistryWorks (TM) solution.
IBM's vast experience with e-business infrastructure has been embodied in
this offering which will bring our customers the security and reliability
they demand. Many of our customers have expressed interest in a Linux-based
solution and IBM's offering is just what is needed. I expect to see a
dramatic increase in our Linux-based deployments with the availability of
this new offering."

- Dan Wade, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development, MarCole

Selectica
"The introduction of Selectica's powerful Solutions Advisor in combination
with the IBM eServer Integrated Platform for eBusiness has established a
new standard for speed of deployment within the Small and Medium Business
Marketplace.  The complete solution can be up and running substantially
faster than competitive offerings. The result is higher value for our
customers and higher productivity for our partners."

- Sanjay Mittal, Ph.D, Chief Technical Officer, Executive Vice President of
Engineering, Selectia

NCGI
"NCGI has extensive e-business integration experience.  We've recently seen
increased interest from our customers in Linux e-business solutions across
IBM's eServer line.  The new IBM eServer Integrated Platform for e-business
will enable us to dramatically reduce our time to solution.  In addition,
IBM strong backing and support of the complete platform will enable us to
make more Linux sales deals with much shorter sell cycles."

- Pete Butler, Director of Business Development, NCGi.


James Greene
Account Executive
Text 100 International
Global Technology Public Relations

236 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 
jamesg@text100.com
Tel: 650.566.2282
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