Migrate from Sun Servers

All IBM systems are designed to help increase operational efficiencies while helping to lower overall costs in areas like energy, software licensing, maintenance and floor space requirements. IBM’s strengths in server consolidation and virtualization capabilities contribute to better price performance and a simplified infrastructure. Our innovative cooling technologies, offered on IBM System x and Power Systems™ lines of servers, help lower energy costs. For example, IBM’s Rear Door Heat eXchanger can remove up to 50,000 BTU per rack, or approximately 55 percent of the heat. ⁸

Do you want to run multiple operating systems on a single server? Migrate from Solaris to AIX® or Linux? Migrate your current UNIX® workload to drive down costs and complexity? Make a strategic move to innovative, forward–thinking technology? IBM offers a broad portfolio of industry–leading servers and storage, all designed to help you reach your business objectives.

Migrating to IBM gives you the flexibility to choose your preferred platform, which in turn gives you the ability to do more on an IT and business level. IBM supports your choice of platform with a broad range of offerings, service and support for Linux, AIX, Windows, i5/OS, and z/OS. IBM believes Sun steers customers toward its Solaris line and offers little or no support for other platforms.

Of course, that could change. In fact, Sun’s Linux strategy has changed several times in recent years. ⁹ Sun's chairman donned a penguin suit proclaiming “We love Linux“ in 2002, leading to a launch of Sun’s only growth platform: Linux on Opteron servers. But then customers were faced with confusion as Sun again turned their back on their Linux customers with “Solaris is a better Linux than Linux“ and a “Replace Red Hat“ campaign on Sun.com.

During this time period, IBM’s Linux customers have enjoyed a clear, strategic Linux advantage, with stable hardware, software and services support for Linux. IBM multiplatform customers are innovating with Linux and Advanced Power Virtualization on Power Systems for dynamic resource allocation. Others are reaping the benefits of consolidating and driving new workloads on System z. Even IBM’s System i customers are benefiting, with unique solutions such as our recently announced 3Com IP Telephony solution. If you’re a Sun customer and looking at Linux, why hang around to find out what Sun’s next strategy might be, when you can take advantage of long-term Linux solutions from a leader in the community?

In addition, IBM gives you the option of running more cost–effective Windows and Linux solutions on the Intel processor–based System x™ line of servers. The much–talked–about IBM Power Systems™ servers deliver excellent UNIX performance and low total cost of ownership (TCO) while also allowing you to run Linux on the same server with its Advanced POWER Virtualization feature. IBM System z offers you the ability to run z/OS and Linux. And IBM BladeCenter® is designed with extreme flexibility when it comes to switch support. Sun’s Blade 8000 currently only has pass-through modules. ¹⁰

Based on past performance, Sun’s road has been rocky. From discontinuing its first line of blades in 2005 ¹¹ to its upcoming shift to a new processor, Sun has made it hard for customers to predict what’s around the next bend. Even Sun says a lot remains “to be determined.”

IBM consistently offers leading price performance, flexibility and choice. Our technology is based on innovation and interoperability, and all our server lines have strategic roadmaps that will help take your business where it needs to go, now and in the future.