Reuters is reporting that IBM has announced a mainframe-class computer which runs Linux rather than it’s traditional z/OS,

Two servers are being issued, both named for Penguins.  The LinuxONE “Emperor” is positioned for large installations and the “Rockhopper” for mid-size uses. The Rockhopper can be upgraded to the Emperor.  Sources indicate that the Emperor can call to 8000 virtual machines, which would be the largest ever system of its size.  A Virtual machine is an instance of a computer which runs its own operating system and is treated a virtually independent of the larger host.  The host machine usually runs a hypervisor which arbitrates resources among the smaller OS containers.

The Emperor system is based on IBM’s z13.  The largest such machine can run up to 10 Terabytes of Memory, but sources did not indicate the specifications of the new servers.

IBM has partnered with Canonical Ltd, a UK-based firm, to distribute the Ubuntu flavor of Linux on the LinuxOne and other z systems.  IBM generally closes 10-20 mainframe customers a quarter, according to Ross Mauri, general manager for IBM systems.

John Zannos, from Canonical, adds: “For me what is most exciting is that IBM is working through a paradigm shift and looking at Z systems and the mainframe, expanding them and deepening open source software  enablement.”