SUSE and MariaDB Expand Linux Ecosystem on IBM POWER8

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- (IBM Enterprise2014) -- SUSE® and MariaDB Corporation (formerly SkySQL) today announced a partnership that expands the Linux application ecosystem on IBM Power Systems. As a result, customers can now run a wider variety of applications on POWER8, increasing their flexibility and choice while working within their existing IT infrastructure. The partnership was unveiled at IBM Enterprise2014, supporting the $1 billion investment to be spent over the next five years to develop Linux and open source technologies on IBM Power Systems.

"This collective work with MariaDB speaks to the opportunity that open source brings to IBM Power Systems," said Nils Brauckmann, president and general manager of SUSE. "Working with MariaDB in our strong ecosystem of partners offers our customers new and innovative ways to make the most from their existing IT investments, while accessing the latest and most powerful computing applications and technologies."

Patrik Sallner, CEO of MariaDB Corporation, said, "This partnership is a win for SUSE, a win for IBM and a win for MariaDB's customers and community. The optimization of MariaDB for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 on IBM Power Systems servers with POWER8 processors gives enterprise companies an ideal way to easily deploy database environments with unparalleled scale-out performance and near continuous availability."

This is the first of several partnerships to be announced by SUSE with the upcoming release of SUSE Linux Enterprise 12 – the latest version of the most interoperable platform for mission-critical computing across physical, virtual and cloud environments.

MariaDB Enterprise will be optimized for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 on IBM POWER8-based servers. SUSE and MariaDB will be publishing tuning and optimization guides for customers and partners to further demonstrate the capabilities and performance benefits of Linux on Power. The joint offering provides customers with several key technical benefits, including:

• Choice – through easy porting of software developed on Linux for x86 to Linux for Power on little-endian systems, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 enables users to run a larger variety of applications on POWER8, including those developed in compiled or scripted languages, such as C++, Ruby PHP or Java.
• Hypervisor support – IBM PowerKVM and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, with KVM, provide virtualization support on POWER8 processors for Linux workloads.
• Scalability – SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 takes full advantage of POWER8's eight threads per core, allowing a higher number of tasks to run simultaneously.
• Performance – larger L3 memory cache structures provide a greater potential for computing power at higher density, perfect for data-intensive applications.
• Support – the agreement also offers customers access to enterprise-class support from SUSE and MariaDB.

"Clients are looking for new ways to better manage big data and take advantage of cloud computing using open technologies," said Terri Virnig, vice president of Power Ecosystem and Strategy at IBM. "The combination of the MariaDB database, fast emerging as the new M in the LAMP stack, trusted SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and superior analytics and cloud capabilities of IBM Power Systems can help clients meet these goals."

For more information on SUSE's partnership with MariaDB, visit www.suse.com/partners/alliance-partners/mariadb. For more about SUSE's work on Power, visit www.suse.com/partners/alliance-partners/ibm.

About SUSE
SUSE, a pioneer in open source software, provides reliable, interoperable Linux and cloud infrastructure solutions that give enterprises greater control and flexibility. More than 20 years of engineering excellence, exceptional service and an unrivaled partner ecosystem power the products and support that help our customers manage complexity, reduce cost, and confidently deliver mission-critical services. The lasting relationships we build allow us to adapt and deliver the smarter innovation they need to succeed – today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.suse.com.

About MariaDB Corporation
MariaDB Corporation is a leading open source relational database provider in the $10bn global market. Built by the luminaries behind the legendary MySQL project, its engineer-led team totals over half a millennium of transactional database technology experience. MariaDB is developed by a vibrant community that nurtures new talent and is committed to transparent innovation in order to achieve its aim of building the world's leading database platform for cloud.

With its adoption growing at an annual rate of over 400 percent since launch, MariaDB offers a solid alternative to the Big Four database vendors. Its technology spans SQL and NoSQL worlds, is cloud-ready and supports legacy MySQL applications. Today, MariaDB has over 2 million users globally and 500 customers in 30 countries, including global brands such as HP, Craigslist, Deutsche Telekom, Virgin Mobile and Booking.com.

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