Ubuntu is a non-commercial Linux distribution based on Debian package and is supported and maintained by the Ubuntu community and sponsored by Canonical, which is based in the Isle of Man, and was set up by Ubuntu founder, Mark Shuttleworth.
As a non-commercial distribution, Ubuntu’s enterprise use has been limited, but that is set to change after its first major enterprise software certification, according to Shuttleworth. Being ready for DB2 UDB is a real step for Ubuntu, and the whole project is moving into new and exciting areas, he said.
The certification is the result of joint compatibility testing between Ubuntu and IBM DB2 software engineers and sees Ubuntu branded with the Ready for IBM DB2 Software for Linux mark and IBM’s offering support to businesses running DB2 on Ubuntu Linux.
While primarily focused on desktop ease of use – Ubuntu pitches itself as Linux for human beings – a server version was also delivered with Ubuntu 5.10 in October and runs on x86, x64, and PowerPC-based servers. The Ubuntu family also includes the KDE-based Kubuntu as well as Edubuntu, which is targeted at education.
While IBM primarily partners with commercial Linux vendors Red Hat Inc and Novell Inc, the company’s worldwide Linux software strategy manager, Adam Jollans, recently told ComputerWire that IBM was examining the progress of Ubuntu.
