US Navy Buys XServes Via Lockheed
From The Register:
Quote:
US Navy buys Linux on Apple kit
By Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco
Posted: 06/08/2003 at 21:55 GMT
Apple Computer has scored its biggest ever sale of Xserve servers - thanks to Linux.
Terra Soft Solutions has announced that Lockheed Martin will buy 260 Xserve servers running its Yellow Dog Linux, with the eventual destination being the US Navy's submarines. On board clusters of the Apple rack server will be used for real-time image processing. ("Captain - it looks like a giant octopus") The deal is worth $1.9 million in hardware alone, Terra Soft founder Kai Staats told us today.
The Colorado company is no stranger to HPC (High Performance Computing) using PowerPC hardware, having announced its first foray more than four years ago. The Navy wanted a custom Xserve chassis, and the work was organized by Terra Soft who employed a third party to modify the hardware. Terra Soft provided a custom kernel and drivers for Fiber Channel storage. Terra Soft has a pretty unique relationship with Cupertino.
"We're the only Apple reseller on the planet with a license to install a non-Apple operating system," says Staats.
But for Apple, this emphatically isn't a return to the OEM operation that so badly damaged the company's revenues in the mid-90s, when it licensed the Mac ROM and OS to all-comers. But Apple is in the business of moving boxes, and the more the merrier. ®
US Navy buys Linux on Apple kit
By Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco
Posted: 06/08/2003 at 21:55 GMT
Apple Computer has scored its biggest ever sale of Xserve servers - thanks to Linux.
Terra Soft Solutions has announced that Lockheed Martin will buy 260 Xserve servers running its Yellow Dog Linux, with the eventual destination being the US Navy's submarines. On board clusters of the Apple rack server will be used for real-time image processing. ("Captain - it looks like a giant octopus") The deal is worth $1.9 million in hardware alone, Terra Soft founder Kai Staats told us today.
The Colorado company is no stranger to HPC (High Performance Computing) using PowerPC hardware, having announced its first foray more than four years ago. The Navy wanted a custom Xserve chassis, and the work was organized by Terra Soft who employed a third party to modify the hardware. Terra Soft provided a custom kernel and drivers for Fiber Channel storage. Terra Soft has a pretty unique relationship with Cupertino.
"We're the only Apple reseller on the planet with a license to install a non-Apple operating system," says Staats.
But for Apple, this emphatically isn't a return to the OEM operation that so badly damaged the company's revenues in the mid-90s, when it licensed the Mac ROM and OS to all-comers. But Apple is in the business of moving boxes, and the more the merrier. ®
Comments
Originally posted by Scott
That's cool. I met those YDL guys at an Apple event a while back. Hard to believe those "kids" are up to this kind of stuff.
Singing.....tra la la la la
" In the Navy...you can see the seven seas...In the Navy we use Apples if we please " Go Navy...
If I didn't say it someone else would have had to.
Originally posted by ast3r3x
How fitting, the Navy buying from a fruit company.
If I didn't say it someone else would have had to.
So long as we take turns bobbing for apples...
Originally posted by Longhorn
there will probably be a navy destroyer sitting off the coast of the SCO headquarters. how far can those big guns shoot inland?
Funny name yer got there junior...OK Bill come out...
Using big -guns yer that would be a microsoft version of technology..max range 50 miles..
In the mean time Apple has advanced to cruise missiles..max range 2000 miles...
Can just see it now....iMissile....yer one stop bang in a box...
I just hope that the US gov starts to move all their windows boxes to Mac OSX or atleast put their servers on Xserves with Linux.
Originally posted by thuh Freak
cool for apple, i guess, since they are getting some fat wads of cash outta this. i'm a bit disappointed that the navy finds it necessary to go with linux over osx though. is the sonar or whatever programs so tied into the OS that it cant take a different *nix? or are they saving tons of money by not buying the OS? i thought apple had sick licensing terms which allowed you to buy once, and install many times?
Yes, Yes, and Yes.
Originally posted by serrano
Yes, Yes, and Yes.
I would at least put one No in there since they don't get the Xserves cheaper by ditching Mac OS X Server.
Originally posted by Longhorn
Sorry, had the name longhorn well before the stupid MS codename. Not much to do about it now.
I would at least point that out in your sig, as to avoid lynching.
Originally posted by Dog Almighty
I would at least point that out in your sig, as to avoid lynching.
you know the usual speel..post traumatic shock...nervous reaction, losing sleep, driven to alcohol. poor sex life.....go the fat starwar's boys route....& hitch a lawyer or two..
Microsoft settles quickly these days, they're so dammed nervous...
WIRED article "Army Bombs NT, Buys Macs" details the 1999 Switch
more recently, "Army's Apple Shines in the Desert" details a TiBook at War
Air Force?
Space Command?
Marines?
Coast Guard?
the Spooks had "Top Secret, TEMPEST-proof Macs" long ago
wouldn't doubt there are a few Hack-proof XServes in a few of the agencies above
additional blank filling in to follow. google away.
Originally posted by JLL
I would at least put one No in there since they don't get the Xserves cheaper by ditching Mac OS X Server.
Actually, they do get XServes cheaper. Terrasoft has a special VAR deal with Apple to get hardware without OSX. It is in Apple's faovr to sell hardware for contracts that it can't normally win (the Navy contract was Linux only).
Originally posted by Yevgeny
Actually, they do get XServes cheaper.
No they don't. Terra Soft's prices are identical to Apple's.
Originally posted by JLL
No they don't. Terra Soft's prices are identical to Apple's.
You don't know, what are the prices for this kind of huge deal, but i am ready to bet, it's different from the regular price.
Originally posted by JLL
No they don't. Terra Soft's prices are identical to Apple's.
yes, but you're not allowed to really undersell Apple. They still might have to pay less for them though