Banco Mercantil moves to SuSE Linux on IBM mainframeCaracas 03 May 2001 Banco Mercantil in Venezuela is the first Latin American company to implement SuSE Linux for the enterprise on the IBM mainframe.
In the first phase of the project, Banco Mercantil has replaced 30 existing NT servers with a single IBM mainframe. Later, applications currently running on Sun and HP servers will be moved to the new Linux platform. In addition, the bank is using Linux mainframe Web applications to enable customers to check bank account information via the Internet. The mainframe's two cryptographic co-processors provide the high level of security necessary for sensitive financial data.
The IBM mainframe, an S/390 G6, running a SuSE distribution of Linux will at first handle file servers, Internet domain servers and a firewall. Previously, these had each been running on separate NT servers. Banco Mercantil, using a specially designed hardware feature for Linux on the mainframe, the IBM Integrated Facility for Linux, was able to add Linux applications and system capacity without increasing overall mainframe software costs, making Linux the most economical way for the bank to consolidate.
The IBM mainframe is handling a mixed workload utilizing three logical partitions (LPARs) -- one for Linux, one for Domino for S/390, and one for OS/390. The OS/390 LPAR is running OS/390 V2.9, CICS TS V1.3, MQSeries V1.2 and Tivoli Framework.
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