IBM will expand its Brazilian Linux Technology Center (LTC), in order to advance several projects of interest to embedded Linux developers. The $2.2M investment will further projects devoted to Linux-on-Cell and Linux-on-Power, Linux ease-of-use, virtualization, and government security certifications for Linux.

IBM's investment will pay for the completion of a Linux development lab in Hortolandia, and the expansion of a second lab in Campinas, on Brazil's Unicamp campus. The expansion is expected to enable Brazil's LTC to start work on five new projects, including:

• Linux development for IBM's Cell processor
• Linux development for IBM's Power processor
• Ease of use improvements for Linux on IBM Systems
• Improved virtualization for Intel-based processors
• Common Criteria Security certification for Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 5

IBM maintains 38 LTCs around the world. The new investments will make IBM's LTC in Brazil “one of the five largest Centers of its kind in the world,” IBM says.

Worldwide, IBM LTCs “comprise” 600 engineers, IBM says, including 300 said to work full-time on Linux “as part of the open source community.”

Additionally, IBM maintains “Linux Integration Centers,” “Linux Innovation Centers,” and “Linux Competency Centers,” all of which help customers port applications to Linux, it says.

Gartner data cited by IBM suggest IBM has passed HP for the global lead in revenue from Linux-based servers. IBM says Linux sales in “BRIC” countries — Brazil, Russia, India, and China — grew 75 percent from 2005 to 2006.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.