IBM is positioning Linux as a viable competitor to Windows -- and Unix -- in business accounts. But, it has been loathe to offer a similarly public endorsement of Linux or open-source software that competes with its own DB2- and WebSphere-branded database and application server, observers said.
HP can use its new allies to wrest enterprise and SMB deals away from IBM with two software offerings that have huge buzz in the market. Even solution providers offering Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2 and Oracle databases say MySQL is gaining credibility even in mission-critical applications. That, despite the fact, that the commercial database costs just $400 or so per server.
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