IBM Helps the UK and Russian Governments Adopt Linux

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
IBM and Russian Ministry to Promote Linux Adoption 
IBM and Russian Ministry of Communications and Computerization to open Linux
Competency Center to promote the adoption of Linux in Russia
 
Moscow, Russia, October 8th, 2003 -- Today, IBM and the Russian Ministry of
Communications and Computerization agreed to launch a new Linux Competency
Center in Moscow, Russia. The new center will be set up to help customers of
every size from industry, academia and government to take full advantage of
the reliability, flexibility and total cost of ownership that Linux
provides. Additionally, a top university in Russia, the Moscow Technical
University of Communications (MTUCI) has committed to contributing open
source skills and technical solutions to the center.  
 
The Linux Competency Center is designed to provide a hands-on environment to
simulate real world scenarios, drive application and solution development,
offer support, consulting, education and provide Linux product and solution
certification. 
 
IBM resources available in the Moscow Linux Center of Competency will
include a variety of IBM TotalStorage products running Linux; including
eServer xSeries systems, high-powered Linux clusters, as well as, IBM
software including WebSphere, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli and Rational offerings that
deliver integration, database, collaboration and security capabilities. IBM
will also assign skilled Linux specialists to the center, as well as, link
the Moscow center with Linux Competency Centers around the world.
 
"We believe this new center created jointly with the Russian Ministry will
rapidly facilitate development of new Linux based solutions for governments,
academia and commercial customers in Russia. The center will also offer
Russian technology vendors a key opportunity to play a significant role in
the world wide Linux community," said Val Rahmani, Vice President IBM
Corporate Strategy. 
 
"IT solutions based on Linux and open standards will open up great
opportunities to businesses in Russia. In particular this center will help
create a Linux ecosystem enabling Russian hi-tech companies to expand into
global markets faster", said Andrey Korotkov, Deputy Minister from Russian
Ministry of Communications and Computerization.
 
The center is also open to Linux distributors and IBM Business Partners to
evaluate and test key applications on Linux. 
 
With the opening of this center, IBM and the Russian Ministry underscore
their commitment to new information technologies and open standards. 
 
About IBM
IBM is the world's number one server company and information technology
provider, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM
helps customers, business partners and developers in a wide range of
industries that leverage the power of the Internet for e-business. For more
information, visit: www.ibm.com.
 
IBM, the IBM logo, IBM e-business Logo, TotalStorage, eServer, eServer
xSeries, WebSphere, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli, and Rational are trademarks of
International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other
countries, or both.  Other company, product or service names may be
trademarks or service marks of others.
 
About the Russian Ministry of Communications and Computerization 
The Russian Federation Ministry for Communications and Computerization
(Minsvyazi of Russia) is a federal executive power structure which
implements the state policy and management in the communications (tele and
postal) and informatization areas, and the related coordination of other
federal executive power structures. The basic challenges of the Russian
Federation Ministry for Communications and Informatization are: development
and implementation of the state policy in the telecommunication, postal
communication and informatization areas.
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