IBM AIX 5L -- the latest version of its UNIX platform -- is now available. Because the latest version of IBM's AIX environment is designed specifically with Linux in mind and provides a strong platform for creating and managing both UNIX and Linux applications, IBM hopes to provide an advantage over fully-closed, proprietary systems.

AIX 5L features APIs and header files that let you run popular Linux applications on AIX with a simple recompilation. AIX 5L also includes the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications. The toolbox contains more than 200 open source tools and applications for Linux developers.

Improved management tools

Other new AIX 5L features let you automate and simplify monitoring and control of complex systems. New tools built into the AIX Workload Manager (WLM) include an API that lets external applications modify system behavior. This feature gives customers more flexibility in choosing their management environment.

Automated systems management has improved with the addition of Reliable Scalable Cluster Technology (RSCT). RSCT monitors and controls system resources and events -- either automatically by the system or by an administrator.

Support

AIX 5L operates on all IBM POWER-based UNIX systems, including IBM eServer pSeries systems.