IBM AIX
Overview
IBM AIX (Advanced Interactive eXecutive) is a proprietary operating system developed by IBM. It is based on UNIX, a popular operating system known for its robustness and flexibility. AIX was first released in 1986 and has been continually updated and enhanced since then. It is primarily used in business and enterprise environments due to its scalability, security, and reliability features.
History
IBM AIX was first released in 1986 for the IBM 6150 RT workstation, which was IBM's first workstation that used Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) architecture. The initial version of AIX was based on UNIX System V, but also included elements from BSD and IBM's own proprietary operating system, System/360.
In 1989, IBM released AIX version 3, which was the first version to support IBM's new RISC System/6000 (RS/6000) platform. This version also introduced the Journaled File System (JFS), which provided enhanced data integrity and recovery capabilities.
AIX version 4, released in 1994, introduced the Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) feature, which allowed multiple processors to be used simultaneously for increased performance. This version also included support for IBM's PowerPC architecture.
The current version of AIX, version 7.2, was released in 2015 and includes numerous enhancements in areas such as virtualization, security, and system management.
Architecture
AIX is a Unix-like operating system, meaning it shares many characteristics and features with other Unix-based systems. However, AIX also includes numerous unique features and enhancements that distinguish it from other Unix systems.
One of the key features of AIX is its support for the PowerPC architecture, which is a type of RISC architecture developed by IBM. This allows AIX to take advantage of the high performance and energy efficiency characteristics of PowerPC processors.
AIX also includes a number of features designed to enhance system reliability and data integrity. These include the Journaled File System (JFS), which provides rapid recovery in the event of a system crash, and the Logical Volume Manager (LVM), which provides flexible disk management and data redundancy features.
In addition, AIX includes extensive support for virtualization, which allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical machine. This is achieved through the use of logical partitions (LPARs), which are separate, isolated environments within the AIX system.
Features
AIX includes a wide range of features designed to meet the needs of enterprise computing environments. These include:
- Scalability: AIX can support systems ranging from single-processor workstations to large servers with multiple processors. This allows businesses to use AIX in a wide range of situations, from small departmental servers to large data centers.
- RAS: AIX includes numerous features designed to enhance system reliability, availability, and serviceability. These include the JFS, LVM, and SMP features mentioned earlier, as well as features such as dynamic hardware resource allocation and predictive failure analysis.
- Security: AIX includes a comprehensive set of security features, including access control lists, role-based access control, encrypted file systems, and intrusion detection systems. AIX also includes support for Kerberos, a network authentication protocol that provides strong security for network communications.
- Virtualization: AIX includes extensive support for virtualization, including the ability to create logical partitions (LPARs) and micro-partitions, which allow multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical machine. AIX also includes support for PowerVM, IBM's virtualization technology for Power systems.
Usage
AIX is primarily used in business and enterprise environments, where its scalability, reliability, and security features make it well-suited to a wide range of applications. These include database servers, application servers, web servers, and high-performance computing systems.
AIX is also used in a number of specific industries, such as finance, telecommunications, and manufacturing, where its robustness and performance characteristics are particularly valued.