IBM to Purchase Up to 200,000 Macs, With 50-75% of Employees Ultimately Switching From Lenovo

[shamino]

How many is a lot?
What model poweredge? How many drives do they have?

My experience is for a lab that I was involved in setting up - across the entire company, I'm sure we bought a lot more and of different configurations.

For this lab, our initial purchase was for 70 units. Over the next 3 years, it grew to about 300.

The 1U units we initially purchased were R200's. Then when Dell stopped making them, R210s, R210 IIs, then R220's. These units have two 3.5" drive bays. The initial purchases came equipped with two 160GB drives. We used Linux LVM to format them as a single volume spanning both drives. Later purchases had a single drive, since we have no need for RAID.

Originally, each of these PCs hosted one instance of our application. We'd network them together in various topologies for our development and testing work. Later on, we started using VMs to get better utilization of the hardware. When we told Dell about that, their people suggested an alternate configuration, based on products they're selling for cloud computing applications. These are larger servers (2U, I believe) with two processors of 8 cores each, lots more RAM and Ethernet ports (I don't remember the model number, so I can't post that right now.) They boot a Linux-based hypervisor from an SD card and can run dozens of VMs (which are stored on a hard drive.) We now have 30-50 of these and are starting to replace the R2xx units with them, because they can run many more VMs per rack-slot.

In all cases, they were ordered by our technical people meeting (usually over conference call) with a Dell sales rep. We negotiated a configuration, got a price quote for a certain quantity, sent it to our management for approval, and then purchased them.

Our group isn't responsible for specifying the laptops we use on our desks (various models of HP mobile workstations), so I can't say how they are procured, but I would assume it's through a similar process of negotiating a contract. And I'm sure IBM and Apple will do something similar when they negotiate their contract.

 

[X38]

I guarantee you that if IBM are buying Macs it is to run OS X on them out of the box. Doing anything else would just be a support nightmare and any serious enterprise simply will not do that, they'll just buy PCs instead and deal with the crappy hardware if need be. Some PC hardware is OK, and it's certainly more than "good enough" to not justify shoe-horning Windows onto a bunch of Macs (and paying for the licenses to do so).

The whole "win" from the mac is reduced support. There's no way an enterprise would go mac and then screw that up.

"shoehorn"?

Excuse me, but I am pretty sure you have now idea what you are talking about. I have Windows running on Boot Camp on my MacBook and an equivalent generation & spec HP from my employer running the same version of Windows. Installing, maintaining, & running Windows on my Mac myself is no more overhead than on my employer supported HP, yet the Mac is actually a MUCH better Windows machine than the HP. Having both my Mac and Windows personal and work environments on a single super slim & light machine with equal or better horsepower than what my employer provides is amazingly useful. Hands down the best personal and professional computer I've ever had. Boot Camp is genius and seriously under appreciated. If I ran a large IT department, I would standardize on Macs loaded with Boot Camp & Windows and let folks pic between OS/X & Windows on the fly as it best suited their needs.

 

[cube]

If their relationship keeps like this maybe we'll get IBM rackmount servers with OS X Server as an offering. That would be nice.

IBM sold their x86 server business to Lenovo.

 

[bmunge]

are people still using desktop apps in 2015 at work, besides Office and maybe a few legacy apps? Many line of business apps have converted to web applications, and new apps are being built as web apps. Why? Because they run on anything.

Operating system wars are over in the Enterprise, for desktops. The web won.

This is IBM, many of those machines will be used by engineers on applications that are native, desktop apps.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Unfortunately, I am not due for an "asset refresh" for another 2 years - and I will be retired by then if the resource actions (aka "layoffs") don't get me first. *sigh*

 

[AZhappyjack]

Lenovo ThinkPads are junk. The switch is a good move by IBM.

The Lenovo ThinkPads that IBM uses are not junk. They are solid machines, and hold up well to daily use. With that said, however, we can all agree that they are NOT Macs, and therefore, IMO, are inferior options.

 

[AppleDApp]

The Lenovo ThinkPads that IBM uses are not junk. They are solid machines, and hold up well to daily use. With that said, however, we can all agree that they are NOT Macs, and therefore, IMO, are inferior options.

Do you know which model they use?

 

[cube]

Do you know which model they use?

I don't know any real ThinkPads that are junk, that is, excluding the stuff that may or may not be called "ThinkPad" randomly in different places.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Do you know which model they use?

I have had several over my time with IBM. My current model is the T420, and I've had it for just over 2 years. We're currently on a 4 year refresh cycle.

 

[kalsta]

People who pick a mac over PCs are not better or worse "type" than anyone else in the same way if you pick a black car over a white one, its just plain arrogance to suggest otherwise. This is fanboy stuff.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1288457/Black-cars-likely-involved-accidents.html

 

[AFEPPL]

Doesn't change the type of person you are...for better or worse.
"The reason lies not in who is behind the wheel, but in the visibility of their vehicle, say the researchers."

 

[Macronym]

Yes, you are wasting your time. I did read it, but I happily dismissed "everything" you said as total twaddle. I've already explained to you having worked for some of the largest companies in the world who do actually have a thing about "culture" they truly don't care about the laptop you "choose" to use, it's just not considered a culture thing, it's simply a productivity tool. If you can't or choose not to read and understand what I'm saying.... well, not much i can do about that. Maybe the links below will give you an insight as to what a company culture is, and how it's measured. However the next time i interview, i will check the chair for a porada label, or if the whole office has been issued Pininfarina Aresline Xten Chairs

Yes, I am, yet continue to do so. I guess it is part of my culture.
Everybody works, I've also worked in different companies and I am aware of the definition of "organizational culture", although I consider it irrelevant and certainly not measurable. I am only concerned with the general meaning of the word (way of life and thinking) and in real life the tools we use are a part of that. "Simply a productivity tool"? People have simply furniture in their houses and yet it tends to be different between cultures. How come? If you use a chair or sit on the floor eight hours a day, do you really believe that you will be the same exact person or would this have some influence on you, the way you do and see things?

As to the "arrogance" part, I think I did explain it pretty well in my last reply to you. However, if we stick to your understanding of it, then you are being arrogant by pointing out how you've worked in some large companies,hence you know better.

Pass that joint, would ya?

A history book might be more appropriate.

 

[throAU]

"shoehorn"?

Excuse me, but I am pretty sure you have now idea what you are talking about.

Yes.

Order 1000, or 10,000 or 100,000 macs.

Is there an automated deployment for Windows on Mac? No.

Multiply an hour to have someone babysit bootcamp 100,000 times (vs. just PXE boot or deploy new OS via configuration management) and its just a non-starter. 100,000 times by say, $20 for an entry level muppet to babysit and you're talking 2 million dollars to get windows on your fleet of 100k machines.

I'm pretty sure YOU don't know what you're talking about.

My JOB (as opposed to your handwaving "if i was an IT admin" comment) is (amongst other things) platform maintenance for an enterprise.

If I ran a large IT department, I would standardize on Macs loaded with Boot Camp & Windows and let folks pic between OS/X & Windows on the fly as it best suited their needs.

It's a good thing you don't then, isn't it... you've just doubled your application compatibility testing and OS patch management costs, possibly software licensing costs for applications (exchange CALs, AD CALs, backup software CALs, etc.), documentation, support staff skill-set requirements, incurred a Windows OS license cost per Mac, etc.

For what? So someone can have chocolate instead of vanilla.... and waste their time trying to decide between the two for any given situation, deal with data synchronisation issues, etc.

Fundamental IT platform management fact #1: non-standard things (i.e., different from your baseline) cost time, energy and money.

 

[AFEPPL]

by pointing out how you've worked in some large companies,hence you know better.

It is not because of where I've worked, it is because i understand that a companies culture is fundamentally not the same as religious or regional based culture. Its more dynamic, open to change and without historic prejudices.

But hey, good luck whichever way you decide to go....

 

[Altis]

They should just be grateful they had ThinkPads instead of the majority of companies that go with those awful Dell Latitude laptops.

ThinkPads have really nice keyboards, for what it's worth. I'd be happy if my work gave me one, but my workplace has no real use for Macs.

 

[2984839]

The Lenovo ThinkPads that IBM uses are not junk. They are solid machines, and hold up well to daily use. With that said, however, we can all agree that they are NOT Macs, and therefore, IMO, are inferior options.

I don't agree. My T420 can do a lot that a rMBP can't and the keyboard is far better IMO.

 

[Taipan]

I have to admit, we are using Lenovo laptops almost exclusively at our company, and they are not that bad (though newer ones seem to be a little worse). They are hideously clunky, though. Very 90's.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I don't agree. My T420 can do a lot that a rMBP can't and the keyboard is far better IMO.

Everybody gets an opinion and a favorite. That's why Mr Baskin and Mr Robbins sell 31 flavors of ice cream.

 

[Ray mr]

The Big reason is Apple does not do spyware on their machines. On the local radio talk show they explained on Windows 10 release day that Windows 10 Beta collected every keystroke . The actual Win 10 continues to do this per the tech rep who read directly from the agreement. Accordingly, all data goes to Redmond, Washington.

That is a big change from just web browser searches going to Microsoft

Accordingly, he advised to think twice before getting that free upgrade from Win 7.

 

[jeffg819]

Its just a tool. The notebook has little to do with anything else esp culture!

What kind of tools a company provides it's employees is informative of the culture.

 

[AFEPPL]

In the same way as the chair, the company car, the tables, the carpets and the type of model phone?
I guess the culture of all iPhone companies is much better than those of nokia...

Complete twadle.

 

[z31fanatic]

So now that IBM is getting Macs it means that the company culture changed just like that?

 

[AFEPPL]

Apparently.... they will now all start wearing sandals and ignoring their first born.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Apparently.... they will now all start wearing sandals and ignoring their first born.

Bazinga!!

 

[jeffg819]

In the same way as the chair, the company car, the tables, the carpets and the type of model phone?
I guess the culture of all iPhone companies is much better than those of nokia...

Complete twadle.

The only complete twaddle in this thread is your participation. So I guess going to the Walmart hq and sitting in lawn chair furniture samples (which are used as office furniture) tells one nothing of the expectations of the culture?

Or maybe you can go to a Toyota factory and look at the tooling and setup and think, nah, this has nothing to do with the quality of the product?

I don't know what planet you're living on but it ain't earth.