IBM (IBM) is investing $1 billion in new Linux and open source technologies for IBM’s Power Systems server to assist customers with big data and analytics, the company announced at LinuxCon 2013 today.

According to IBM, the investment will help with the growing number of developers, partners and customers interested in running Linux on Power Systems, growing its Power Systems cloud for development. To accommodate this growth, IBM is ramping up this cloud service’s infrastructure to provide more businesses the ability to prototype, build, port, and test Linux applications on the platform.

IBM Fellow and Vice President of Power Development Brad McCredie said in his prepared statement that the monies will monies will be applied to various product research, design, development, ecosystem skills, and go-to-market programs for clients, developers, business partners, entrepreneurs, academics and students.

“The era of big data calls for a new approach to IT systems; one that is open, customizable, and designed from the ground up to handle big data and cloud workloads,” he said.

The company also opened a new customer center in Europe and a Linux on Power development cloud.

How IBM has been making moves in the cloud …

This week IBM and automated server migration software developer Racemi partnered to provide customers with a free automated migration path to any IBM cloud offering.

IBM also integrated its IBM SmartCloud for Government with desktops as a service (DaaS) provider Desktone, adding to its range of government cloud offerings.

And almost a month ago, IBM inked two cloud deals: a contract win with the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) and the acquisition of fraud protection software vendor Trusteer.