* Novell speaks Linux
This article comes to you during a trip to Novell’s BrainShare users conference last week. What is unique about this year’s show is that Novell’s recent acquisitions of SuSE Linux and Ximian have changed Novell into an open source proponent. Novell is jumping into open source with both feet.
This is a significant turnaround for Novell, which has historically boasted a loyal following for its proprietary NetWare platform. Novell’s acquisition of SuSE adds more weight to an emerging Linux market, with its size and market presence.
Novell indicates that it will support Linux throughout its product lines, providing its customers with another choice of platform. Initial reactions from some Novell customers indicate an interest in looking into Novell’s SuSE operating system for selected server implementations.
The networking company has also developed certification programs for Linux expertise, with two possible Linux certifications: the Novell Certified Linux Engine (CLE) and the SuSE Certified Linux Professional (SCLP), for professionals looking to service the Linux community.
During the keynote last Monday, Novell demonstrated interoperability in collaborating with shared files between a Linux desktop environment and Windows environment. While Novell admits that the current lack of applications for Linux desktops is limiting the rapid adoption of Linux desktops in North America, it also cites several large Linux desktop deployments abroad.
Novell’s resource management products – its ZENworks products for managing software on servers and desktops, and its acquired Red Carpet Enterprise product for managing software on Linux systems – are set on paths that will eventually converge.
Several of Novell’s customers who were using various products in Novell’s product line – from identity management products, to Ximian technology, to ZENworks, to Web services, to services, etc. – talked about Novell’s tech support, product reliability and professional services as strong points, in general.
Also announced at the conference, were partnership agreements with IBM and HP, which both said they would support Novell’s SuSE Linux distribution. IBM and Novell said IBM will ship or preload SuSE Linux Enterprise Server across its entire server product line – from zSeries servers through IBM’s BladeCenter. HP and Novell announced that HP will certify and support SuSE Linux on select HP Compaq client systems. This expands on HP and Novell’s previously announced certification of SuSE Linux on HP’s ProLiant and Integrity servers. SuSE Linux is HP’s standard Linux distribution across its business desktop and notebook PC product lines.
So whether you’re a NetWare user or not, you may want to keep Novell on your radar as it begins pulling together its Linux strategy. As it is with any new development, the proof is in the pudding – and it will be interesting to watch if Novell is able to not only reach its installed base with its solutions, but more importantly, whether it can also reach organizations that have not historically used Novell products. Because when it comes to open source, that’s the name of the game – an open ecosystem. So keep watching this one.
