* SuSE Linux gains prime spot in HP servers
Continuing its effort to raise its prominence as a Linux server player in the U.S. SuSE recently cinched a deal with HP to put its Linux distribution on HP’s Intel boxes. Along with support maintenance offerings, HP will resell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 on Pentium- and Xeon-based ProLiant servers, as well as on HP’s new Itanium-based servers.
The deal makes HP a single point of contact for customers looking to install SuSE-based Linux in their enterprises. HP will offer first-line technical support for SuSE, as opposed to passing off harried Linux users to SuSE or to a third party services provider, which was the model when server OEMs first got into the Linux game.
SuSE has made significant inroads in the Linux market to establish itself as a major player. Recently SuSE won a bid to install 14,000 desktops in German government offices, replacing Microsoft Windows machines. And more recently state-side, SuSE announced that it has been chosen to help build the largest supercomputer in the U.S. for the Department of Energy.
SuSE CEO Richard Seibt said earlier this year that he expected the company to turn its first profit by the first quarter of 2004.
However, the company still has a ways to go to unseat market leader Red Hat. IDC says SuSE now has around 20% of the Linux market (Red Hat is the leader with around 75% market share). According to NPD Intelect’s Retail Software Report, SuSE captured around 30% of the retail software market for Linux last year, compared to Red Hat’s 50%.
