Dell signs on with Novell and Microsoft

Dell has joined the Novell/Microsoft alliance and has agreed to distribute SUSE Linux on Dell servers.

BusinessWeek reported "On Sunday, Microsoft and Novell said Dell has agreed to buy Suse Linux Enterprise Server certificates from Microsoft and that the computer maker will set up a services and marketing program aimed at getting users of open-source platforms to switch to the new Suse Linux offering."

The Boston Globe has an interesting quote from Rick Becker, vice president of solutions at Dell.

"The Novell-Microsoft deal ensures that users of Novell Linux are safe from Microsoft patent infringement lawsuits. Dell's Becker said that was a key reason his company wanted to join the alliance. "There's many aspects of open source that delight my customers," Becker said, but "they have concerns . . . about software licensing. . . . Those concerns go away when they deploy Microsoft and SLES Linux."

Customers have been using Linux and Windows for years, but typically on separate servers, and for very different tasks. It is now quite common for a customer to choose Windows to run a CRM or production management system, and choose Linux to run a print server, file server, or a rapidly changing environment.

What has changed is that now customers are using virtualization to better utilize their servers, and they now want to run Windows and Linux on the same server. Customers also wanted assurances that they would not be caught in the crossfire of patent infringement lawsuits between  the vendors.

The Dell announcement and the adoption of customers like Wal-Mart, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse are further proof that the industry wants Windows and Linux to work together in a way that protects Intellectual Property.

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