Renault engages strange bedfellows

IT was always a weird relationship, but now with car giant Renault engaging the Microsoft-Novell alliance as a customer, it is all the more interesting to watch the strange bedfellows promote the deal.

More than a year ago, parts of the open source community was outraged when Novell signed a partnership agreement with Microsoft under which the companies promised improved interoperability between products. Microsoft also promised to support the Novell flagship SUSE Linux distribution.

Under the Renault agreement, Microsoft will deliver to Renault more than 1,000 certificates for priority support subscriptions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from Novell, as Renault consolidates existing Linux distributions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with the goal of improving interoperability and taking better advantage of virtualisation.

“Customers have asked for solutions to make Microsoft products work better with other platforms and for IP assurance that enables vendors to build technical bridges,” said Microsoft general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing Susan Hauser.

“We are pleased to provide this real-world, pragmatic solution to customers such as Renault,” Ms Hauser said.

“Increasing the presence of SUSE Linux Enterprise in the datacentre, well integrated with a Microsoft Windows environment, will enhance the deployment of applications and increase the competitive advantage of innovative companies,” Novell global strategic licences vice-president and general manager Susan Heystee said.

“With growing marketplace understanding of the solutions we are providing to the interoperability challenges in a world of mixed-source software, we expect to continue to see growth of SUSE Linux Enterprise in the market,” said Ms Heystee.

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Lenovo to offer Linux on ThinkPads

CHINESE PC-maker Lenovo has reached an agreement with Novell under which it will pre-install Suse Linux on its popular ThinkPad notebook machines.

Lenovo will also provide direct support for the Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop operating system – the first time the company has taken responsibility for both the hardware and operating system.

Lenovo and Novell have a five-year history of joint R&D work, and Lenovo has for several years Linux-certified its ThinkPad notebooks.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with Lenovo in delivering this pioneering Linux preload to the enterprise client computing market,” said Novell open platform solutions vice-president Roger Levy.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with Lenovo in delivering this pioneering Linux preload to the enterprise client computing market,” he said.

Lenovo Notebook Business Unit marketing vice-president Sam Dusi said the two companies would continue to expand their Linux cooperation as the market demanded.

“Known for hardware and software based innovations like our roll cage and ThinkVantage Technologies, we continue our tradition of building the industry's best engineered PCs and delivering excellent customer solutions, such as SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 from Novell,” Mr Dusi said.


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