Novell and IBM Team to Accelerate Application Development on Linux

WALTHAM, Mass. and SOMERS, New York, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novell (Nasdaq: NOVL) and IBM today announced an initiative to help ISVs accelerate the development and certification of new applications for Novell's SUSE LINUX on IBM eServer and middleware platforms. ISVs can now access the technical resources, hands-on tools and expertise available at nine IBM Innovation Centers in North America, Europe and Asia to certify their applications for SUSE LINUX on IBM hardware and software. As a result, ISVs can port new applications to SUSE LINUX more quickly and cost effectively, creating new technology infrastructure choices for customers running Linux-based applications.

"Over the past few years, Linux has transformed from a niche operating system to a mainstream solution that customers are increasingly deploying in their existing IT environments," said Wood Lotz, CEO, Absoft Corporation. "The SUSE LINUX ISV certification program is an important milestone in the long-term success of open source solutions and represents an opportunity for us and our customers to utilize the very best hardware, software, and support from IBM and Novell in an expedient way to take advantage of the growing Linux market. Gaining access to the technical resources and knowledge of experts at IBM Innovation Centers to test mission-critical applications on Linux further gives solution providers the confidence they need to deploy Linux strategically in complex customer environments," said Lotz.

As part of this initiative, Novell will provide ISVs copies of SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server with supporting documentation. The company will also facilitate onsite registration for Novell's Technology Partner Program to help ISVs certify their applications on SUSE LINUX on IBM hardware and middleware. At the IBM Innovation Centers, IBM will offer ISVs consulting support and technical expertise to help them migrate, develop and implement their applications for SUSE LINUX on IBM platforms.

The technical services and support are available to ISVs at the IBM Innovation Centers in San Mateo, Calif., Waltham, Mass., Chicago, Ill., Hursley, United Kingdom, Paris, France, Stuttgart, Germany, Bangalore, India, Shanghai, China, and Sydney, Australia. IBM's network of Innovation Centers worldwide provides developers and business partners with easy access to technical skills, resources, and business expertise to help them more easily build, deploy and optimize customized solutions based on IBM's open middleware and hardware technology. As a result, business partners can go to market faster, while reducing development costs

"This initiative marks another important step in building out a global ecosystem around SUSE LINUX," said Hal Bennett, vice president of business development for Novell. "Application vendors from Silicon Valley to Stuttgart to Sydney will now have local resources to help them test and certify their application on SUSE LINUX on IBM platforms, enabling them to provide more value for their customers in this rapidly growing market."

"The momentum behind Linux is growing daily," said IBM's Buell Duncan, general manager of ISV and Developer Relations. "To date, more than 6,000 Linux-based applications have been developed on IBM, 2,000 of which come from ISVs. IBM has a goal to double that number in the next two years. This initiative will help ISVs test and certify their applications at IBM Innovation Centers for SUSE LINUX on IBM platforms, expanding customer choice to deploy Linux-based applications in their existing environments."

More information can be found at: http://www.novell.com/partners/ibm/iic/ and at ibm.com/partnerworld/iic. About Novell

Novell, Inc. is a leading provider of information solutions that deliver secure identity management (Novell(R) Nsure(R)), Web application development (Novell exteNd(TM)) and cross-platform networking services (Novell Nterprise(TM)), all supported by strategic consulting and professional services (Novell Ngage(SM)). Active in the open source community with its Ximian(R) and SUSE LINUX brands, Novell provides a full range of Linux products and services for the enterprise, from the desktop to the server. Novell's vision of one Net -- a world without information boundaries -- helps customers realize the value of their information securely and economically. For more information, call Novell's Customer Response Center at 888-321-4CRC (4272) or visit http://www.novell.com . Press should visit http://www.novell.com/pressroom . About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable customers, large and small, to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/linux. NOTE: Novell, Nsure and Ximian are registered trademarks; exteNd and Nterprise are trademarks; and Ngage is a service mark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. SUSE is a registered trademark of SUSE LINUX AG, a Novell business. *All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.