Novell Drives Linux Into Academia With Training and Technology

WALTHAM, Mass., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Novell (Nasdaq: NOVL) today launched a new introductory Linux training course designed for academic environments, giving educational institutions a powerful new tool to promote open source training and students a new option for learning Linux. Unique among Linux vendor offerings, Novell's new course maps directly to one of the most widely recognized vendor-neutral certifications in the Linux market, CompTIA(R) Linux+, newly updated for 2005. Novell also announced it will donate $1.5 million in SUSE LINUX software and training materials to educational institutions to help promote Linux adoption.

"Interest in Linux is exploding among our IT students, and Linux is becoming the de facto standard on which students train today," said Erik van Renselaar, IT Department Chair at New England Institute of Technology. "Novell's new course is a great addition to the curriculum, since it helps students not only learn the basics of Linux, but also pass a critical CompTIA exam that really strengthens their resume. Novell's contribution of software is also a great boost for schools who face constant budget challenges when trying to introduce new technologies."

"Novell is committed to promoting Linux at the high school and college levels," said Dan Veitkus, vice president, Novell Training Services. "Getting Started with Linux: Novell's Guide to CompTIA's Linux+ introduces students to the knowledge and skills needed to manage a Linux environment." The course covers the objectives outlined by CompTIA for its Linux+ exam and certification, an international industry credential that offers proof of knowledge in key Linux areas, from networking configuration to directories to the Linux desktop and more. With analyst forecasts of Linux growth topping 25 percent annually, Linux expertise is rapidly becoming the critical foundation for information technology workers. The new course's unique combination of expertise from a leading Linux vendor and focus on a vendor-neutral examination provides a solid launching pad for interested students.

"CompTIA is a leader in globally-recognized vendor-neutral certification programs," said Neill Hopkins, vice president of skills development for CompTIA. "The fact that Novell has developed training that maps to a CompTIA exam, rather than their own flavor of Linux, is a strong testament to Novell's commitment to the open source movement. This is a great opportunity for students to learn Linux from one of the leaders in the field."

Institutions interested in further information on Novell's programs for academic partners should visit http://www.novell.com/natp. About Novell

Novell, Inc. is a leading provider of infrastructure software and services to over 50,000 customers in 43 countries. With more than 20 years of experience in data center, workgroup and desktop solutions, Novell's 6,000 employees, 5,000 partners and support centers around the world are meeting customer requirements for identity-driven computing and Linux solutions. By providing enterprise-class software and support for commercial and open source software, Novell delivers increased operating flexibility and choice at a lower total cost of ownership. More information about Novell can be found at http://www.novell.com . NOTE: Novell is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. SUSE is a trademark of SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, a Novell business. * Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.