Dell joins Microsoft's Linux party

Redmond (WA) - Dell is the first major systems provider to participate in the Linux distribution effort that was formed by Microsoft and Novell last year.

According to the agreement, Dell will purchase certificates for the Suse Linux Enterprise Server from Microsoft and establish a services and marketing program to transition future new customers, who have been using Linux in the past, to the open source operating system. The marketing program will focus on migration assistance and include interoperability workshops, proof of concepts and related services.

Dell said that the decision to offer the Microsoft-Novell package was driven by customer demand. ""Our customers have told us they want interoperability and expect technology vendors to work better together," said Rick Becker, vice president of solutions at Dell's product group, in a prepared statement. "Dell is the first major systems provider to align with Microsoft and Novell in this collaboration, and we intend to lead in this space."

Microsoft and Dell announced their Linux distribution deal in November of last year. Since then, more than 40,000 new certificates for three-year priority support subscriptions to the Suse Linux Enterprise Server have been activated under the agreement, Microsoft said.