Novell announced yesterday that its SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client would come preloaded in Dell's new thin-client device, the OptiPlex FX160, introduced in October 2008. This new thin client solution will enable customers to simplify their whole IT infrastructure and, at the same time, significantly reduce costs.

One of Dell's Flexible Computing solutions, OptiPlex FX160 supports both Virtual Remote Desktops and On-Demand Desktop streaming operating environments, centralizing all the data in the data center, reducing user-related security risks. The OptiPlex FX160 features new Intel Atom processors and offers, for high-end usage models, the Scalable Dell Flash storage option.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client also includes a powerful image creation toolkit for fast and easy thin client generation, customized according to customer needs. Novell's new thin client offers centralized data and image control, thus increasing overall security, easy image management and high reliability, while keeping the end-user experience intact.

The Linux thin client market is expected to grow from approximately 1 million units in 2008 to 1.8 million units by 2011, reaching a 30.5 percent share of all operating systems loaded on thin client devices.

With features inherited from SUSE Linux Enterprise platform, one of the most popular enterprise-tailored platforms, the thin client solution from Novell is expected to be preferred by many in the growing thin client market.

About openSUSE:

The openSUSE project is a worldwide community program sponsored by Novell that promotes the use of Linux everywhere. The program provides free and easy access to openSUSE, where you can find and join a community of users and developers who all have the same goal in mind — to create and distribute the world's most usable Linux. openSUSE also provides the base for Novell's award-winning SUSE Linux Enterprise products.