14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft, once the anti-Linux poster child, and the epitome of the proprietary software business model has ended up showing nothing but love for the open source operating system. The turning point as far as the Redmond company is concerned, marking the beginning of concentrated efforts to embrace Linux, was the November 2006 landmark deal inked with Novell. While the alliance has taken fire from all sides due to the aspect concerning intellectual property assurance, both Microsoft and Novell have survived through the barrage of criticism and worked to evolve the interoperability bridge between Windows and Linux. Since 2006, neither Microsoft nor Novell have been shy about applauding various companies that have jumped on board, and in this context, French automaker Renault is the latest example.
"Working with Microsoft to jointly build and support solutions to improve interoperability and deliver powerful new virtualization capabilities is paying great dividends for our customers. Increasing the presence of SUSE Linux Enterprise in the datacenter, well integrated with a Microsoft Windows environment, will enhance the deployment of applications and increase the competitive advantage of innovative companies. 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 Susan Heystee, vice president and general manager of global strategic alliances for Novell.
With the Windows and SUSE Linux Enterprise level of interoperability growing, as the Microsoft and Novell partnership expanded into the second year, customers looking to streamline mixed source environments have an obvious solution on hand. Renault will be served in excess of 1,000 certificates for priority support subscriptions to Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server by Microsoft. The French automaker is on a mission to consolidate its current environment of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server distributions running along Windows, as well as to tap the interoperability advantages offered by Microsoft and Novell in the context of virtualization.
"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. We are pleased to provide this real-world, pragmatic solution to customers such as Renault," added Susan Hauser, general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft.