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Originally published on December 7, 1999 and brought to you today as a time capsule.
Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL) has announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Linux software solutions powerhouse Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT), adding service and support
value to its open-source
offerings.
Under the terms of the agreement, Red Hat will provide international Dell customers with 90 days of Web and phone support, 180 days of Red Hat's subscription services, and discounted Red Hat professional services. In turn, Dell will offer factory-installed Red Hat Linux OS packages on all of its servers, including the PowerEdge model.
"Over the last year, we've seen increasing demand for Red Hat Linux, particularly from Internet Service Providers, government agencies, universities and businesses of all sizes," commented Jack Steeg, vice president of alliances for Dell Computer Corporation's Enterprise Systems Group.
Out of the Box
"Our shipments of Red Hat Linux have more than doubled over the past quarter and we expect this trend to continue and even accelerate as the adoption and acceptance of Linux as a mainstream operating system increases significantly," added Steeg.
According to Dell, the new service and support agreement is a first for the two companies, providing support to Dell customers in their native languages. Red Hat currently operates customer support centers in Africa, the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East.
Red Hat has also committed to test and certify all Dell servers on its Linux platform, guaranteeing customer usability "out-of-the-box."
Seal of Approval
"The Dell 'seal-of-approval' is important in advancing Linux-based operating systems in the enterprise space," said Matthew Szulik, president and CEO of Red Hat. "Dell continues to lead all server providers in offering Red Hat Linux-based platforms, and with this announcement, adds worldwide service and support to its Linux capabilities."
Dell made an equity investment in Red Hat Software this past April, and subsequently announced factory installations of Red Hat Linux on its Optiplex business desktop computers, PowerEdge servers and Dell Precision Workstations.
TurboLinux also entered into a strategic relationship with Dell earlier this year, cutting a deal to have Precision Workstations for the Asia Pacific market bundled with its own distribution of Linux.
Dell's Red Hat announcement will increase its Linux offering, which also
includes service and support provided by Linuxcare.
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