Novell has announced that the second largest city in Norway, the city of Bergen, has chosen Novell`s Linux technology to underpin its technology infrastructure, moving away from its proprietary Unix and Microsoft Windows applications platform. The city of Bergen`s two-phased implementation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 will impact 50 000 users of the city`s administrative and educational networks.
Janicke Runshaug Foss, CIO of the city of Bergen, commented: "The most important issue for the city is to provide the best possible public services to our citizens through cost-effective municipal operation. In addition to the IT-based benefits from migrating to Linux, we attain a business model that doesn`t tie us to a single vendor`s solution architecture. By migrating to Linux the city has a business model that is open and democratic, and we believe that will ensure a greater degree of freedom of choice, more efficient operation and major cost savings that will benefit the citizens."
The implementation involves IBM and HP and will initially see the 20 existing Oracle database servers running on HP-UX, powering the city`s core health and welfare services applications among others, being replaced with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 running on HP Integrity Itanium 64-bit servers.
The second phase of the implementation will involve the migration and consolidation of current Microsoft Windows application servers powering the educational network to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 on IBM eServer BladeCenters. The stability and scalability of SUSE Linux on IBM blade servers will enable the city to significantly consolidate its over 100 Microsoft Windows application servers to 20 IBM Blade Servers running SUSE Linux.
"With 32 000 students and 4 000 teachers accessing the educational network, the city`s current server environment was not scaling with growing demand," said Michel Teyssedre, IBM Vice President Business Development EMEA. "Our IBM eServer BladeCenters running on Linux will allow the city of Bergen to take full advantage of all the benefits Linux brings, enabling growth in the future."
"The city`s current database servers run several critical applications so it was key that the new solution offered maximum uptime while being cost-effective," said Rudi Schmickl, VP of Enterprise Storage and Servers - EMEA, HP. "Our HP Integrity Itanium 64 bit servers address those needs, including the city`s overall vision to underpin its infrastructure with Linux."
The implementation is expected to be completed by the end of 2004 and the subsequent efficiencies from the new IT operation will ensure the city reaps major cost savings, resulting in the availability of more funds being channelled to build core public services for the citizens of Bergen.
"The city of Bergen needed to do more with less while preparing for further growth and Novell, together with its hardware and software partners, were able to provide the Linux solution that met the city`s exacting needs," said Richard Seibt, President of Novell EMEA. "The advantages of Linux such as lower costs and greater reliability are clear and will certainly continue to drive Linux adoption among enterprise and public sector organisations."
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Bergen is centrally located by the North Sea. Ever since its foundation in 1070, Bergen has attracted people from all quarters of the world. Today Bergen is a melting pot of arts and culture, activities at sea, oil and gas and academic endeavours. Bergen has one of the world`s oldest symphony orchestras, the country`s first national theatre, a whole range of museums and institutions, and is the host of Bergen International Festival.
Bergen was the birthplace of the famous composer Edvard Grieg. The city is also known for its vibrant contemporary scene, among them the BIT 20 Ensemble, the national contemporary dance company Carte Blanche and the experimental Bergen International Theatre. No surprise that Bergen became European City of Culture in the year 2000.
Novell
Novell, Inc (Nasdaq: NOVL) is a leading provider of information solutions that deliver secure identity management (Novell Nsure), Web application development (Novell exteNd) and cross-platform networking services (Novell Nterprise)), all supported by strategic consulting and professional services (Novell Ngage). Active in the open source community with its Ximian and SUSE Linux brands, Novell provides a full range of Linux products and services for the enterprise, from the desktop to the server. Novell`s vision of one Net - a world without information boundaries - helps customers realise the value of their information securely and economically. For more information, call Novell`s Customer Response Centre at +44 1344 724 100 or visit http://www.novell.com. Press should visit http://www.novell.com/pressroom.
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