Novell has today launched The Springboard ISV Programme, a new initiative to help independent software vendors and partners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) take their slice of the rapidly growing Linux market.
According to Gartner, Linux continues to promise the greatest server hardware platform growth of any operating system. Its low cost, the rapid growth of IT expertise around Linux, vendor support and expansion into other types of workloads, including high-performance computing and line-of-business applications, are just a few factors that continue to propel Linux forward.
Novell has developed The Springboard ISV Programme to educate and build awareness of Linux among ISVs and partners in EMEA so that they are well positioned to take advantage of the new revenue opportunities afforded by the rapid growth of Linux.
Jeffrey Hewitt, Research Director Gartner, said: "Linux will have the strongest relative growth of any server operating system during the next five years. Shipments will increase from 1.4 million units this year to 2.4 million in 2010. Revenue will grow from $6.5 billion to $11.5 billion in that period, for compound annual growth of 12.2%."
The new Springboard ISV Programme will offer significant advantages for ISVs and partners looking to benefit from the increasing number of customers migrating from Unix to Linux. The programme will offer ISVs and partners who want to port their Unix applications to Linux:
* Six months free silver level subscription to the Novell ISV Partner programme, with access to the complete range of Novell evaluation software, software development kits and beta software.
* A free Novell Linux Training Self-Study Kit.
* Automatic entitlement to place their products in the Novell online Partner Guide, the definitive source for Novell customers looking for a Linux-enabled application.
* Access to developer support and free Novell SUSE Linux certification of up to three applications.
* Access to many invaluable porting and migration white papers and tools.
Trish Barwick, marketing and channel manager, Novell SA, said: "Ensuring that ISVs and partners in EMEA are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to respond to their customers` Linux requirements is critical if they are to take advantage of the enormous opportunity Linux presents. This programme will provide them with the support they need to increase their margins from Linux-related activities."
Additional information on the programme and details on how to join are available at http://www.novell.com/springboard.
* Source: Gartner: Linux Making Inroads In Server Market, Jeffrey Hewitt, Research Director - April 2005
Share
Novell, Inc (Nasdaq: NOVL) is a leading provider of infrastructure software and services to over 50 000 customers in 43 countries. With more than 20 years of experience in data centre, workgroup and desktop solutions, Novell`s 6 000 employees, 5 000 partners and support centres around the world are meeting customer requirements for identity-driven computing and Linux solutions. By providing enterprise-class software and support for commercial and open source software, Novell delivers increased operating flexibility and choice at a lower total cost of ownership. More information about Novell can be found at http://www.novell.com.
Editorial contacts