Meet Novell's new best friend: VMware
Now that the sales pop from the Novell-Microsoft partnership has played out, SUSE Linux growth has stagnated, and Novell has a new best friend.
Novell has a new best friend when it comes to Suse Linux distribution: VMware.
If you recall, Novell's former best friend for Suse Linux was Microsoft. Microsoft and Novell have a partnership where the two parties had certificates that indemnified Suse users from any intellectual-property liability. In addition, Microsoft officially recommended Suse Linux Enterprise for hybrid Windows/Linux shops.
Now that the sales pop from the Novell-Microsoft partnership has played out, Suse Linux growth has stagnated. In Novell's fiscal third-quarter report, released Thursday, the company said Linux platform product revenue was $36 million, down 7 percent from a year ago. Linux invoicing was down 11 percent from a year ago.
Enter VMware. In June, VMware and Novell expanded a partnership.
Read more of "Meet Novell's new best friend: VMware" at ZDNet's Between the Lines.