Dell, Oracle to open Linux center

Dell will use the facility, which is scheduled to open in the spring, to test and tune Oracle databases running on Intel-based systems running Linux. Oracle also agreed to use Dell's servers and storage products for building the Oracle 9i database on Linux, the companies said.

"Dell will work with Oracle and customers in the competency center to deliver Oracle solutions to the market that are easier to use and offer greater value than proprietary systems," Michael Lambert, head of Dell's Enterprise Systems Group, said in a statement.

Dell plans to use the facility for testing and tuning customers' Oracle-based applications for Red Hat Linux on Intel products. The company also plans to use the facility for migrating customer data to Oracle databases running on Linux and Intel processors.

"Linux and industry-standards based systems are becoming increasingly important in the enterprise market," Michael Rocha, an Oracle senior vice president, said in a statement. "This initiative with Dell will help us deliver predefined Linux-based systems to these customers, making it easier for them to confidently deploy Linux-based enterprise applications."

The companies made the announcement at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in New York. With the release of Linux Kernel 2.4.1, the Unix variant developed by Linus Trovalds is expected to broaden its appeal to the corporate market.