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29 Mar 2004
Novell is hoping the channel will be the key to success as the vendor looks to overtake Red Hat and become the world's leading Linux distributor.
After Novell 're-engaged' with the channel two years ago, its beefed-up PartnerNet programme will focus on key Linux areas: secure IT management, resource management and web services.
Jack Messman, chief executive of Novell, told delegates at the vendor's BrainShare 2004 conference in Utah last week: "We can't possibly reach all the customers with our direct salesforce alone."
Following Novell's acquisition of SuSE Linux late last year, more than 560 partners will remain with the SuSE Linux reseller programme until it is incorporated into Novell's overall PartnerNet programme at the end of its fiscal year (31 October).
They will retain their current benefits but are now eligible to access Novell's training and sales tools at no extra cost, the firm said.
Novell resellers will also have access to SuSE Linux reseller training, information and hardware and software certification.
"There will be hard-core Linux specialists and others that can benefit from selling additional Novell services," Ladd Tibson, worldwide director of channels and marketing for Novell, told CRN.
Novell has also launched a SuSE Linux software development kit, containing products including Eclipse, KDevelop, libraries and documentation environments, to help developers and resellers write and migrate applications to the SuSE Linux Enterprise Platform across different hardware platforms.
But Peter Dawes-Huish, sales director at reseller LinuxIT, was sceptical.
He said the move aimed to bolster SuSE Linux and Novell's shrinking market share in the UK, and that Novell faced stiff competition from Red Hat.
"I'm still not sure if this partnership will succeed," he said. "[Resellers] need to be clear on the business focus before deciding what the desktop will be."
Novell also promised to recruit new UK Linux partners and ramp up training, focusing especially on the combined SuSE Linux and NetWare Linux Open Enterprise Server, due to ship at the end of this year.
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