Novell casts its PartnerNet wider
Vendor woos ISVs and system builders
Novell is courting the ISV and system builder channels to extend its channel network and add spice to its Linux push.
The vendor is looking to expand its PartnerNet scheme, which it launched last year, to encourage ISVs and system builders to bundle Novell technologies and extend resellers' options.
The new scheme also reinforces the vendor's drive to attract developers as it looks to switch from its proprietary infrastructure to open source.
At Novell's Brainshare Europe event in Barcelona last week, chief executive Jack Messman said he wanted the company to be the catalyst for desktop Linux.
PartnerNet, which initially targeted resellers, has expanded to encompass Novell's training partners, as well as firms such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, SAP and Deloitte & Touche.
The expansion can only help resellers, according to Messman. "By partnering with ISVs we will enable their products to be more compatible with our products and allow our channel to sell them more easily," he told CRN.
Chris Stone, vice-chairman, office of the chief executive at Novell, told delegates: "It's incumbent on a company like Novell to make sure we, and not the customer, deal with complexity. We can't do this without partners, lots of partners.
"By expanding PartnerNet, we have a great mechanism for getting the right partners, whether developers, systems integrators, hardware vendors or resellers, working together to deliver the best solution for our customers."
Lee Chadwick, sales and marketing director at service management firm Touchpaper, said: "We have found a tremendous amount of value in teaming up with other Novell partners around Europe."