Novell takes aim at Sun customer and partner base

Software vendor targets Sun end users and resellers with range of incentives

Novell has suggested Sun partners may be interested in switching

Novell is aiming to capitalise on any uncertainty lurking in Sun’s channel and customer base following its rival’s $7.4bn (£5.1bn) acquisition by Oracle.

The software vendor has launched a range of incentives designed to tempt worried Sun Solaris and identity management customers – as well as Sun resellers spooked by Oracle’s channel strategy – to switch to Novell.

Specifically, Sun customers with a perpetual licence on five identity management and security products can now swap to a Novell equivalent for nothing, having only to pay maintenance.

An offer is also available to Solaris customers.

For a limited time, those that purchase Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise Server subscriptions can get free training designed for Solaris administrators, and help with migration.

Novell said it has also launched incentive programmes aimed at luring Sun partners to join the Novell PartnerNet channel community.

Justin Steinman, vice president of solution and product marketing at Novell, said: “If Sun customers are concerned about the future of Solaris, they can now migrate to SUSE Linux Enterprise. If they are concerned about the future road map for Sun's identity management products, they can now migrate to Novell Identity Manager 4, the only identity solution to manage identities in physical, virtual and cloud environments.

“And if you are a former Sun partner, you may be interested in establishing a new relationship with a company such as Novell, which is deeply committed to the partner channel.”