As Red Hat, Synnex and nearly a dozen open source application providers today launch the Open Source Channel Alliance, The VAR Guy offered equal time to Red Hat rivals Novell (SUSE Linux) and Canonical (Ubuntu). Our resident blogger reached out to Novell Chief Marketing Officer John Dragoon (pictured) and Canonical for their respective thoughts on distribution. Here’s the scoop.
According to Dragoon, Novell distributes SUSE Linux products through all of its five distributors including ATI/Arrow, Tech Data, Synnex, Ingram and Avnet. “With over 3,150+ SUSE Linux ISV certifications and 750 ISVs on the platform, we are doing a good job at getting the right applications on SUSE,” wrote Dragoon in an email to The VAR Guy.
Still, Dragoon concedes that it’s time for Novell to connect the dots between SUSE Linux, ISVs and distributors. “My personal point of view is we have not done as good a job at linking our ISVs with the distributors,” he allowed. “There’s no doubt that the channel in general and distributors and ISVs see the potential of open source and specifically Linux to their businesses.”
To Novell’s credit, the company is on the road evangelizing how SUSE Linux and recently acquired technologies (such as PlateSpin and Managed Objects) form money-saving solutions for customers and channel partners.
It’s About the Applications
Still, the Open Source Channel Alliance — launched today by Synnex, Red Hat and nearly a dozen open source ISVs — represents the next chapter in open source application distribution. And Novell will need to respond accordingly, The VAR Guy believes.
Meanwhile, Canonical — the company behind Ubuntu Linux — continues to quietly build its channel and distribution strategy. But the effort has so far involved small steps rather than a big bang like the Open Source Channel Alliance. The VAR Guy hopes to speak with Canonical later today about the forthcoming Ubuntu 9.04 release. He’ll be sure to double-check the company’s partner progress at that time.
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Tags: Canonical Ubuntu | Novell Channel Program | Novell Chief Marketing Officer John Dragoon | Novell Managed Objects | Novell PlateSpin | Open Source Channel Alliance | Red Hat Open Source Channel Alliance | Synnex Open Source Channel Alliance | Ubuntu 9.04
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