HP and SuSE move closer on Linux

Hewlett Packard (HP) has signed a deal with SuSE Linux to resell and support SuSE's Linux Enterprise Server 8 on its ProLiant IA-32 servers and IA-64 Itanium-based servers.

HP said the deal will give customers a single point of purchase, support and maintenance for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 - a flavour of UnitedLinux - and makes SuSE Linux "a preferred vendor for HP".

"This partnership between SuSE Linux and HP will advance the cause of Linux servers running enterprise-class workloads," said Jean Bozman, research vice president of analyst IDC's worldwide server group.

He added that SuSE is the provider of one of the world's top Linux distributions, while HP is the server vendor that shipped the largest number of Linux server units worldwide in 2002.

Bozman said that the two companies had now been working together for more than five years, and the deal would help both of them to grow Linux server sales in Europe and worldwide.

Under the terms of the agreement HP will resell, market and support the latest SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 as a preloaded option on its Enterprise ProLiant servers.

The company promised that customers taking this option would get support from HP backed by SuSE engineering and product maintenance teams.

In addition, HP and SuSE said they will collaborate on extending this service to Itanium 2-based HP server customers.

"This agreement with HP more closely aligns hardware and software - giving customers more streamlined purchasing, support and services," said Richard Seibt, chief executive of SuSE Linux, in a statement.