Novell has announced that it will bundle support and training offerings with its SuSE Linux Enterprise Server in a bid to entice small and medium sized businesses to Linux.

"Our partners are telling us that their mid-market customers want to deploy open source, but that they need a packaged Linux solution more tailored to their needs," said Ron Hovsepian, president and chief operating officer at Novell.

The firm claimed that the move will make it easier for its solution provider partners to deliver supported Linux to companies without extensive in-house IT departments.

Novell went on to claim that it is the only company to provide free training for its distribution.

"We are seeing a growing interest in Linux by small and medium size businesses," said Jodi Honore, vice president of vendor management at Ingram Micro.

"By creating an offering that is easy to explain, deliver and support, solution providers, previously apprehensive of taking on a new operating system, can now build their Linux practice and gain new customers."

Tom Ekevall Larsen, president and chief executive at ScribonaAB, a Novell partner in Europe, added: "There has been significant focus on the public sector's use and adoption of Linux and open source, and this is understandable when you think of the high potential."