Linux supplier Red Hat has announced an expanded
partnership with Hewlett-Packard that will provide enterprise
customers with full global sales and support for Red Hat's products
on HP hardware.
Under the deal, HP will become one of Red Hat's "preferred
suppliers", joining existing preferred suppliers IBM and Dell in
providing sales and support around the world.
Mike Evans, vice-president of channel sales and development at
Red Hat, said the deal builds on past business relationships
between the two companies to improve service.
HP will provide full Red Hat Linux support to enterprise
hardware customers running the operating system, including those
using HP's 32-bit and Itanium-equipped machines.
Hugh Jenkins, vice-president of marketing for HP's industry
standard server group, said the arrangement will give customers "a
single point of accountability" when they need help.
Jenkins said more and more customers have been asking for Linux
on HP hardware but that some have been hesitant to use it because
of concerns about support in the past.
"That's been a barrier to getting Linux into the data centre,"
he said. "But standing behind Linux like it's [our] own operating
system will help convince them of [HP's] commitment. Linux is
becoming a key piece of our business."
Analyst Bill Claybrook of Aberdeen Group said the deepened
HP/Red Hat alliance will help make Red Hat stronger.
"It makes sense," Claybrook said. "HP sells more Linux servers
than anybody else. Why not have the biggest supplier on your side,
too?"
Red Hat competitor UnitedLinux created similar partnerships with
HP, IBM and Advanced Micro Devices in January to serve their global
enterprise customers.