Novell claims to have hit 5,000 Linux app jackpot

28 Apr 2010

Network software giant Novell has claimed it is the first Linux vendor to achieve 5,000 certified ISV applications and has increased its Linux market share against Red Hat, according to IDC.

The company said its independent software vendor (ISV) and partner ecosystem for supporting intelligent workload management has helped drive SUSE Linux Enterprise adoption.

ISVs, Novell claims, are contributing an average of 150 new applications each month.

Novell says SUSE Linux Enterprise 9, 10 and 11 have the most certified software applications of any Linux distribution, now with twice as many certified applications as the latest versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the next closest distribution.

As Linux has entered the mainstream, the breadth and depth of application support for SUSE Linux Enterprise makes it the logical choice for end users who require flexibility and versatility to deploy a variety of applications and workloads on different hardware and across virtual and cloud infrastructures.

SUSE Linux Enterprise, it says, has become the fastest-growing Linux distribution, increasing its market share of the paid Linux market by five points in the most recently reported year, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux lost five points of market share, according to IDC.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server post-launch

Since the launch of the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server platform, more than 250,000 appliances for physical, virtual or cloud environments have been built by ISVs using SUSE Studio.

Thanks to the patent-pending technology in SUSE Studio, Novell says that any ISV who is certified on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is also certified on a SUSE-powered virtual appliance.

“We chose to work with Novell to build our application on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server because not only is it an interoperable platform that works well with Windows, it is also one of the best platforms for building software appliances,” said Bertram Mandel, vice-president, sales and services, and managing director, Ingres Germany.

“Novell provided us with the technology and go-to-market support needed to build the SUSE Studio Appliance Template for Ingres Database. We’re now working with Novell to market our database application to their large ISV ecosystem, giving us an opportunity to generate additional revenue.”

Over the last two years, Novell has focused on creating the strongest Linux application ecosystem, certifying more than 2,000 applications and developing new tools and programmes to support ISVs.

“Our investment in building a strong ISV community has paid off,” said Markus Rex, senior vice-president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions at Novell.

“We have deepened our partner relationships and worked with ISVs to deliver the applications most in demand by our customers. We have given customers more reasons than ever to choose SUSE Linux Enterprise and more ways they can obtain value from it,” Rex said.

By John Kennedy

Photo: Novell has reported it is the first Linux vendor to achieve 5,000 certified ISV applications

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com