Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2005/03/22/novell_sme_linux/

Novell gets suite on SMEs

Server to desktop Linux package unveiled at Brainshare

By John Leyden

Posted in Channel, 22nd March 2005 09:35 GMT

Novell is going after the small business market with what's billed as the first Linux suite for SMEs. Novell Linux Small Business Suite 9 is designed to offer an alternative to Windows as a "server-to-desktop" Linux bundle tailored to the needs of smaller firms.

The technology - due to ship March 31 - will feature Linux server and desktop software along with security and management products. Novell's Linux suite, which will cost from $475 per five new user licenses, features support for up to three servers and 100 users.

According to a recent survey by Forrester Research, small businesses accounted for 44 per cent of US tech spending in 2004. Like many vendors Novell is eying this lucrative but difficult to target market which it hopes to exploit via its channel partners backed up by its in-house Linux gurus and hardware partners. Dell and HP have announced support for the product, which was launched at the start of Novell's Brainshare user conference on Monday. ®

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