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Novell is continuing to remake the way it sells and services SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. In its latest move, the company signed a new open-source bundling license agreement with Hewlett-Packard to offer customers a Linux solution on multiprocessor HP servers—the Enterprise Linux 9-License Value Pack.
This offering includes integrated open-source solutions, technical software, and proactive service options that are fully supported and certified on HP ProLiant servers and BladeSystem technologies. It is built around SLES 9.
The licenses are sold by server regardless of whether the servers CPUs are single- or dual-core, physical or virtual. A single license is calculated per server rather than per image, meaning a customer can run multiple instances on virtual machines on the same physical server at no additional charge.
Licensing by CPU core or virtual operating system image has recently become a hot-button issue in business system purchasing decisions. Microsoft has decided to charge by the server as well, and its a decision that CIOs and CFOs have happily greeted.
The new HP/Novell package is aimed at the HP BladeSystem, but the bundle is available across the entire HP ProLiant product line.