Novell announced Jan. 30 that it will start bundling support and training offerings with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for small and medium-sized businesses via its channel partners.
This news came only days after Novell announced that, as of March 1, the Linux company will no longer force users into CLAs (contract license agreements), which attached service and maintenance agreements to the software deal.
Novell made it clear that with this new offering, Novell solution provider partners would be the ones that would be delivering support and online assistance to SMB customers.
For customers, Novell also pointed out that it provides free training.
“We are seeing a growing interest in Linux by small and medium-size businesses,” said Jodi Honore, vice president of vendor management at major distributor Ingram Micro.
“With 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,” Honore said.