TurboLinux Allies With Compaq

Open-source software solutions provider TurboLinux has entered into a strategic support-related alliance with industry titan Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE: CPQ).

The alliance, along with a spate of other deals announced this week, could fuel TurboLinux’s thrust into the North American market after establishing a solid base in the Asia/Pacific region.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will support applications development based on the recently introduced TurboLinux cluster server product. The cooperation will enable independent software vendors (ISVs) to conduct online tests of their applications on Compaq AlphaServer and Proliant server systems along with the TurboLinux TurboCluster Server software.

A Fully-Supported Linux Test Drive

“Compaq is committed to assisting software developers in bringing product to market on Linux,” commented Bill Burns, director of marketing for the Compaq Solutions Alliance. “Our customers are demanding enterprise clustering solutions on Linux, and TurboLinux is able to deliver the software for our developer partners to meet that need.”

The Compaq Solutions Alliance is a program designed for software developers, system integrators, service providers and consultants in the development process with various service and support offerings.

Online application product testing will be conducted through Compaq’s Test Drive Lab program. According to the agreement, TurboLinux will provide training to Compaq engineers that run the online test site and offer software support services. Compaq and TurboLinux have also pledged to undertake co-marketing activities.

Compaq has made other recent moves into the Linux realm. Last week, the company reached an agreement with Wall Street sensation Red Hat Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT) to offer international enterprise users call center support for the Red Hat OS through its Customer Services organization.

Strategic Alliance Binge

TurboLinux also recently entered into a strategic partnership with Linuxcare, Inc. to collaborate on hardware certification and testing, enterprise services and support. The agreement will cover TurboLinux’s software products, including the TurboCluster Server.

“Customers looking for high availability Linux solutions will expect a total environment of software, support and services that Linuxcare is uniquely positioned to deliver,” commented Linuxcare president and CEO Fernand Sarrat. Linuxcare has also made recent moves on the Japanese Linux market, forming alliances with NEC Software and Hitachi-subsidiary Densa Techno Tokyo K.K.

Rounding out the hefty roll call of alliance-related announcements this week, TurboLinux also disclosed agreements with Giganet, Inc. to provide a Virtual Interface (VI) architecture-based clustering for Linux environments, and Cubix, to bring the TurboCluster product to users of the Density server series.

About TurboLinux TurboLinux has recently attracted the attention of some big league investors, pulling in considerable figures from August Capital, Broadview and industry titan Intel.

The San Francisco, California-based company — formerly known as Pacific HiTech — has made significant advances in the Asia/Pacific Linux market. The TurboLinux workstation product holds, according to Business Computer News, a 50 percent Japanese market share.

Originally from Japan, TurboLinux produces software solutions that are available in English, Chinese and Japanese language editions, and will roll out a Korean edition soon.