Computer Associates Establishes Linux Advisory Council

In an effort to support the development of Linux-based products for enterprise-level business, Computer Associates, Inc. (NYSE: CA) has announced that it is establishing the CA Enterprise Linux Advisory Council.

The Council, a business initiative that will focus on identifying and defining new projects and products, will work with Computer Associates’ development team and representatives from Center7, Inc., eToys, Fidelity Investments, Georgia Institute of Technology, Red Hat and others.

“Maximizing resources and enhancing business value for Linux users is the impetus behind the formation of this council,” commented Michael Danziger, director of strategic business alliances at Computer Associates.

“By seeking the input of influential companies that deploy Linux, CA is committed to developing technology that will maximize the management capabilities and reliability of the OS, while maintaining the low cost of ownership enjoyed by the growing universe of Linux users.”

Identifying Needs

The Council, which held its first meeting last month at Computer Associates’ corporate headquarters, will convene on a regular basis to discuss such topics as the challenges of using open-source software in enterprise-level business and what functionality is needed to expand Linux deployment by IT departments.

“Linux and open source software continue to make tremendous inroads in enterprise organizations across a wide variety of industries,” stated Paul McNamara, general manager of the enterprise business unit at Red Hat. “The Linux Advisory Council brings together leaders from all of those industries to identify key user needs and help further accelerate the adoption of open-source software.”

CA Embraces The Penguin

Computer Associates has been moving on Linux strongly since it unveiled MasterIT, a product that manages Linux machines that run on supported Web servers. According to the company, Linux is a particularly strong platform for e-commerce.

The company also began porting its Unicenter TNG enterprise management solution product to Linux, striking strategic partnerships with Linux vendors such as Caldera Systems. This month, Computer Associates announced the availability of a Linux version of its InnoculateIT antivirus software product.

Corel Advises the Penguin Community

In June, Corel Corp. (Nasdaq: CORL) formed its own Linux Advisory Council, a forum designed to bring together leaders from the open-source community and the expanding realm of commercial Linux in order to discuss both current and forthcoming challenges and opportunities.

“We have seen how the Linux movement works and it’s been very successful,” observed Dr. Michael Cowpland, President and CEO of Corel. “We want to follow the ideology of the Linux community, and ensure that the core principles are kept alive in the commercial environment.”

Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, is a member of the council.