VA Linux To Power Web-Based Accounting Applications

VA Linux Systems (Nasdaq: LNUX) announced today that it has been selected by Web-based applications provider NetLedger to supply rackmount Linux servers and integration management services for the NetLedger infrastructure.

Under the terms of the agreement between the companies, NetLedger will incorporate several hundred VA Linux FullOn 2×2 rackmount servers into its “server farm,” enabling it to deliver small-business accounting solutions to its Linux customer base. VA Linux will, through its Professional Services group, provide onsite system customization and integration management services to assist with the server deployment.

The Menlo Park, California-based NetLedger, founded in 1998, introduced its first Web-based accounting application, which runs on the Oracle 8i database, in August of 1999.

The SourceForge Project

VA Linux also unveiled SourceForge today, an initiative to provide open-source developers and projects with no-cost hosting and communication resources. The effort will support an Internet-based collaborative environment model — one that is in large measure responsible for the existence of Linux as a full operating system.

“SourceForge represents a dramatic departure from the traditional practices of proprietary software vendors, empowering software developers and users to work together to create their own future,” stated Dr. Larry M. Augustin, president and CEO of VA Linux Systems.

According to VA Linux, over 3,000 developers from 76 countries have already registered on the SourceForge site during an earlier testing phase. Services provided by SourceForge include communication services, version control tools, Web server space and other Web-based tools designed for security and ease of use.

Open-source projects on SourceForge include the VA Cluster Manager (VACM), Topaz and The Berlin Project, a graphical system for Linux and UNIX.

Other News

In other Linux news, online business software solutions provider Accrue Software (Nasdaq: ACRU) has expanded its data collection and analysis product line to cover Linux. The company will first deliver its data collection components — which include server plug-ins — and then bring out its data analysis engine and data warehouse for Linux.

“We’ve been seeing a growing demand among our enterprise customers for Linux solutions,” commented Rick Kreysar, president and CEO of Accrue. “We’re committed to delivering the e-Business solutions that will help build the e-commerce market leaders of tomorrow.”

International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that Linux commercial shipments will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25 percent from 1999 through 2003, according to a March 1999 report. IDC expects more application vendors to port their offerings to Linux and hardware vendors to continue to expand their available product lines running Linux for server-side endeavors.

“More and more large, complex Web sites are being deployed on Linux, the fastest growing server OS and most widely used OS for Web serving,” stated Brian Biles, vice president of marketing at VA Linux Systems. “We’re excited to see Accrue bring its enterprise-scale e-Business analysis solutions to Linux.”