Red Hat Ships Linux For Compaq

Linux vendor Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT) announced this week that it has begun shipping a new version of its Linux OS for Compaq Alpha computer systems.

Red Hat Linux 6.1 Deluxe for Compaq Alpha Systems, created in collaboration with Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE: CPQ), is optimized for enterprise and Internet applications. The product boasts such features as ease-of-installation, improved system management capabilities and software update information and access.

“We expect that the improvements in installation, service, support and performance built into Red Hat Linux 6.1 make it an asset to enterprise networks,” commented Red Hat CEO Bob Young. “Red Hat Linux 6.1 combines the power, stability and flexibility of Linux-based open source operating systems with tools and services to handle critical business applications that ensure the peace of mind for corporate users.”

Compaq Collaboration

The new package was created as part of an extended strategic alliance between the two firms, announced in the fall of 1999, that also featured a partnership on enterprise-level user support to help push Red Hat’s Linux solutions into the corporate market.

“This release of Red Hat on Alpha is the result of the continuing close collaboration between the two companies,” stated Tim Yeaton, vice president of Compaq’s UNIX Systems Business Unit. With the help of its business customers, Compaq has been assisting in the customization of the Red Hat package through the support process since late last year.

The current updates to Red Hat Linux 6.1 will be made freely available to the open-source software community under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

About Red Hat and Linux 6.1

Red Hat Linux 6.1 includes graphical installation, high availability clustering for Internet servers, enhanced systems management with LDAP integration and a choice of either the KDE or GNOME graphical interface. The package is currently available through the e-commerce area of Red Hat’s Web site.

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina-based Red Hat has developed strategic partner, distributor and reseller alliances with PC and server manufacturers, including Compaq, Dell, Gateway, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Silicon Graphics. Red Hat has also collaborated with Intel on PXE server support and optimizations for the Pentium III processor.

Linux and the South Pole

In other Linux news, Antarctic Support Associates has chosen Cybernet Systems’ NetMAX Firewall for Linux product to protect its contractual project of building and maintaining the communications systems at Antarctica’s McMurdo, Palmer and South Pole stations.

Cybernet also manufactures the NetMAX pre-configured Web server for Linux product, which the company boasts can be installed in 15 minutes. Based on the Red Hat Linux distribution, the product also includes Apache, an FTP server and the sendmail e-mail server.

The stations are undergoing a massive modernization effort, due to be completed in 2005. “With NetMAX installing in less than 15 minutes, that leaves me a lot of time for other systems projects,” commented Jeff Thompson, vice president of technology for Antarctic Support Associates.