IT managers running SAP applications on Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Server are being offered a joint maintenance and support package.
Announced on Wednesday at SAP's customer conference in Vienna, the package -- called Suse Linux Enterprise Server Priority Support for SAP Applications -- constitutes the latest stage in the partnership between the two companies, who are planning to work together more closely to optimise the use of SAP's business software on Suse servers. SAP is also recommending Suse Linux Enterprise Server as the preferred platform for customers wanting to deploy their applications on Linux.
"Customers want choice and, since most of them run heterogeneous IT environments, using both open source and commercial software, we recognise the need to make service and support as smooth as possible," said Gerhard Oswald, an executive board member of SAP.
He said SAP had a "long-standing commitment to the open-source community, including working with key technical standards organisations to create interoperability with commercial software".
Ron Hovsepian, Novell's chief executive, said that SAP and Novell had responded to customer calls for a "complete stack solution ... with an integrated source of technical support that will help them lower cost and reduce complexity". Customers who purchase the SAP-Novell package in the next 90 days will receive an additional discount on the first year, the companies said.
SAP and Microsoft are working on a"joint offering" to make it easier to migrate SAP's business suite to SQL Server 2005. The two companies will set up a joint laboratory in Walldorf, Germany, to work on optimising the combination.
David Meyer reported for ZDNet UK from London
