| Enterprises like Novell/Microsoft deal, survey says |
Dec. 12, 2006
Many free software supporters despise the Novell/Microsoft partnership. But, according to a survey jointly commissioned by Novell Inc. and Microsoft Corp., big business likes it -- a lot.
The survey's focus was on what the decision makers' thought about the companies' efforts to improve interoperability between Windows Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. It did not zero in on the patent issue, which to open-source advocates has been the most controversial part of the deal.
The survey found that nearly all respondents favor improving interoperability, having products that work well together, and having tools that make it easier to manage mixed Windows/Linux environments.
In a statement, Novell VP of global strategic alliances Susan Heystee said, "Microsoft and Novell entered into this agreement to make it easier for customers to deploy Windows Server and Linux together. The results of this independent research show the majority of approval numbers over 80 and 90 percent. These high numbers don't surprise me because they match the very positive reception that we've gotten from customers. This survey supports our belief when we entered the agreement with Microsoft: Collaboration on behalf of the customer is a winning proposition for all parties involved."
Susan Hauser, general manager of customer advocacy at Microsoft, echoed Heystee's comments, stating: "This survey confirms for us what we've been hearing from customers all along. They want technology vendors to work together to promote interoperability and to stand behind the products they sell and service."
Ninety-five percent of the surveyed group approved of the collaboration between Novell and Microsoft. The vast majority believe it will benefit IT customers and increase interoperability of IT systems.
Indeed, many would like to see more Microsoft/Linux vendor partnerships. Eighty-seven percent said that customers benefit if leading Linux distributors and Microsoft worked more closely with one another. Four out of five believe their organization would consider doing more business with Linux dealers if Linux providers establish an alliance with Microsoft.
With this existing deal, however, only sixty-seven percent said they're more likely to consider deploying SUSE Linux from Novell. That said, the Microsoft-Novell collaboration did increase customer consideration of SUSE Linux. More than two-thirds of all respondents, and 79 percent of respondents who currently use Red Hat, said the agreement was more likely to make them choose SUSE Linux for their data center.
The survey also addressed how these potential customers saw IP (intellectual property) issues. Eighty-nine percent agreed with the statement, "Technology companies, not end users or businesses, should take responsibility for the intellectual property in the products they ship and service." Eighty-two percent thought that vendors should acquire IP rights to their competitor's products, if necessary, to prevent them from being exposed to any risk.
The survey was conducted by Penn, Schoen, & Berland Associates Inc., a market research firm. They conducted 201 online interviews from Nov. 17 through 20 with IT executives, managers, or staff whose primary job is in a formalized IT department, or who perform IT functions in a non-IT department but have significant technology purchasing authority. The survey looked at organizations with at least 500 PCs.
Almost all the surveyed businesses had Microsoft Windows installed. 36 percent of them had Sun Solaris, 45 percent has IBM AIX, and 32 percent used Red Hat Enterprise Linux, while only 26 percent were currently using SUSE Linux. In addition, 19 percent used another commercial or community Linux distribution.
-- Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
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