TurboLinux makes big moves
On Monday, TurboLinux launched a full-fledged reseller program. It also released enFusion, a clustering solution that runs on Linux, Unix and Windows NT. Last, but not least, TurboLinux is issuing new versions of its operating systems.
Let's face it. Compared to the efforts that Caldera and Red Hat have put into their reseller programs, TurboLinux has lagged behind. Way behind. Until now.
On Monday, TurboLinux launched a "real" reseller program with local offices in 11 major US cities.
The program includes the usual array of training, marketing support, sales, and lead generation. The company is also establishing a pair of engineering teams just for resellers. Authorised resellers will have priority access to support engineers and can tap the expertise of TurboLinux pre -- and post--sales engineers for implementing and supporting TurboLinux solutions.
In a prepared statement, Cliff Miller, TurboLinux CEO said, "TurboLinux is committed to our channel partners by providing them with the tools and training needed to successfully sell into the enterprise and to small and medium-sized businesses."
The program has two levels of participation, Gold, $2,999 (£1,859) and Silver, $499, respectively for an annual membership. In addition, TurboLinux is continuing to partner with SCO's Professional Services division to deliver high--end Linux solutions.
SCO has helped TurboLinux with getting Turbo's clustering solutions out to the public. The SCO partnership should continue to prosper with TurboLinux's enFusion.
EnFusion, which will be demonstrated at this week's LinuxWorld, can link together existing networks of Linux, Unix and Microsoft Windows servers and workstations into a virtual supercomputer, claims TurboLinux.
EnFusion works by utilising spare clock cycles on existing means. In some ways, EnFusion more closely resembles popular distributed applications, such as the SETI@home project, than its does traditional clustering approaches, such as the open source Beowulf project.
With support for hundreds of nodes and the HP-UX, IBM AIX Linux, Solaris, Windows NT, SGI Irix, and Compaq Tru64 platforms, EnFusion promises to be an important clustering/distributed computing platform.
That promise will become a definite cinch, if EnFusion can live up to its commitment of working peacefully with existing applications and providing a minimal modification path for serial based applications. EnFusion's pricing has yet to be set but it will be available for sale on March 1, 2000.
On the new product side, TurboLinux also is introducing the next generation of all of its server products, including a new e--commerce server, developer tools, and an end-user-oriented Office Suite
The new server, TurboLinux Server 6.0, is based on the latest production--level Linux kernel, 2.2.13. The server will list for $199.95 (£125). For e-commerce customers, it includes OpenMerchant from OpenSales and Akopia's Tallyman shopping cart.
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