Novell today unveiled a new program to further reduce the risk of deploying complex Linux solutions in data center environments. The Novell Validated Configuration Program focuses on defining and certifying multi-application, integrated application and platform stacks on Linux. Moving beyond current industry certification programs, the Novell Validated Configuration Program addresses an integrated stack when multiple components must work together in a customer environment. As a result, customers can smooth deployment of complex, mission critical Linux-based applications.

"With support from key hardware and software partners, Novell will develop, test and validate multiple configurations for different enterprise needs in security, systems management and more," said David Patrick, vice president and general manager of Linux, Open Source Platforms and Services for Novell. "This is another step in Novell's strategy to increase adoption and acceptance of Linux at the heart of the enterprise."

The Novell Validated Configuration Program develops fully tested, fully integrated configurations that address enterprise business problems. Each of these configurations will provide Novell customers with all of the technical and business details necessary to model and accelerate Linux-based solution deployments. Expanding Novell's recently announced data center strategy, the Novell Validated Configuration Program focuses on several critical business areas, including security, high availability, virtualization, systems management and monitoring, and application hosting. The program will also support high performance computing architectures for large scale transaction processing environments.