Microsoft and Novell Alliance Embraced by Wal-Mart

World's leading retailer cites interoperability, intellectual property

assurance and joint technical support as factors that will enable it to do

more with less.

    REDMOND, Wash. and WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
 Microsoft Corp. and Novell Inc. today announced that Wal-Mart Stores Inc.,
 the world's largest retailer, became the latest customer to take advantage
 of the benefits of the new collaboration on interoperability between
 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) and Linux(R).* Under the agreement, Microsoft will
 deliver SUSE(R) Linux Enterprise Server subscription certificates to
 Wal-Mart for use in Wal-Mart's IT infrastructure. The engagement among the
 three companies opens a host of other potential opportunities for both
 Microsoft and Novell to provide Wal-Mart with additional software resources
 and support, building on future joint research and developments around
 virtualization and interoperability.
     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
     Wal-Mart, already a significant user of Microsoft products, is pleased
 that the collaboration will improve interoperability among various systems.
 "We have wanted information technology vendors to deliver true
 interoperability and IP assurance between multiple platforms for some time
 now, and we are pleased that Microsoft and Novell are committed to
 fulfilling that need," said Nancy Stewart, senior vice president and chief
 technology officer of Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart is known around the world for its
 innovative use of technology. Selecting Microsoft and Novell is another
 step in that strategy. The net result is a win for us and, more
 importantly, for our customers."
     "Customers tell us every day that they need to operate a cost-effective
 IT organization and leverage the most they can out of their investments,"
 said Ron Hovsepian, president and CEO of Novell. "Through our relationship
 with Microsoft, we've created new opportunities for enterprise
 interoperability and virtualization that ultimately result in real savings
 for our customers. We are delighted that Wal-Mart has chosen SUSE Linux
 Enterprise, and we look forward to collaborating with them for many years."
     By working together with Microsoft and Novell, Wal-Mart gains the
 ability to manage Windows and Linux by extending its existing Microsoft
 management tool set and authentication platform: Systems Management Server,
 Active Directory(R) and Microsoft Operations Manager. Wal-Mart can also
 move to lower-cost commodity server hardware while simultaneously improving
 the customer experience.
     "Customers tell us that they need interoperability and that they want
 their technology vendors to manage the underlying intellectual property
 issues in software," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "We are
 delivering this to Wal-Mart and giving them peace of mind so they can focus
 on their business and build for the future."
     The Microsoft-Novell Agreement
     On Nov. 2, 2006, Novell and Microsoft announced a series of agreements
 to jointly build, market and support new solutions to improve
 interoperability, deliver powerful new virtualization capabilities, make
 Microsoft and Novell products work better together, and give customers
 peace of mind that both companies stand behind the products they deliver.
 As part of this five-year agreement, Microsoft agreed to use, resell or
 distribute certificates that customers redeem to receive SUSE Linux
 Enterprise Server subscriptions for upgrades, updates and technical support
 from Novell.
     Since the announcement, more than 35,000 new certificates for
 three-year priority support subscriptions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
 have been activated under the Microsoft and Novell collaboration agreement.
      More information about the Microsoft and Novell agreement, including
 other customer announcements, can be found at
 http://www.novell.com/linux/microsoft and
 http://www.microsoft.com/interop/msnovellcollab/default.mspx .
     About Novell
     Novell, Inc. ( NOVL) delivers infrastructure software for the
 Open Enterprise. We are a leader in enterprise-wide operating systems based
 on Linux and open source and the security and systems management services
 required to operate mixed IT environments. We help our customers minimize
 cost, complexity and risk, allowing them to focus on innovation and growth.
 For more information, visit http://www.novell.com .
     About Microsoft
     Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
 software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
 their full potential.
     NOTE: Microsoft, Windows and Active Directory are either registered
 trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or
 other countries.
     Novell is a registered trademark. Novell and SUSE are registered
 trademarks of Novell Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
     *Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
     The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
 trademarks of their respective owners.
 
 

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.