Red Hat and Microsoft Deal

By Bob Trott
In its latest push to promote Windows NT interoperability in the enterprise, Microsoft has struck a deal with Collective Technologies to help large corporations build and manage infrastructures that mix NT and Unix resources.

Collective Technologies is the main source of support for Red Hat Linux. Red Hat is one of the predominant purveyors of Linux, a freeware operating system that many see as a potential threat to Microsoft's Windows dominance.

But instead of focusing on the Linux threat to NT, the two companies focused on NT's ascent into the Unix-dominated world of heavy-duty corporate computing.

"The Windows NT operating system is making major inroads into the IT enterprise," said Bruce Wynn, training and certification manager at Collective Technologies. "We believe that the best way to provide value services is to take our consultants who are traditionally grounded in Unix, add a deep knowledge of Windows NT, and provide a unique insight into the integration issues our clients are facing."

Primarily with lower cost and relative ease of use, Microsoft is eager to push NT beyond the file-and-print server status onto equal footing with Unix, which can be used as a development platform for database applications and other high-end functions.
Collective Technologies will create a strategic planning division aimed at Unix-NT interoperability, and will hold six regional seminars for clients on blending NT into Unix environments.

According to the terms of the agreement, Microsoft Consulting Services will work with Collective Technologies consultants on NT-Unix integration.
Microsoft Consulting Services and Collective Technologies will also work together on issues surrounding Windows NT 5.0, which is due in 1999; Novell-to-NT migration; and NT Cluster Server. Also, Collective Technologies will train and certify 25 consultants per month as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers.

Microsoft Corp., in Redmond, Wash., is at http://www.microsoft.com. Collective Technologies Inc., a division of Pencom Systems Inc. in Austin, Texas, can be reached at http://www.colltech.com.

Copyright (c) 1998 InfoWorld Media Group Inc.