Microsoft-Novell press release
Graeme by Zed & 2 Naughts
HSBC Taps Microsoft-Novell Agreement to Reduce Linux Cost and Complexity
Global bank selects SUSE Linux Enterprise as its standard Linux distribution, citing interoperability with Windows Active Directory and integrated Windows and Linux platform support.
REDMOND, Wash., and WALTHAM, Mass.—13 Mar 2007—Microsoft Corp. and Novell Inc. today announced that HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations, has joined the growing number of global firms taking advantage of the recent collaboration between Microsoft and Novell. Under the agreement, Microsoft will deliver to HSBC certificates for three-year priority support subscriptions to SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server from Novell®, as HSBC moves to standardize its Linux* deployments on one distribution. By reducing the diversity of its Linux environment, HSBC will be able to reduce its total cost of ownership (TCO) for Linux, and improve interoperability with its existing Microsoft® Windows® infrastructure.
“The Microsoft-Novell agreement is a great catalyst to helping us reduce the complexity of our Linux environment as we standardize our Linux infrastructure with SUSE Linux Enterprise and continue to extend the use of Microsoft Active Directory®,” said Matthew O’Neill, group head of Distributed Systems for HSBC Global IT Operations. “Some will be surprised to learn that our Windows environment has a lower total cost of ownership than our current Linux environment. Our decision to simplify our mixed-source environment with Microsoft and Novell will allow us to reduce the cost and complexity. That’s why we have selected Novell as our preferred Linux partner to support our Linux infrastructure going forward.”
Headquartered in London, HSBC’s international network includes more than 9,500 offices with 284,000 employees in 76 countries. HSBC has 125 million customers, 25 million of whom are registered for Internet banking. HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services including personal financial services; commercial banking; corporate, investment banking and markets; private banking; and other activities.
Roger Levy, vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions for Novell, is joining HSBC’s Open Source Software Committee as a nonvoting advisor. “The ability of HSBC to reduce complexity, simplify support and increase its IT agility is a testament to the mission of Novell’s agreement with Microsoft — to help customers win,” Levy said. “Novell is pleased to become HSBC’s trusted Linux partner, and standardizing Linux on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server will give the company a rock-solid foundation that will seamlessly interact with its Windows environment.”
“Our customers tell us that they want technology vendors to work better together — that’s what our agreement with Novell is all about,” said Susan Hauser, general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft. “Founded on intellectual property assurance, our interoperability efforts are helping HSBC apply best practices from its Windows infrastructure to lower TCO for its Linux environment.”
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