After the breakthrough announcement from last week concerning the arrival of Ubuntu-powered machines, Dell is now ready to buy SUSE from….Microsoft.

Microsoft’s “un-natural” partnership with SUSE Linux vendor Novell shows its first major fruitful outcome in the form of the recently announced partnership with Dell. According to the new agreement, Dell will purchase SUSE Linux Enterprise Server certificates from Microsoft and establish a services and marketing program to migrate existing Linux users who are not Dell Linux customers to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

"We're focused on delivering solutions that help simplify customers IT operations," said Rick Becker, vice president of solutions at Dell Product Group." Our customers have told us they want interoperability and expect technology vendors to work better together. Dell is the first major systems provider to align with Microsoft and Novell in this collaboration, and we intend to lead in this space. This move is a huge success for the industry and, more specifically, for customers who haven’t purchased Linux through Dell and who want to migrate to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for the IP assurance and interoperability benefits."

The Novell-Microsoft-Dell alliance will focus its marketing on three main domains: Interoperability Workshops, Migration Proof of Concepts and Migration Services. Dell’s customer marketing team will thus try to migrate corporate non-Dell-Linux customers who are using Linux to Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

"Dell's embrace of the Novell-Microsoft agreement reflects a growing market reality: The two platforms of the future are Linux and Windows, and customers want them to work better together," said Susan Heystee, vice president and general manager of global strategic alliances at Novell. "Novell continues to grow our SUSE Linux Enterprise business because we are addressing customer needs. Dell recognizes this, and we are proud to have them as a customer and marketing partner to help spur continued adoption of SUSE Linux Enterprise."

"The Microsoft-Novell agreement was a result of our customers demanding more of our industry in interoperability and IP protection," said Susan Hauser, general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft. "Customer response to our agreement with Novell has been overwhelmingly positive. Dell has recognized this demand, and it is the first mover in its space to provide these benefits to its customers."

On November 2, Microsoft and Novell reached a historical and (for some) strange agreement concerning interoperability, after more than 6 months of secret negotiations. As a result, Microsoft committed itself to officially recommend SUSE Linux Enterprise for all customers who want Windows and Linux solutions. Additionally, Microsoft will distribute coupons for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server maintenance and support, so that customers can benefit from the use of an interoperable version of Linux with patent coverage as well as the collaborative work between the two companies.