This extends Veritas' enterprise storage, data protection, high availability and automated provisioning software to two Linux platforms, SuSE Linux and Red Hat. Veritas Cluster Server will now be available for VMware ESX Server, providing users a high availability option for VMware.

Combining clustering, core storage management and server provisioning technologies, Veritas delivers the fundamental building blocks for utility computing with heterogeneous availability, performance and automation software on various platforms, including Linux. By deploying a utility computing model on the Linux platform using open source technology, users can maximize their existing heterogeneous IT infrastructure while lowering the cost of hardware.

"Organizations looking for ways to lower their technology acquisition costs have been increasingly considering open source software, such as Linux." said Dan Kusnetzky, IDC's vice president of system software research. "As organizations enjoy successful implementations of pilot projects using Linux, they are assigning more critical tasks to Linux, which is driving demand for increased enterprise software support from companies like Veritas Software. The availability of enterprise-class Linux software has become one of the key market accelerators for the mainstream adoption of Linux today."

Veritas Cluster Server and Veritas Foundation Suite software, which include Veritas File System and Veritas Volume Manager are now available on SuSE Linux Enterprise Server, extending beyond current support for Red Hat Linux. In addition, Veritas Cluster Server for Linux is now available for VMware ESX Server. VMware allows multiple instances of Linux, Red Hat or SuSE Linux, Microsoft Windows and Novell Netware to run on a single Intel x-86-based server. Veritas Cluster Server for VMware can monitor each of the virtual machines within the VMware ESX Server and failover any of the machines to another node in the cluster, or to an entire server in the event a server fails.

Veritas OpForce automated server provisioning software is now available on SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 in addition to Red Hat Linux. OpForce 3.2 software provides new time saving features when migrating servers to Linux for projects such as server consolidation.

Veritas Cluster Server now supports all industry leading operating systems including IBM AIX, HP UX, Red Hat Linux, SuSE Linux, Microsoft Windows and Sun Solaris. Users can obtain Veritas Cluster Server for VMware by purchasing Veritas Cluster Server for Linux that includes support for Red Hat, SuSE Linux and VMware. By increasing availability across heterogeneous operating systems, Veritas Cluster Server for VMware delivers a key building block of availability that enables a utility computing environment on virtually any platform, including Linux.

"Greater platform and vendor choice continues to be a central value proposition for Veritas and Linux is currently our fastest growing platform," said Fred van den Bosch, Veritas executive vice president and CTO. "Veritas enables customers to realize the cost advantages of Linux without compromising their core IT requirements, translating into greater efficiencies and better service levels while lowering infrastructure costs. That's the promise of utility computing."