Dell throws (Red) Hat into Linux Ring!

Research Triangle, NC February 4, 1999--Red Hat® Software, Inc. announced today that it has designated selected server and workstation configurations from Dell® Computer Corporation (Nasdaq: DELL), the leading direct systems vendor worldwide, as certified and compatible with Red Hat Linux. Information on today's announcement can be found at http://charlotte.redhat.com/partners/dell.

Red Hat has awarded Hardware Certification to selected configurations of the Dell PowerEdge® 1300 and 2300 servers. With today's announcement, PowerEdge server customers in the United States can now obtain the retail version of Red Hat Linux 5.2 in four ways: online from Dell through its DellWare procurement service, through Red Hat, through any Red Hat Linux authorized reseller, or by purchasing a server from Dell and having the software factory-installed through its DellPlus Custom Factory Integration program. More information on the certified configurations of Dell PowerEdge servers can be found at http://www.dell.com/products/poweredge/linux/index.htm.

The company also awarded selected configurations of the Dell Precision WorkStation 410 and 610 as compatible with the Red Hat Linux operating system. In the United States, Dell Precision WorkStation customers will be able to purchase workstations from Dell and have Red Hat Linux pre-installed through its DellPlus Custom Factory Integration program. More information on the compatible Dell Precision WorkStation configurations and ordering information can be found at http://www.dell.com/products/workstat/ISV/linux.htm.

More than 10 million users currently run the Linux operating system. According to IDC Research, Linux was the fastest-growing server operating environment in 1998, capturing more than 17 percent of all server operating system shipments.

"Dell's build-to-order business model, strong Internet presence, and direct relationship with customers is a perfect complement to the development model of the Linux operating system," said Bob Young, CEO, Red Hat Software. "The certification of Dell's popular workstation and server lines, combined with the company's emphasis on performance and quality, will deliver Red Hat Linux users a highly-reliable, established solution for corporate computing."

"Through our DellPlus Custom Factory Integration program, we have been offering Red Hat Linux pre-installed to customer specification for some time and will continue to do that," said Mike Lambert, senior vice president of Dell's Enterprise Systems Group. "With this announcement, customers will have increased certainty that Red Hat Linux runs well on our Dell Precision WorkStations and PowerEdge servers. We're working with Red Hat to ensure customers around the world receive additional value and reliability when they choose to run Red Hat Linux on Dell systems."