Oracle, Red Hat open Linux center in S'pore

BANGALORE: Oracle and Red Hat have launched an Oracle Red Hat Linux Enterprise Applications Porting (LEAP) center in Singapore. Established to grow the ecosystem of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and System Integrators (SIs) in Asia Pacific delivering solutions on Linux, the LEAP center is the first significant Linux initiative in Singapore, and the first joint Oracle Red Hat Linux solution center in the world. Oracle and Red Hat have together committed an estimated SGD$20 million in software, training and resources to the center.

Set to become a hub for the region's software industry to harness the potential of enterprise Linux, the Oracle Red Hat LEAP center will assist ISVs and SIs to port, optimize and certify their solutions on Linux. By improving partners' skills on Linux, and providing access to low-cost, high performance, secure, and reliable Oracle infrastructure software running on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform, the LEAP center will serve to increase the availability of third-party Linux applications for the enterprise, and accelerate adoption of enterprise Linux solutions in Asia Pacific.

"Third party application availability will be the next driving force for Linux adoption," said Keith Budge, regional managing director, South Asia Region, Oracle Corporation. "This is a ground-breaking achievement for Singapore. By fast-tracking the development of a vibrant, extensive and robust local community of ISVs and SIs developing enterprise solutions on Linux, Singapore is enabling companies around the region to make the LEAP to Unbreakable Linux."

"Red Hat and Oracle's partnership is strong, as together we have launched Linux into the datacenter," said Alex Pinchev, president of worldwide sales for Red Hat, at the press launch. "We are now responding to the burgeoning customer demand in Asia Pacific by establishing this Oracle-Red Hat LEAP center. Our joint goal is to provide customers as many options as possible, when constructing their open source architectures."

"The Oracle - Red Hat LEAP center will give a huge impetus to the growing momentum of Linux adoption in India" said Javed Tapia, Director Red Hat India. "India has a large base of ISV's with world-class applications. There has been a growing demand from the Indian ISV community fueled by requests from customers to provide applications certified on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform. The LEAP center in Singapore will help in accelerating the porting of their applications. This would also help them in providing high performance, secure and cost-effective solutions certified on Red Hat and Oracle technologies to the Indian marketplace" he added.

"Oracle's India Development Center based at Bangalore has contributed to Oracle's Linux efforts from 1998, starting with the first ever release of Oracle Database on Linux. The center has played a key role in Oracle's Unbreakable Linux initiative", said L Gopalakrishnan, Director, Platform Technologies, Oracle India Development Center.

Specifically, the LEAP center provides ISVs and SIs with access to resources such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux and software development test beds, Red Hat Enterprise Linux migration services, mission-critical support for pilots and flagship users, and an Intel architecture validation and tuning lab. These facilities will be coupled with the full range of Oracle infrastructure software products running on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform at the center. Both Oracle and Red hat will provide consultants and engineering resources that will help partners gain hands-on experience with the latest Oracle technology on Red Hat.

Tan Chek Ming, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board, who presided over the center's launch said, "We are pleased to see key technology partners like Oracle and Red Hat working to develop their capabilities on Linux with our local and regional IT companies. Their collaboration will help to increase the adoption rate and confidence amongst the major end users. It is also a timely partnership as the Infocomm market size in Asia Pacific is set to increase substantially this year. By leveraging heavily on Singapore's strong IT infrastructure and skilled talent, this center will complement the partners' existing capabilities and allow them to better access and serve the regional market from Singapore."

The LEAP center is ready to provide ISVs and SIs with the resources and assistance that will enable them to go to market faster with applications that are pre-tested and certified on Oracle and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Partner applications are being accepted from Singapore and the surrounding region at the Oracle-Red Hat LEAP centre from June 24, 2004.

CIOL Bureau