Singapore to be 'port of call' for Linux

Oracle and Red Hat hope to make Singapore the regional 'port of call' for all things Linux.

The two firms today announced they will invest $11.6m in a new Linux applications centre on the island-state to ramp up Linux certification among independent software vendors (ISVs) in the ASEAN region.

The move is expected to expand the range of third-party software available on the Linux operating system, widely-viewed as a pre-requisite for it to gain greater commercial uptake.

"The next phase in Linux adoption in Asia will require more third-party applications," stressed Keith Budge, Oracle's regional managing director for South Asia.

To encourage regional ISVs to port their existing offerings to Linux, the two firms will provide them with a host of incentives ranging from technical support to joint marketing opportunities. Oracle has previously unveiled a similar plan as part of its "unbreakable Linux" campaign in the United States.

Companies using the Linux Enterprise Applications Porting Centre in Singapore will be helped by a team of Red Hat and Oracle engineers, according to Leigh Warren, Oracle's vice president for its Linux business unit in Asia-Pacific.

ISVs will be provided with the hardware, software and training services needed to ensure their applications are compatible with Oracle's software and Red Hat's server OS, dubbed Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

He said companies will also have access to a toll-free hotline and are assured of a 6-month technical assistance window after their applications have been certified at the facility.

"From a marketing perspective, these applications will be included in both Red Hat's and Oracle's solutions catalogue," Warren said.

Sales campaigns comprising of supported third-party applications will also be launched, he added.

While top Linux seller Red Hat has been a long-time Oracle ally in areas like marketing and technical support, the firms said this is the first time they have joined hands to establish an applications development centre.

Winston Chai writes for CNETAsia