10/26/2004 — WALTHAM, Mass. * October 26, 2004 * At its second annual Tech Innovators event, VARBusiness has awarded Novell the 2004 Top Innovator Award for Linux for Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, launched August 4, 2004, was one of 460 products submitted for consideration by 50 vendors across a range of enterprise categories, from Linux to security to storage and more.

Reflecting the breadth of Novell's offerings, Novell was also a finalist in the application integration category for its exteNd 5.2 Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) suite.

Selected by a panel composed of VARBusiness editors and executives of leading solutions providers across the U.S., the VARBusiness Tech Innovator awards celebrate innovative new technologies with significant potential impact for the solution provider channel. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, the sole commercial distribution on the market leveraging the power of the 2.6 Linux kernel, provides a compelling platform for customers looking to introduce Linux into their operating environment. exteNd 5.2 is a powerful tool for meeting the perennial challenge all customers face: integrating their disparate environments to maximize the value of their information.

In addition, Novell received two Xchange Xcellence awards, as voted on by solution providers attending the event. Novell took top honor in the categories of Best Software Solution and Best Channel Program and Strategy. Novell was a finalist in all Xchange Xcellence categories it was eligible for, including Best Presentation and Overall Best of Show.

The VARBusiness Innovator Xchange awards will be written up in an upcoming edition of VARBusiness (www.varbusiness.com).

Press Contact:
Jasmin Ul-Haque
Novell, Inc
Phone: +44 (0)1344 326-900
E-mail: juh@novell.com