Red Hat Expands Technical, Marketing Assistance For JBoss ISVs

With open-source software finding its way into more mission-critical systems, businesses implementing open-source middleware and applications are demanding higher levels of service and support from solution providers.

That's the driver behind Red Hat's expansion of its partner program for independent software vendors who work with Red Hat's JBoss middleware. The vendor is offering more advanced development, certification and training support that ISVs can't get through open-source community sites.

Red Hat, purveyor of the Red Hat Linux operating system, acquired JBoss in June, 2006.

Customers are increasingly asking for guaranteed service level agreements (SLAs) for support and business continuity, said Bill Critch, director of JBoss partner marketing. Customers, for example, are demanding that ISV applications be certified to work with JBoss Enterprise Platforms and that SLAs include more comprehensive support, software patches and updates.

ISVs who work with JBoss can't get that level of support from JBoss.org, the online community that supports the open-source software, Critch said. "The goal is to attract the large number of ISVs who are using the JBoss.org community site."

The JBoss Certified ISV Program, part of the broader Red Hat Partner Program, already has some 250 members. In addition to trying to attract more ISVs to that program, Red Hat is expanding the program beyond its original focus on software OEMs and licensing issues to provide more services to ISVs who build applications that run on or with the JBoss Enterprise Platforms and JBoss Frameworks.

The goal of the program is to help ISVs test their products and certify they work with JBoss and can meet customer SLA requirements for system uptime, software compatibility, support and application patches. The program offers discounted technical support and training, cooperative support for common customers, access to the Red Hat Partner Center Web site, inclusion in the partner catalog, and co-selling and co-marketing opportunities. Critch said the program also provides ISVs with information about Red Hat's product roadmap.

The program is available worldwide with initial membership and certified subscriptions available at no cost to ISVs who don't distribute the JBoss software, the company said.