Psst: It's Free (Intel's Big Thumbs-Up for Red Hat)

That's because it firmly embraces the "F" word, that is, "free." Which makes it a whole lot easier for system builders to embrace Linux.

Simply put, the companies' Global Channel Acceleration Program eliminates the typical cost associated with assembling a Red Hat pre-certified Linux solution on a Intel hardware platform. And it is available to ALL of Intel's qualified channel partners, not just a chosen few. OK, so you DO have to be a registered member of the Intel Enterprise Server Acceleration Alliance (ESAA) and Red Hat Ready program. But that, too, is free.

Here's a link to the program details.

I asked some members of Intel's board of advisors what they thought about the deal and how it will improve their Linux business. While it certainly won't make a difference for every partner, those who focus on servers are mighty intrigue.

Pat Taylor, president of Proactive Technologies in Carrolton, Texas, says Intel's simple endorsement makes it a lot easier for him to suggest and support Linux solutions. "It gives us great credibility at a time when the industry needs options," he said.

About 5 percent of Proactive's solutions today use Linux software. The reason that percentage is growing, Taylor says, is because Windows doesn't play well with the Macintosh systems that many of his clients use in their creative environments. Hmmm. What happened to that deal with Apple's Steve Jobs a couple of years back?

Steve Bohman, vice president of operations at Columbus Micro in Columbus, Ohio, says the deal certainly will make it easier for him to experiment with deploying systems in schools. Many school districts that his company works with are interested in deploying at least some systems in their computer labs for educations purposes, even if they aren't converting on the administrative side. He's not expecting a landslide, but it makes life easier. And, after all, isn't that supposed to be the goal of any channel program -- for a vendor to make things easier for its partners?

On a side note, there is one other element to the new Red Hat program that I find especially compelling, given all the angst in the channel right now around software renewals and the behavior of certain vendors in looking the other way when their naughty direct reps handle renewal outreach. That's the Red Hat Subscription Center, which Red Hat describes as the "back office" for renewals and can be used by solution providers to track customer renewal information, create renewal reminders and processor requests. With Software as a Service questions buzzing all over the industry, software renewals are a big deal right now. No?

I think it's safe for me to safe that software renewals will be a major battleground this year, both on the OS and security front. And the vendors that make it easier for their channel partners to keep themselves in the invaluable renewal discussion loop are definitely worth your attention.