Red Hat has launched a Telecommunications Partner program for NEPs (network equipment providers), OEMs, telecom ISVs (independent software vendors), and carriers/operators. The program will package existing and new Red Hat capabilities into an integrated platform aimed at giving Red Hat a bigger role in the build-out of next-generation telecom services.

Red Hat's embedded strategy has long been to extend its standard distribution into embedded markets such as telecom, rather than create separate vertical-market products. The company launched a “Red Hat Runtime” initiative about two years ago, in order to support customers embedding Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and today claims that RHEL ships pre-installed on equipment from eight top NEPs, and is supported by about 100 telecom-industry ISVs.

Red Hat says its new Telecom Partner Program will:

• Work with HP and IBM to build certified, carrier-grade platforms positioned as alternatives to proprietary telecommunications platforms
• Help strategic ISVs adopt open source telecom platforms
• Help partners align market strategies, programs, and product roadmaps
• Drive operator awareness of open source value

Elisabeth Rainge, market research director at IDC, stated, “Red Hat's telecommunications partner initiative and existing customer base show that it is ready to be a player in the building of the next-generation of IP-based telecommunications infrastructures such as FMC and IMS for VOIP, IPTV, and yet-to-emerge services.”

Tim Yeaton, SVP of worldwide marketing for Red Hat, stated, “Our strong partnerships with the hardware OEMs, NEPs, and the ISV community are helping to drive our range of software deeper into the network data center.”

Additional details are here.

 
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