Red Hat faces stiff challenges to move beyond its core technology

Linux & Open Source News Alert This newsletter is sponsored by NetApp Whitepaper: Server virtualization for SMBs Server virtualization is not only meant for the largest enterprise organizations. In this whitepaper, Server Virtualization for Small and Medium-size Businesses, learn how this technology is ideal for smaller IT shops. This whitepaper explains how simplifying hardware and server applications with virtualization software allows for key operational improvements. LinuxWorld's Linux and Open Source News Alert, 09/28/07 LinuxWorld.com Feature Story Clad in his pajamas, Red Hat co-founder Marc Ewing arrived at work at 11 a.m. one day in 1998, unlocked the office for a new employee, and promptly left to go back to sleep. Network World's Network Applications Buyer's Guide Find the right network applications for your enterprise - fast. Our extensive database of detailed product information will help you quickly pinpoint what you need. With the side-by-side comparison tool you can evaluate product features and make the best decision for your enterprise. Click here to go to the Buyer's Guide now. For a guy who developed the Linux distribution in his spare bedroom it just seemed natural. Today, however, such sleepy days are but a dream at Red Hat. The company is a powerhouse in the open source community: It owns 80% of the Linux market and posted $400 million in revenue for fiscal 2007 -- a 44% increase over the previous year -- and has $600 million in cash stashed under its blazing red fedora. Last week's second quarter 2008 earnings showed a 65% increase in net income and a 28% climb in revenue over the same quarter last year. But Red Hat is moving out of its Linux operating system comfort zone and everyone from Microsoft to IBM to Oracle to Wall Street seems to be breathing down its neck. The company faces stiff challenges to spread beyond its roots, create a middleware platform, build a developer base and collect a critical mass of partners all so it can turn its IT infrastructure platform strategy to gold. (Read more.) More Linux news Many userspace developers want a "flight recorder" for applications on Linux. While Solaris offers a comprehensive tracing tool, dtrace, Linux is now growing pieces of tracing functionality. Nobody likes having someone always looking over their shoulder, but you may get that feeling after you've browsed a while and then take a peek inside your Cookies folder. MontaVista Software plans to announce on Wednesday the latest version of its Linux-based mobile phone operating system, expected to be available in November. Monsoon Multimedia and the Software Freedom Law Center are discussing a settlement regarding Monsoon's open-source licensing violation, but a deal isn't certain. Swedish police are expected to decide later this week whether a criminal case is warranted against 10 major music and movie companies over their alleged efforts to disrupt the Pirate Bay, one of the largest file-sharing search engines. WabiSabi Labi Ltd., a Swiss start-up that caused a stir with the creation of an eBay Inc.-like marketplace for software vulnerabilities, plans to offer an intrusion-detection system and will open up its auction site to a wider range of intellectual property, according to a company executive. The Bhutan government liked its first taste of Linux so much that it has come back for seconds, releasing an updated version of its Debian-based operating system that it launched last year. LinuxWorld Community Linux is going mainstream, right? How many times have you read that in the IT media? We look at when the mainstreaming of Linux peaked, according to Google News—probably later than most Linux users realized, but long enough ago that the media might need to retire the "Linux goes mainstream" headline. And Dean Drako, CEO of Barracuda Networks, explains how the company uses open-source packages such as SpamAssassin and ClamAV, running on Linux, to build an anti-spam appliance -- along with the threat level from Linux viruses, which departments of the company can move to Linux desktops and which already have, and what an appliance vendor needs from kernel developers. (podcast, 15:03)

Contact the author: Don Marti is editor of LinuxWorld.com. This newsletter is sponsored by NetApp Whitepaper: Server virtualization for SMBs Server virtualization is not only meant for the largest enterprise organizations. In this whitepaper, Server Virtualization for Small and Medium-size Businesses, learn how this technology is ideal for smaller IT shops. This whitepaper explains how simplifying hardware and server applications with virtualization software allows for key operational improvements. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007