Bull today announced LinuxEXPRESS, ready to run Open Source software packages backed by complete professional support. Combined with Bull's full range of Linux-certified servers, this new offer will help enterprises easily deploy flexible and robust IT infrastructures using Open Source software.

Paris, December 5, 2002 -First on the market, Bull LinuxEXPRESS will help enterprises deploy robust IT infrastructure solutions based on Open Source software for web, groupware, application servers and other key applications. Relying on high availability ready, Linux certified servers, Open Source software packages and complete support services will bring enterprises the best of both worlds: the flexibility of Open Source with the full strength and support of industrial solutions.

"Increasingly, Linux and Open Source appear as a new frontier for enterprise infrastructure" said Gérard Roucairol, Chief Scientist at Bull. "Open, secure, easily customizable, they help corporations deploy robust and flexible IT solutions at an outstanding price/quality ratio. However, the lack of packaging and industrial support is a strong issue for enterprises and governments, and remains a strong inhibitor to a large deployment of Open Source based infrastructure applications. Today, by adding Bull's well known integration, packaging and support expertise to Open Source, LinuxEXPRESS offer brings an innovative answer to this need".

Bull's LinuxEXPRESS offer relies on three complementary components: Powerful servers ready to use; additional Open Source software packages; outstanding support and services offer.

a) Powerful servers, certified for the main Linux distributions

A robust hardware for deploying Linux-based applications, the Bull EXPRESS5800 platforms provide a complete range of Linux-ready servers.
Enterprise and department servers are certified by Red Hat and SuSE, while MandrakeSoft has certified workgroup servers. They all allow an easy deployment of Open Source applications on Intel® IA 32 platforms.

b) Ready to use additional Open Source software packages for generic infrastructure applications

Leveraging Bull's Open Source integration expertise and Bull's experience in mission critical computing, these packages, "high availability ready", include the best Open Source software on the market today, tightly integrated, validated and packaged for ready-to-use deployment. Aimed at answering the most common need for generic infrastructure applications, the first modules available today are:

• Web for Linux: a complete environment to deploy a web infrastructure. It includes Apache Web and reverse proxy servers, integrated e-commerce tools, DNS, NAT, load balancing, firewall and administration software.
• Workgroup for Linux: a complete environment to deploy web based groupware and messaging applications. It includes OpenLDAP directory, messaging, workflow tools, DBMS, centralized files and print sharing, firewall and administration software.
• JOnAS for Linux: a robust and highly scalable environment for J2EE application services based on ObjectWeb application server tools.
• High Availability for Linux: a package enabling to cluster " Web for Linux " and " workgroup for Linux " applications servers. It supports Kimberlite HA solution, Fiber Channel and DAS 5300 disk subsystem.

Other packages will be introduced by year's end.

c) Outstanding support and services offer: a unique capability on the European market today.

In contrast with traditional support provided by Linux distributions, that generally limits to basic troubleshooting and focuses on a limited set of environments, Bull has build on its long term expertise in support of heterogeneous infrastructures an in depth LinuxEXPRESS support offer. In addition to hotline support, this offer includes advice on architecture and optimization of the solutions within the customers' own environments. As an option, this support can be extended to high level services such as remote monitoring, remote management or remote exploitation.
The support can be extended for supporting the customer's own integration of Open Source based Linux, security, networks and development environments.

Availability and pricing

LinuxEXPRESS packages are available immediately. Entry price for a LinuxEXPRESS Web for Linux package is 2,468 €, including a rack Bull EXPRESS5800 120Rc-1 server with Xeon DP 1.8 GHz processor, 256 MB DDR RAM DDR, 18 GB Ultra160 SCSI hard disk, CD-Rom drive, Red Hat 7.3 professional Edition, the "web for linux" Open Source software package (Web server, Proxy, firewall…) and two months of support, that can be extended with yearly subscriptions.

About Bull

Bull is an international group that designs and develops servers and software for an open environment, integrating the most advanced technologies. It brings to its customers its expertise and know-how to help them in the transformation of their information systems and to optimize their IT infrastructure and their applications.
Bull is particularly present in the public sector, banking, finance, telecommunication and industry sectors. Capitalizing on its wide experience, the Group has a thorough understanding of the business and specific processes of these sectors, thus enabling it to efficiently advise and to accompany its customers. Its distribution network spreads to over 100 countries worldwide.

Press contacts

Marie-Claude Bessis
Director Corporate & Financial Communication
Group Bull
68 route de Versailles - 78434 Louveciennes Cedex - France
Tel: (33) 1 39 66 57 75 - Mobile 33 6 07 24 21 70
E-mail: marie-claude.bessis@bull.net