General

Red Hat Drops Anonymous up2date Services

According to RHN Director Billy Marshall the change shouldn't be a surprise to users. Red Hat released an email several weeks ago informing users of the fee-based support program.

by ISP-Planet Staff [March 20, 2001]

Red Hat is transforming its once free service updates into a new revenue stream. Red Hat Network (RHN) services will replace the Linux distributor's anonymous automated system updates via its up2date tool. The company plans to start charging users for technical support in administering more than a one Linux machine via RHN.

Single-system desktop users will be required to register and provide basic contact information to establish a customer account. Previously users were able to run Red Hat's up2date software anonymously, without providing any contact information.

However, downloading Red Hat updates without the benefit of its RHN management tools will remain an option for all users. Red Hat made the change so customers could choose the level of technical support they require, from automatic e-mail updates of errata and security fixes to separate marketing-oriented communications.

A new Web interface allows customers to review change logs, queue packages for delivery over Linux-based systems, and receive zip files of fix collections.

Red Hat red hot
Analysts contend that Red Hat is in a solid leadership position to tap into new revenue from fee-based technical support. In a recent report published by internet.com, Michael Pastore, CyberAtlas managing editor, noted that "Red Hat is the most recognizable Linux vendor and the firm's name has become synonymous with the Linux operating system itself."

According to the report, Linux: You Get What You Pay For? nearly 80 percent of all respondents indicated that they were aware of Red Hat's presence in the market. Also, according to IDC more than half of the world's Linux server software comes from Red Hat.

While the open-source Linux operating system has carved out a space in a competitive market segment dominated by computing powerhouses like Microsoft and Sun, Linux has become a popular OS and is the platform of choice behind many of the Internet's Web sites, with Red Hat the Linux supplier of choice.

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