SuSE Linux validated for Oracle 9i

LONDON--SuSE Linux's operating system has been validated for Oracle's new 9i database software, which was officially launched late last week after several delays.

The German Linux seller hopes moving onto 9i will broaden its reach into enterprises, since Oracle has the leading database market share and 9i is its flagship product.

"We are pleased to be the first Linux company to have validated our operating system against Oracle's 9i Database, and we look forward to our extensive collaboration on future products," said SuSE president Dirk Hohndel, in a statement released Monday.

Database software is crucial to Internet companies because it is used to store and retrieve the vast amounts of data necessary to run large Web operations. Linux provides a low-cost alternative to proprietary Unix systems, and Microsoft operating systems such as Windows NT and Windows 2000.

SuSE said it is demonstrating 9i Real Application Clusters running on SuSE Linux at Oracle OpenWorld in Berlin this week.

Staff writer Matthew Broersma reported from London.