Oracle contributes Linux code, expands hardware support

Oracle on Tuesday expanded the list of hardware compatible with its Linux distribution and added support for Novell's YAST administration tool.

The company certified six hardware configurations to run Oracle Enterprise Linux. Certified products include those made by Compellent Technologies, Dell, Egenera, EMC, Hewlett-Packard, Pillar Data Systems and Unisys. The announcement was made in conjunction with the LinuxWorld conference this week in San Francisco.

Last year, Oracle launched its own distribution of Linux designed to be compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the leading distribution for corporate customers. Wide hardware compatibility is important to fitting into corporate data centers.

The company also said it is making a file system tuned for large storage configurations available under an open-source license. Called the Btrfs file system, Oracle made an alpha release available today.

Oracle also said it is releasing an open-source version of the YAST Linux installation and configuration tool for Oracle Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux under the General Public License.

YAST was originally developed for Novell's Suse Linux. Oracle will now include the program for setting up Linux that works with its own distribution.

The moves are meant to make Oracle Enterprise Linux more appealing to corporate customers and to build credibility and goodwill among the Linux open-source community.

"By developing enhanced capabilities and contributing code, our Linux engineering team continues to make the Linux experience better for all," Wim Coekaerts, vice president of Linux engineering at Oracle, said in a statement.