Novell taps exec to manage Microsoft deal

Novell on Thursday said it has assigned Susan Heystee, the company's recently named vice president and general manager for global strategic partners, to manage its partnership with Microsoft.

Novell and Microsoft earlier this month announced a legal and technical deal designed to make Novell's Linux server operating system and Microsoft's Windows work better together. Only weeks after the announcement, however, the two companies disputed the implications of patent royalty payments included in the partnership. Heystee will oversee technical aspects of the Microsoft agreement including plans to improve interoperability around virtualization, document formats and Web services, Novell said.