Dell to preinstall SUSE Linux

DELL AND NOVELL EXPAND PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS CERTIFIED SUSE LINUX
PLATFORMS AND SERVICES 

SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 on Select Dell PowerEdge Servers Extends
Customer Choice and Value
 
ROUND ROCK, Texas and WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 27, 2004 - Dell and Novell today
announced an agreement to offer Novell SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9
certified on select Dell PowerEdge servers worldwide. 

This announcement provides Dell and Novell customers with more choice for
fully-supported Linux platform deployments, and at the best value in the
industry.  Dell provides a single point of contact for customers' support
needs; Dell Services will also assist customers throughout the lifecycle of
their deployments.

Dell customers will be able to purchase Novell SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9
with their single-and dual-processor PowerEdge servers.   The agreement
reinforces Dell and Novell's longstanding collaboration to provide customers
with superior standards-based computing platforms, and extends this value and
expertise to customers deploying SUSE LINUX for their business applications. 

"Today's announcement marks an important expansion of Dell and Novell's
longstanding industry relationship," said Al Gillen, research director,
System Software, at IDC.  "It provides Dell Linux customers more platform
choice for fully supported operating systems, and gives Novell customers a
new option for deploying Linux in their IT infrastructure." 

Linda York, vice president of global alliances marketing in Dell's Product
Group, said that SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 on Dell PowerEdge servers
provides customers another robust and scalable enterprise platform to replace
costly proprietary UNIX-based systems or to deploy Linux for the first time.

 "This is another great example of Dell and Novell's ability to work together
to move standards-based computing further into the data center," said York.

Increased Customer Choice, Industry-leading Value
For $175 per single-CPU server annual maintenance subscription and $269 for a
dual CPU subscription, Dell and Novell offer Linux customers additional
choice on Dell's award-winning PowerEdge 1850, 2800 and 2850 servers.  SUSE
LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is the first enterprise-class Linux server to
leverage the performance, scalability and security features of the new Linux
2.6 kernel. This new platform is ideal for customers deploying Web farms, IT
infrastructures and custom applications.  The operating system will be
bundled with the server at the time of purchase. A joint service agreement
between the two companies provides customers with the same levels of
award-winning support for SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 as all other
operating systems. 

Novell's acquisition of SUSE LINUX in January 2004 set the stage for this
logical next step in the longstanding Dell and Novell relationship.  "Dell's
decision to collaborate with Novell on Linux is a vote of confidence in our
Linux strategy and is great news for customers around the world," said David
Patrick, vice president, Linux, Open Source and Platform Services at Novell.
"Existing Novell customers get new options for their future hardware platform
needs, while new customers gain a top-notch enterprise Linux offering on one
of the most robust server platforms in the world, backed by Novell's global
ecosystem of enterprise-level Linux services."

Global Services
Novell SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 will be supported by Dell Services
(www.dell.com/services), through a collaborative support agreement with
Novell technical support that provides customers a single point of contact
for all issues.  This helps customers realize a more efficient, effective,
scalable and productive enterprise environment.  Customized Dell offerings
streamline and integrate activities across the entire product lifecycle, such
as system planning and design, implementation and training and support and
disposal.   	

SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 will be available with Dell PowerEdge 1850,
2800 and 2850 servers worldwide in the fourth quarter.  For more information
on Dell/Novell solutions, services and tools, please visit:
www.dell.com/novell or www.novell.com/dell . 

About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is a premier provider of products and services
required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology and
Internet infrastructures.  Company revenue for the past year totaled $45.4
billion.  Dell, through its direct business model, designs, manufactures and
customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an
extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its
products can be obtained at www.dell.com.

About Novell 
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) is a leading provider of information solutions
that deliver secure identity management (Novell Nsure), Web application
development (Novell exteNd) and cross-platform networking services (Novell
Nterprise), all supported by strategic consulting and professional services
(Novell Ngage).  Active in the open source community with its Ximian and SUSE
LINUX brands, Novell provides a full range of Linux products and services for
the enterprise, from the desktop to the server. Novell's vision of one Net --
a world without information boundaries -- helps customers realize the value
of their information securely and economically.  For more information, call
Novell's Customer Response Center at (888) 321-4CRC (4272) or visit
http://www.novell.com.