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Linuxcare Expands Professional Services Offerings; Nine Global Centers of Expertise Set New Standard for Comprehensive Enterprise Linux Services - Company

Linuxcare, Inc., the premier provider of Linux technical services to enterprises worldwide, has launched expanded Professional Services offerings for enterprise customers, drawing on a network of Linux gurus deployed worldwide through its new Global Centers of Expertise.

Linuxcare's nine Global Centers of Expertise include: application porting, device-driver development, custom Linux distributions and applications, Linux security audits, Open Source strategy consulting, network management, performance optimization, parallel computing and clustering, and Web and email server offerings. Linuxcare is dedicated to advancing the world standard for comprehensive Linux and Open Source technical services for corporations, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), software vendors and system integrators.

"Whether it's isolating and resolving Linux source-code defects, or defining Open Source and Linux implementation strategies, Linuxcare Professional Services answers the growing need for enterprise-level Linux expertise around the world," says Pat Lambs, Linuxcare vice president of services. "We've deployed a global network of experts to help corporations realize the full benefit of Linux and Open Source software."

In addition to Tuesday's announcement of Linuxcare's acquisition of The Puffin Group, based in Ottawa, Canada, Linuxcare expands its Professional Services Strategic Business Unit with theses additional acquisitions:

-- Prosa, a consulting firm in Padua, Italy, is internationally famous for the quality of the Open Source device drivers it has produced for Linux. The firm has, among other projects, developed ET Linux, a port of the Linux OS for embedded devices.

-- Cheek Consulting of Seattle, Washington, introduces ZDNet into the Linuxcare customer fold. Cheek Consulting has achieved acclaim for its Web and CD-ROM knowledgebase of Linux technical information; the Cheek knowledgebase will be integrated with the existing Linuxcare knowledgebase available at www.linuxcare.com.

Linuxcare is the only service vendor dedicated to providing expert Linux consulting services delivered by the industry's leading gurus. The company has been called upon to handle projects deemed impossible or left incomplete by other companies.

For example, Linuxcare contributed Linux expertise to KPMG, an accounting, tax and consulting firm, during the rapid-paced development, testing, and launch of the Linux-based NetAid Web site. Backed by the United Nations, Cisco Systems, and others, the NetAid project leverages the global reach of the Internet to mount an educational and fundraising campaign dedicated to fighting extreme poverty.

"With 1,500 servers in 90 data centers worldwide, NetAid is a massive project that breaks new ground in terms of performance, scalability, and availability," said Supreet Manchanda, Partner of KPMG and Program Manager of NetAid. "By providing Linux experience, Linuxcare was an important part of the NetAid Development Team, and helped ensure a successful launch."

In addition, Alexa Internet -- a subsidiary of Amazon.com -- depends on Linuxcare for help with its core-service Linux systems. Alexa provides the "Related Links" capability that is integrated into the latest Netscape and Microsoft browsers. Linux was chosen as the best operating system for Alexa's massive deployment of archived Web pages, but Alexa was pushing new boundaries with the scope of its undertaking and ran into problems with its Network File System (NFS) servers.

Linuxcare was the only company able to identify the problem and conclude that there was a better implementation of NFS for Linux. As a result, Alexa proceeded to expand its network of Linux servers and continues to invest in the Linux platform with confidence that Linuxcare will be able to handle any support or service needs that arise along the way.

Linuxcare, Inc. is the leading provider of customer services for enterprise Linux environments, including technical support, professional services, education, and product certification. Linuxcare supports all major distributions of Linux and leading Linux-based enterprise solutions on all major hardware platforms.

With funding from Kleiner Perkins, Patricof & Co. Ventures and others, Linuxcare counts Dell Computer, IBM, and Sun Microsystems among its strategic partners. The company hosts www.linuxcare.com, the world's leading online technical support resource for Linux. Founded in 1998, Linuxcare is headquartered in San Francisco. The company can be reached at 415/354-4878. Japanese information regarding Linuxcare services is now available through jpinfo@linuxcare.com.