HSBC takes Microsoft Novell shilling

Microsoft will give chits to HSBC letting it get three year priority support subscriptions for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server.

HSBC reckons by getting these chits, it will reduce its total cost of ownership for Linux and cut down on the different flavours of OSes it is using.

Matthew O'Neill, who is the boss of HSBC global IT (distributed systems), said: "Some will be surprised to learn that our Windows environment has a lower total cost of ownership than our curent Linux environment."

Matthew, we're not surprised, we're astonished.

Said Novell VP Roger Levy: "The ability of HSBC to reduce complexity, simplify support and increase its IT agility is a testament to the mission of Novell's agreement with Microsoft - to help customers win."

According to the Vole, since Microsoft and Novell struck that deal, over 40,000 chits for three year priority support subscriptions have been issued, with Wal-Mart, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank signing up. µ