Red Hat buys Netscape Enterprise Solutions from AOL

By Steve Malone

Posted on 1 Oct 2004 at 09:31

Enterprise Linux specialist Red Hat has snapped up choice pieces of Netscape Enterprise solutions from AOL. These include the Netscape Enterprise Suite and include Netscape Directory Server and Netscape Certificate Management System. Red Hat says it will be delivering its own versions of these products to its customers within six to 12 months.

The Netscape Directory Server is an LDAP server which is an internet protocol commonly used by email software use to look up contact information from a server. NDS allows systems managers to application settings, user profiles, group data, policies and access control information.

The Netscape Certificate Management System, as the name suggests, provides a framework for the use of certificates to identify users and software. Unlike passwords, certificates cannot be easily stolen and are therefore said to be more a reliable form of security.

AOL acquired the Enterprise Solutions when it rescued Netscape from insolvency after the company had been forced out of the browser market by Microsoft. The strategy used by Microsoft later formed the basis of the anti-trust case against company. However, Enterprise systems were never AOL's strong point and Netscape Enterprise Solutions languished in what is essentially a consumer driven company. By transferring the main assets to Red Hat, they stand a better chance of being more widely adopted in the industry.

On the other hand the products fit well into Red Hat's portfolio. Whilst the company has been doing well - recent accounting allegations notwithstanding - it has recently found itself in competition with a resurgent Suse now owned and backed by Novell which has a long history of enterprise connectivity. In order to compete Red Hat badly needed these products in order to match Novell/Suse's offerings.