Red Hat to Expand Open Source Infrastructure at Villeroy & Boch; Global Manufacturing Organization Selects Red Hat Linux Advanced Server to Power IT Network.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

STUTTGART, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2002

Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHAT), the world's premier open source and Linux provider, today announced that Villeroy & Boch, specialists in the manufacturing and marketing of ceramic products, has selected Red Hat Linux Advanced Server as the platform for the planned expansion of its IT infrastructure. Villeroy & Boch will deploy the Advanced Server operating system to run its SAP application and database servers following SAP certification, which is scheduled to be completed shortly. The company will initially install ten Red Hat Linux Advanced Servers and receive comprehensive Red Hat support, including cover on various other in-house open source installations, such as the Apache Web servers.

As well as acquiring a high-performance and highly reliable IT infrastructure, Villeroy & Boch expects to substantially reduce operating costs by furthering its close co-operation with the open source market leader. This long-established company has already achieved considerable savings by migrating its HPUX-based Oracle systems to Red Hat Linux and the success of this project persuaded Villeroy to expand its partnership with Red Hat. Open source systems have initially been rolled-out at the company's head office in Mettlach on the border of Germany, Luxembourg and France.

"We have been deploying open source software, particularly from Red Hat, for some time now," said Klaus Lehnen, SAP Base Technology Team Manager at Villeroy & Boch. "Based on our own positive experience, we are confident that, with Red Hat Linux Advanced Server, we will be able to develop an infrastructure solution which will further enhance the reliability and efficiency of our IT systems."

With Red Hat Linux Advanced Server, Villeroy & Boch will also benefit from the wide-ranging support of the many leading ISVs and IHVs that are accredited partners of Red Hat, and work closely with them to develop corporate Linux solutions. This includes other industry leaders such as Dell, Fujitsu-Siemens, IBM and Oracle. Certification by the following companies is due to follow shortly: BMC Software, Borland Software Corporation, CheckPoint Software Technologies, ComputerAssociates, Legato Systems, Novell, Rogue Wave Software, SAP, Softimage, Synopsis, Tibco Software and VERITAS Software.

"We are delighted that Red Hat Linux Advanced Server meets the rigorous demands of Villeroy & Boch for its state-of-the-art IT platform," said Joachim Kunze, Senior Sales Manager for Red Hat Central and Eastern Europe. "An endorsement by a company of such world standing underlines the excellent prospects for open source solutions within enterprise environments. This area of deployment will remain a major focal point for our future activities."

Villeroy & Boch

Innovativeness, a focus on customer needs and international orientation have characterized the history, which stretches back over 250 years, of the "oldest industrial company of world standing." This European family business has been involved with manufacturing, developing and marketing ceramic products since being founded in 1748. These products, together with those made of other materials which have been added to the company's range over the years, are sold worldwide within the framework of "The House of Villeroy & Boch" marketing and sales concept.

Operating as a PLC since 1987, the company was floated in 1990. With its four corporate divisions, the Tile Division, Bathroom and Kitchen Division, Tableware Division and, since 1999, the Wellness Division, the group turns over in excess of 975 million euros (2001). The group's headquarters in Mettlach on the River Saar are located in a region of Germany also bordered by Luxembourg and France. Its products are manufactured at 21 factories situated in twelve European countries, and are marketed by the group's own sales companies and importers in 125 countries. The company employs a workforce totalling around 11,000 people.

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world's premier open source and Linux provider. Red Hat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. and has offices worldwide. Its European headquarters is based in Surrey, UK, with offices throughout Europe. Please visit Red Hat on the Web at www.europe.redhat.com.

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