Profile: Red Hat Inc (RHT)

Red Hat, Inc. (Red Hat), incorporated on September 17, 1998, is engaged in providing open source software solutions to the enterprise, including its core enterprise operating system platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, its enterprise middleware platform, JBoss Enterprise Middleware, its virtualization and cloud solutions and other Red Hat enterprise technologies. Red Hat operates primarily on the basis of three geographic business units: the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific. Red Hat’s software solutions consist of Red Hat enterprise technologies, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, JBoss Enterprise Middleware and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. The Company offers operating systems and virtualization options for mainframes, servers, work stations and desktops that support multiple application areas, including software as a service, cloud deployments, edge-of-network applications, information technology infrastructure (applications, such as database, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and large Web servers), mainframe computing, data centers, technical/developer workstations and corporate desktops. On November 19, 2010, the Company acquired Makara, which is a developer of deployment and management solutions for applications in the cloud. In August 2012, the Company acquired business process management (BPM) technology developed by Polymita Technologies S.L.

JBoss Enterprise Middleware delivers a range of middleware products for developing, integrating, deploying and managing distributed composite and Web-based applications. JBoss Enterprise Middleware is based on the Java programming language that enables the deployment of service-oriented architectures. JBoss Enterprise Middleware provides an application infrastructure for building and deploying distributed applications that are accessible through the Internet, corporate intranets, extranets, clouds and virtual private networks. Red Hat also provides other infrastructure enterprise technologies, including software development tools, higher availability clustering of systems and services, and directory services. Its hosted content distribution offerings, such as Red Hat Network (RHN), permit these Red Hat enterprise technologies to be updated and configured. Red Hat’s management offerings, Red Hat Network Satellite (RHN Satellite) and JBoss Operations Network (JBoss ON), permit its customers to provide, update, monitor and manage these and other technologies in an automated fashion. Red Hat’s Customer Portal provides customers with simplified and streamlined access to Red Hat support services and tools for knowledge and troubleshooting, software downloads and account management. Red Hat sells subscriptions to Red Hat enterprise technologies directly to customers and indirectly through various channels of distribution. Its indirect sales channels include distributors, systems integrators, value added resellers (VARs), telecom/network technology companies, cloud computing providers, hosting providers and independent software vendors (ISVs).

Red Hat Enterprise Linux technologies

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is an operating system built from various open source software packages, including the Linux kernel, and is designed for enterprise computing. Red Hat Enterprise Linux delivers the features required for commercial deployments, including support for a range of independent software vendors (ISV) applications from vendors, such as BMC, CA, EMC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, SAS, Sybase and Symantec, and technical support, with up to 24x7, one-hour response, available both from Red Hat and selected ISV/ original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners. The Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform is well-suited for a range of applications across the information technology (IT) structure of an enterprise. In addition, Red Hat offers a portfolio of add-ons that extends the features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

JBoss Enterprise Middleware

JBoss Enterprise Middleware provides a suite of products for developing, deploying, integrating and managing distributed, composite and Web-based applications and services. JBoss products are based on the Java programming language and are deployed on a range of operating systems and support a distributed, modular, reusable and open standards-based Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) deployment for applications and data. JBoss Enterprise Middleware offerings consist of a number of deployment platforms, tools and development frameworks, including JBoss Enterprise Application Platform, JBoss Enterprise Web Platform, JBoss Enterprise Web Server, JBoss Enterprise SOA Platform, JBoss Enterprise Portal Platform, JBoss Enterprise BRMS, JBoss Developer Studio, JBoss Enterprise Data Services Platform and JBoss Web Framework Kit. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform provides an environment for building, hosting and deploying Java-based applications and services. It includes JBoss Application Server, Seam, Hibernate, JBoss Cache, JBoss Transactions, JBoss Messaging and JBoss Web services. JBoss Enterprise Web Platform provides an environment for building light Java applications.

JBoss Enterprise Web Server is a single enterprise open source solution for large scale Websites and lightweight applications that utilize Apache Tomcat and Apache Web Server. JBoss Enterprise Portal Platform provides a Java-based platform for deploying portals. JBoss Enterprise BRMS is a business rules management system that enables business policy and rules development, access and change management. JBoss Developer Studio provides an Eclipse-based application development environment for developing Java applications and development tools for building a Web-based applications and SOA services. JBoss Enterprise Data Services Platform provides an environment integrating distributed data sources and provides for data federation, data abstraction, data transformation and metadata management. JBoss Web Framework Kit is an integrated bundle of open source frameworks that are used for building light Java applications.

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor is a hypervisor-based on Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) technology that converts the Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel into a virtualization platform. Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager is a server virtualization management system that provides advanced capabilities for both host and guest operating systems, including high availability, live migration, power manager, storage manager and system scheduler.

Additional Red Hat enterprise technologies

Red Hat enterprise technologies include other technology infrastructure, including software for software development, clusters of Linux systems and storage, and directory server services and authentication of users. Red Hat MRG integrates open and scalable messaging, a kernel with grid management tools for high-performance distributed computing solutions, including virtualization, cloud computing and bare-metal, mission-critical applications. Red Hat Developer Offering provides integrated development environments and support for application developers. Red Hat Directory Server centralizes application settings, user profiles, group data, policies and access control information into an operating system-independent, network-based registry.

Red Hat systems management solutions

RHN, RHN Satellite, Red Hat Customer Portal and JBoss ON provide management and software delivery services for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and JBoss Enterprise Middleware technologies. Through Red Hat Network (RHN), Red Hat provides an on-line method for its customers to obtain software and upgrades and to manage, provision and monitor deployments of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The RHN Update Module is an entry-level offering included with each subscription for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, providing functionality enhancements and upgrades to individual systems. The RHN Update Module includes functionality, such as a graphical user interface, priority notification, errata information, and Red Hat Package Manager dependency checking and auto update. RHN Update Module also gives customers access to electronic delivery of software related to their Red Hat subscriptions.

RHN Satellite provides RHN functionality, such as managing system profiles and reporting data, locally on a customer’s system behind its information technology (IT) firewall. RHN Smart Management allows customers to provide and manage systems running Red Hat enterprise technology. The RHN Monitoring Module, which is only available for RHN Satellite deployments, adds performance-tracking capabilities. Through Red Hat Customer Portal (RHCP), Red Hat provides an online method for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and JBoss Enterprise Middleware customers to obtain software, access to a knowledge base and software update alerts and advisories, as well as interact with its technical support engineers. JBoss ON functionality includes inventory, software update, administration, configuration management and resource deployment. JBoss ON also provides an extended module for monitoring and alert notifications on the status of JBoss Enterprise Middleware deployments.

Red Hat training, consulting and support services

Red Hat delivers more than 30 Red Hat Enterprise Linux and JBoss Enterprise Middleware courses worldwide in classroom, corporate on-site and online settings. These courses span topics, such as system administration and advanced enterprise development, deployment security, middleware and role-based offerings. Certification paths include Red Hat Certified Technician, Red Hat Certified Engineer, Red Hat Certified Data Specialist, Red Hat Certified Security Specialist, Red Hat Certified Virtualization Administrator, Red Hat Certified Architect and JBoss Certified Application Administrator. Its consulting offerings include assessments, installations, upgrade planning, platform migrations, solution integration and application development. The Company’s Red Hat subscriptions generally include varying levels of technical support to assist customers with installing, configuring and using Red Hat enterprise technologies. In addition, it offers a technical account management (TAM) service for customers that require a more personalized support relationship.

The Company competes with HP, IBM, Oracle, Unisys Corporation, VMware, Microsoft, Citrix Systems, Inc. (Citrix), Novell, Inc. (Novell), BMC and CA.