Mainline Information Systems™ has been named a Novell Americas Partner of the Year in the Data Center category. The winners exemplify partners who demonstrate a commitment to providing customers value-added services and solutions leveraging Novell's leadership position in intelligent workload management, data center, end-user computing and identity and security solutions. The award also acknowledges year-over-year revenue growth, expanded certification capabilities, and a focus on increasing business opportunities across Novell’s solution portfolio.

As a leading IBM Premier Business Partner, and the largest System z partner, Mainline has helped more than 150 System z customers install SUSE^R Linux Enterprise Server from Novell, creating customized virtualization and workload management solutions.

“For approximately ten years, Mainline and Novell have been providing customers with Linux-based solutions that lower costs, increase efficiency and improve productivity,” said Doug Harrell, Mainline vice president of System z. “We are honored to be chosen by Novell for this award.”

“Over the past year, we have worked diligently and successfully with our channel partners to explore new avenues for collaboration and partnership," said John Dragoon, chief marketing officer and channel chief, Novell. "It is a privilege to recognize the exemplary effort and dedication of Mainline Information Systems among their customers and peers this week at the BrainShare Conference."

The Novell Partner of the Year Awards are nominated by respective Novell internal field sales and marketing teams. Winners were selected by the Novell Americas Leadership team.

About Novell PartnerNet

Novell is a partner-centric organization. The Novell® PartnerNet® program is built on a value-based approach that recognizes and rewards the total unique value that each partner delivers in the marketplace. Novell PartnerNet is an engine for mutual revenue growth and attainment of partnership goals through a flexible program environment that aligns resources and investment with commitment and value to drive maximum performance. Novell PartnerNet focuses on three main areas:

• Enabling partner business growth
• Investing in partner profit potential
• Accelerating partner business success

Novell PartnerNet provides unique specialization options and enablement programs as well as access to industry-leading technical support from Novell. It also offers key sales and marketing benefits, such as Deal Registration eligibility, Market Development Funds and performance-oriented rebates. For more information, visit: http://www.novell.com/partners/

About Mainline Information Systems

Founded in 1989, Mainline began by offering information technology solutions and consulting in the IBM midrange markets. Since then, it has become an IBM Premier Business Partner and global provider of information technology and business solutions with more than 600 employees nationwide. Headquartered at 1700 Summit Lake Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32317, Mainline provides solutions throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazil and Mexico. The company may be reached by phone at 850.219.5000 and on the Internet at www.mainline.com.