With Novell still having issues, it seems that SuSE has been left untouched and unaffected even, by all of the Novell turmoil.

Novell layoff rumors swirled this week, but analysts were quick to dismiss any doomsday scenarios involving the SuSE Linux operating system.

Current users of SuSE should not panic even if the 20% workforce cuts cited in recent news reports come to fruition, said Charles King, principal analyst for Pundit-IT Research, Hayward, Calif.

To date, the official response from Novell Inc. has been that it does not comment on rumor or speculation, but the company did state in a conference call this month that “some cost-cutting moves” were on the horizon.

Even in the unlikely event that Novell does fold, King said, the SuSE Linux brand is attractive enough to be picked up by another vendor.

“I don’t see Novell going anywhere anytime soon, but if [they] bobble this, I see it reflecting more badly on Novell than on SuSE,” King said. “Then, if Novell can’t get it together, SuSE may be an interesting bit for another vendor to acquire.” [Read the rest]

Tags: suse, novell. linux