Earlier this year, Red Hat said it planned to start selling
subscription services supporting Jonas, an open-source Java
application server built by the France-based consortium ObjectWeb.
Much as it charges for services around its version of the free
Linux operating system, Red Hat is planning on selling support
services for Jonas at $999 a year, according to one person familiar
with the company’s plans.The move will put Red Hat, which has built its business around
Linux, in direct competition with JBoss, a company that sells
services around its namesake open-source Java application server.
Red Hat’s entry into Java infrastructure software could also
encroach on the turf of Java vendors IBM, BEA Systems, Oracle and
Sun Microsystems.A Red Hat spokesperson on Wednesday did not comment on the
company’s Java application server plans, but noted that Red Hat is
planning a press conference Monday evening a part of the LinuxWorld
event in San Francisco.