RED HAT AND DIGITALTHINK ANNOUNCE COMPLETE E-LEARNING SERIES

Customers can now prepare for Red Hat's RHCE certification via e-learning, expanding options for customers worldwide

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Red Hat (Nasdaq:RHAT), the leader in developing, deploying and managing open source Internet infrastructure solutions, today announced the availability of the first complete e-learning curriculum for the Red Hat Certified Engineer certification (RHCE). The unique curriculum was built according to exacting Red Hat specifications in partnership with DigitalThink (Nasdaq:DTHK), the leading e-learning provider to Fortune 1000 companies.


The new series covers the standard track of Red Hat's widely attended live classroom training courses for its leading RHCE certification and training programme. New e-learning RHCE courses now available include two e-learning courses covering RH033 Introduction to Red Hat Linux, four courses covering RH133 Red Hat Linux System Administration, and four courses covering RH253 Red Hat Linux Networking and Security. These e-learning courses can be taken separately or as an entire series.


Red Hat's leading e-learning programme is developed in partnership with DigitalThink, the leader in complete e-learning solutions and innovator of the top-rated on-line learning environment for technical training via the Web. All of Red Hat's online courseware will be maintained and updated by DigitalThink according to Red Hat's direction.


" Red Hat e-learning for the RHCE series is the first of its kind, " said Peter Childers, vice president, Red Hat Global Learning Services. " Customers can now choose any combination of live classroom or e-learning offerings at redhat.com to prepare for the RHCE Exam. We continue to focus on providing the highest quality learning options and most complete coverage that our customers ask for, to build skills on Red Hat Linux as well as other open source applications, tools and internet working technologies."


" Red Hat's certification curriculum is ideally suited to an e-learning environment," said Mike Lodato, vice president for market development at DigitalThink. " DigitalThink's partnership with Red Hat is a brilliant combination of the leading Linux solutions provider and best-of-breed e-learning expertise, resulting in an effective business solution for companies and individuals alike."


Red Hat e-learning is a self-paced, technically advanced, results-oriented interactive learning experience delivered 100% via the Internet. Each module of the Red Hat e-learning RHCE series provides top quality command line simulations, modularised learning, and automated quizzes and scoring. Students can view their progress continuously. Live on-line tutors grade exercises and answer questions over e-mail, and students may interact through e-mails and discussion forums.


Red Hat's RHCE, now two years old and available worldwide, is a performance-based certification to test actual competency in managing Linux servers for enterprise roles. Participants can take the RHCE Exam at any Red Hat facility or Red Hat Certified Training Partner facility worldwide.


Other Red Hat e-learning offerings, also powered by DigitalThink, include C, C++ Programming, Perl, Java, and OO programming, as well as other prerequisite courses of interest to developers, Web technologists, and network administrators. For more information on Red Hat?s e-learning courses, please visit http://www.redhat.com/training/elearning


Open Source Momentum


International Data Corp. (IDC) research states that paid Linux shipments grew faster than any other server operating system over the past two years, and their preliminary figures for 1999 show Linux shipments hold 24.6 percent of the server operating system market, up from 15.8 in 1998. IDC also states that Red Hat holds 50.2 percent of Linux vendor market share and that Red Hat Linux is by far the most popular distribution, preferred by 68.7 percent of U.S. Linux users.

Research firm Netcraft, Inc. http://www.netcraft.com, states that as of May 2000, 30 percent of all public Web sites run on Linux-based operating systems, making Linux the most popular choice for deploying public Web sites. IDC research shows 40
percent of all spending on Linux servers is for Internet related applications, firmly entrenching Linux servers in the Internet infrastructure.

Finally, IDC predicts that by 2002, there will be more than 55 million handheld and notebook-style information appliance devices and that by 2005, shipments of these appliances will exceed shipments of PCs.

Red Hat's numerous alliances with industry leaders and the demand for Linux-based applications has created open source support from many of the industry's leading software and hardware manufacturers, including Dell, Compaq, Computer Associates, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Netscape, Novell, Oracle and SAP.


About Red Hat


Founded in 1994, Red Hat (Nasdaq:RHAT), is the leader in development, deployment and management of Linux and open source solutions for Internet infrastructure ranging from small embedded devices to high availability clusters and secure Web servers. In addition to the award-winning Red Hat Linux server operating system, Red Hat is the principle provider of GNU-based developer tools and support solutions for a wide variety of embedded processors. Red Hat provides run-time solutions, developer tools, Linux kernel expertise and offers support and engineering services to organisations in all embedded and Linux markets.


Red Hat applies its technological leadership to create open source solutions for all points on the Internet and in pervasive computing environments, offers services backed by the best understanding of open source and the most comprehensive resources, and delivers the brand of a widely trusted open source leader and corporate partner. Red Hat offers users one single, trusted point of contact and a common platform for developing, deploying and managing open source across the Internet and devices that connect to the Internet.


Red Hat Europe was established in July 1999 with its European
headquarters based in Surrey, United Kingdom and offices throughout
Europe. Red Hat Linux is sold and supported through a number of major
distribution and industry partners throughout Europe and from
HREF=http://www.europe.redhat.com/shop _cke_saved_HREF=http://www.europe.redhat.com/shop>http://www.europe.redhat.com/shop


Red Hat Linux was named InfoWorld's Product of the Year for four years
in a row, was given a productivity accolade in Software
Development's Jolt Awards, was named an environment/desktop finalist in
the Ziff-Davis European Excellence Awards, won the editor's
choice awards from the Linux Journal and Australian Personal Computing
magazines, and won the `Just Plain Cool' award from Australian
Personal Computing magazine. At March's LinuxWorld Expo, more than 8,000
members of the Linux community voted Red Hat a
`LinuxWorld Favourite'. Red Hat Linux recently won a Product Excellence
award from Software Development Magazine.


About DigitalThink


DigitalThink (NASDAQ: DTHK) is the leading provider of e-learning solutions to Fortune 1000 companies. DigitalThink offers a 100% Internet-based solution that combines course content aligned with business objectives, a compelling, results-oriented e-learning experience, reporting tools that allow easy tracking and ROI measurement, and fully integrated technologies that are completely outsourced. DigitalThink e-learning solutions are already at work boosting employee efficiency, fostering customer loyalty and improving sales channel performance at smart companies such as EDS, GE Capital, KPMG Consulting, Charles Schwab & Company, Cisco Systems, Deutsche Bank, and Circuit City. Visit DigitalThink at http://www.digitalthink.com for comprehensive information.


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LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS


Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release
that are not strictly historical statements, including, without
limitation, management's plans and objectives for future operations, and
management's assessment of market factors, constitute forward-looking
statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and
uncertainties include, without limitation, product plans and
performance, the ability of Red Hat to attract users to redhat.com, the
lack of demonstrated widespread acceptance of e-learning as an effect
training tool, reliance upon strategic relationships, management of
growth, the possibility of undetected software errors, the risks of
economic downturns generally, and in Red Hat's industry specifically,
the risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures,
the viability of the Internet, and other risks detailed in Red Hat's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may
be accessed through the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov

  • About Red Hat
  • Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.



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