Software provider Novell has kicked off a new partner programme in the hope of pushing up sales and profits at the firm.

The shift in gears has been described by Novell as a new "ecosystem" approach to punt hardware, software, and servers to customers through the channel.

The global programme, dubbed PartnerNet, will offer a number of resources individually tailored to particular regions and countries that include training, free tech support to partners who generate healthy sales, as well as joint marketing goodies.

Novell said it also planned to triple its sales reps in North and South America who will work closely with channel partners on specialised areas such as Linux and security.

The firm, which dishes out operating systems to compete with software mammoth Microsoft, said in a statement that its new programme had been enhanced by a number of key signings with big name vendors including Dell, IBM, Lenovo, SAP and, er, Microsoft. ®