In the run-up to its numbers Thursday there was chatter on Wall Street about Rackable maybe being an acquisition target. CNBC linked it to IBM. Such rumors have been in the air on and off since Rackable caved under competitive pressure.

Levanta Raises $8m
Levanta, the old Linuxcare turned specialist in Linux data center automation, marrying virtualization technology with Linux lifecycle management, has raised $8 million from existing VCs Levensohn Venture Partners, vSpring Capital and Walden International.

Novell Names Americas President
Novell has named Tim Wolfe president of Novell Americas. He was VP and general manager of the company's East region in the states. An IBM veteran, he is supposed to accelerate Novell's shift from direct Linux sales to channel sales. Tom Francese, Novell's EVP of worldwide sales, has been filling the role.