Red Hat today announced the launch of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 for corporate customers, specifically targeting those running Unix-based environments.

Enterprise 3 is an annual subscription service that includes free access to software, services and upgrades for 12 months.

According to Gus Robertson, vice president of Red Hat South Asia-Pacific, the subscription model allows Red Hat to maintain a "very predictable revenue stream" in relation to previous retail models.

Red Hat, which currently has 82 percent Linux market share in the US and over 50 percent worldwide, is targeting Unix to expand it's customer base.

"Unix is dead," said Robertson. "[This] could be, and probably is, the end of Unix."

Robertson suggests that the days of Linux being relegated to web and mail servers are gone, and that Linux is now a viable option for traditional Unix-based institutions like those found in the financial and telecommunications sectors. "[Enterprise 3] is now ready for the Enterprise," he said.

Enterprise 3 is based on the 2.4.21 Linux kernel and supports x86, Itanium, AMD64 and IBM platforms. The family hasn't changed, and will still include the Enterprise ES, or entry server, Enterprise WS or workstation, and Enterprise AS or Advanced Server. Enterprise 3 pricing ranges from $495 to $3,995, depending on requirements and level of service.

Red Hat has also announced a new home office retail offshoot of the Enterprise 3 product family called Red Hat Linux Professional Workstation which retails for $99 and includes 30-day installation support and a one-year subscription to upgrades and patches.