UPDATE – For more details on Likewise’s strategy, including insight from the company’s CEO, Barry Crist, see this follow-up. – UPDATE

Linux systems management vendor Centeris has announced that is has changed its name to Likewise in a move that also sees the company re-branding its products for the second time in less than a year.

The company has always focused on a Windows-centric view of Linux management offers the ability to manage Linux, Unix and Mac systems from Microsoft’s Active Directory. It can now be found using the name Likewise Software.

The name change coincides with a change of strategy and a new open source project, as the authentication software has been released under the GNU GPLv3 license as Likewise Open. The focus on commercially-licensed management software remains with the newly re-branded Likewise Enterprise updated to version 4.0.

Centeris/Likewise is no stranger to product re-branding. In fact it repositioned its technology in January this year with the release of Likewise Identity 3.0, which broke out the identity management features into a stand-alone, cross-platform product. while the code for the basic features was named Likewise Admin 2.1.

The latest strategy effectively sees basic Linux-based support and authentication functionality given away as open source, while cross-platform support and additional functionality comes with a commercial license at a price. This is a common strategy in the open source systems management space, having also been adopted by GroundWork, Hyperic, and Zenoss.

While Centeris had been involved in open source projects, it was less committed to open source as a development or distribution model in the past compared to other systems management players. It remains to be seen whether Likewise will be markedly different.