Novell Delivers SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 Enhancements in Service Pack 2

New Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise to help customers better manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates WALTHAM, Mass., May 21


WALTHAM, Mass., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novell today announced
the availability to customers worldwide of SUSE(R) Linux Enterprise 10 Service
Pack 2 (SP2), containing enhancements in virtualization, management, hardware
enablement and interoperability. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 is the
only Xen-based virtualization solution with full support from Microsoft for
Windows* Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 guests and live migration of
those guests across physical machines. Several improvements specific to SUSE
Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 are also
included in SP2. Novell further unveiled the Subscription Management Tool for
SUSE Linux Enterprise, designed to help customers better manage their SUSE
Linux Enterprise software updates.


"This service pack for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 has something for almost
everyone -- customers, partners and developers," said Holger Dyroff, vice
president of outbound product management for SUSE Linux Enterprise at Novell.
"The benefits of Linux in the enterprise are becoming well known, and Novell's
focus is on continuing to simplify the customer's experience, always with an
eye to reducing costs. Reliability, security and interoperability don't need
to break the bank. That's the ongoing value Novell provides with SUSE Linux
Enterprise."



Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise


The Subscription Management Tool (SMT) for SUSE Linux Enterprise helps
customers easily manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates while
maintaining corporate firewall policy and regulatory compliance requirements.
SMT is a package proxy system that is integrated with the Novell(R) Customer
Center and provides key Novell Customer Center capabilities locally at the
customer site. It provides a repository and registration target that is
synchronized with the Novell Customer Center, thus maintaining all the
capabilities of the Novell Customer Center while allowing a more secure
centralized deployment.


SMT allows customers to easily distribute updates for all SUSE Linux
Enterprise devices (server, desktop or point-of-service terminal) that are
running Service Pack 2 or subsequent releases. By downloading these updates
only once and distributing them throughout the enterprise, the customer is
able to set more restrictive firewall policies and, where applicable, avoid
significant network usage stemming from repeated downloads of the same updates
by each device. SMT is fully supported and available as a download to
customers with an active SUSE Linux Enterprise product subscription.



SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Enhancements


Delivering Xen* version 3.2, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 includes
several virtualization advances, including support for fully virtualized
Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 and the live migration of those
Windows Server guests across physical machines. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
is the only third-party virtualization solution offering full support directly
from Microsoft for Windows Server guests. In addition, extensive updates to
the YaST management toolset encompass first-boot enhancements and network
module support for new devices.


Srinivasa Rao Addepalli, CTO and chief architect of Intoto Inc. and a
participant in the SP2 beta program, said, "SUSE Linux Enterprise Server has
been the choice of customers for security applications in the virtualized
environment. To secure virtual systems, Intoto has been providing UTM and
MultiService Business Gateway solutions using Xen running on SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server 10, and we have been pleased with the increase in
performance and manageability of the SP2 release. With the addition of fully
virtualized Windows Server 2008 guest support, the SP2 release facilitates
creation of a true virtualization system."


Advances in high availability and storage management such as updates to
Heartbeat 2 and OCFS2 are also included in SP2. Network management
improvements include support for IPv6. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 has
been designed to meet the U.S. government's requirements for IPv6 and is
currently in the certification process. Enhanced hardware enablement includes
new network, storage and other drivers along with support for IBM*
cryptographic hardware.



SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Enhancements


SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 SP2 provides improved interoperability
with Microsoft* Windows and Office via local NTFS file system support,
improved integration with Microsoft Active Directory* and an upgrade to
OpenOffice.org 2.4 Novell Edition. The OpenOffice.org productivity suite
features key enhancements to VBA macro support within Calc and embedded audio
and video within Impress, as well as a technical preview of the Office Open
XML (OOXML) translator. Other enhancements include plug-and-play support for
wireless broadband (UMTS, 3G), improvements to Network Manager, and support
for new hardware technologies from Novell partners.


Nick Piccone, network engineer for University Community Hospital and an
SP2 beta tester, said, "The improved interoperability with Microsoft Windows
and Office combined with the networking and hardware enablement enhancements
that come with this release have demonstrated the level of productivity and
reliability we have come to expect from SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop."



Updates to SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time


SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time is specifically engineered to reduce the
latency and increase the predictability of time-sensitive mission critical
applications. Service Pack 2 further improves the performance and
predictability of time-sensitive applications running on SUSE Linux Enterprise
Real Time through support for adaptive locking, OpenFabrics Enterprise
Distribution (OFED) 1.3 and the Precise Timing Protocol. OFED 1.3 enables the
implementation of unified high-speed interconnects based on InfiniBand and
10-Gigabit Ethernet. With SP2, Novell becomes the first Linux* distributor to
support OFED 1.3.



SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit (SDK)


The SUSE Linux Enterprise SDK also provides new capabilities in SP2,
giving developers and technical enthusiasts even more ways to create powerful
new software on and with SUSE Linux Enterprise. It includes updates to several
tools that enable the creation of installation media and appliances: KIWI,
YaST2 Product Creator, YaST2 Add-on Creator and YaST2 Image Creator.



Availability


Service Pack 2 for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, SUSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop 10 and SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SDK are now available. SP2 for SUSE
Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 and the Subscription Management Tool for SUSE
Linux Enterprise will be available within 90 days. As announced in March at
Novell BrainShare(R), the next generation of SUSE Linux Enterprise -- version
11 -- is due to arrive in the first half of 2009 and is slated to deliver
major advancements in mission-critical data center technologies, UNIX*
migration, virtualization, interoperability, green computing and desktop
Linux. More information on SUSE Linux Enterprise can be found at
http://www.novell.com/linux.



About Novell


Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) delivers the best engineered, most
interoperable Linux platform and a portfolio of integrated IT management
software that helps customers around the world reduce cost, complexity and
risk. With our infrastructure software and ecosystem of partnerships, Novell
harmoniously integrates mixed IT environments, allowing people and technology
to work as one. For more information, visit http://www.novell.com.



Novell and SUSE are registered trademarks and BrainShare is a registered
service mark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *Linux
is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other third-party trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.



SOURCE  Novell, Inc.