Novell Shareware - News

Novell Delivers SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 Enhancements in Service Pack 2

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:20 UT

New Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise to help customers better manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates

Novell announced the availability to customers worldwide of SUSE® 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® 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®, 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 www.novell.com/linux.

Source: novell.com

Novell Announces SUSE Appliance Program

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:06:37 UT

Novell also announces beta availability of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS; enterprise-caliber 'Just enough Operating System' will be foundation of Novell's appliance strategy.

Novell announced the creation of the SUSE® Appliance Program to enable independent software vendors (ISVs) to create appliances combining their applications with the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform in one integrated package for end-customer deployment. Novell also announced the beta release of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS, a minimized version of the award-winning SUSE Linux Enterprise platform that ISVs can use as a platform for creating appliances. As a result, ISVs will realize simplified application deployment and support while dramatically reducing development costs and easing deployment of applications by end customers.

“IDC believes software appliances will play an important role in the future of application deployments,” said Al Gillen, research vice president, System Software, at IDC. “Software appliances empower ISVs to deliver a fully configured, optimized software stack that incorporates the operating system, lower-level infrastructure products and applications in a unified, easily managed package. This emerging form factor ensures seamless interaction between the operating system and the application, and directly leverages the virtual infrastructure that customers are putting in place today. We expect the endorsement of major operating systems vendors such as Novell will help accelerate both the awareness and the adoption of software appliances.”

The SUSE Appliance Program will enable ISVs to bundle their applications with customized versions of the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform and to deliver the bundle as a software appliance, which can be run natively on x86-based hardware, or as a virtual appliance, which includes a paravirtualized kernel designed to deliver optimal performance in a virtualized environment. Virtual appliances built in the SUSE Appliance Program will run on customers' choice of hypervisor, including Xen*, VMware* ESX and Microsoft* Hyper-V, as both a paravirtualized and fully virtualized guest.

Through the SUSE Appliance Program, Novell will collaborate with ISVs to develop the technology necessary to deliver applications in appliance format. IDC estimates the appliance market will be nearly $700 million in 2011. In the coming months, Novell will release several new components of the SUSE Appliance Program, including a new automated tool to build appliances.

Nat Friedman, chief technology and strategy officer for open source at Novell, said, “Virtualization and the appliance model are simplifying the task of distributing applications to end customers. We've heard from multiple ISVs that they want to deploy their application in an appliance. Our SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS release is a perfect platform for creating and distributing ISV applications. With today's announcement of the beta release of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS and an accompanying early adopter program, we are inviting ISVs to try SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS and help us build the perfect platform and practices for appliance deployment.”
Just enough Operating System

SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS – or “just enough operating system” – is a minimized edition of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server which ISVs can use as a starting point for developing appliances. SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS is built from the same codebase as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and applications certified to run on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server will carry that certification onto the JeOS platform, as well. As a result, ISVs can more easily support the complete appliance for their enterprise customers.

In addition, Novell announced today it will officially participate in the LimeJeOS project, which is an existing community-led project building a minimized version of the openSUSE® Linux* distribution.

The term JeOS refers to a customized operating system that precisely fits the needs of a particular application. The application's OS requirements can be determined manually or with an analytical tool. JeOS includes only the pieces of an operating system required to support a particular application and any other third-party components contained in the appliance. This makes the appliance more efficient, smaller, more secure and higher performing than an application running under a full, general-purpose operating system.

A key component of the SUSE Appliance Program, the beta release of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS is available in several virtual image formats, including VMware VMDK, Xen and as a raw hard disk image. A Microsoft VHD format of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS is planned for release later this year after Microsoft releases Hyper-V.
ISV support

Novell has started an early adopter program for ISVs who are already working with SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS.

George Mooseiner, CEO of SEP, said, “The SUSE Appliance Program offers the innovation and flexibility we need to develop and bundle our SEP sesam Backup & Disaster Recovery applications in either physical or virtual environments. The ability to do so with the virtualization capabilities of SUSE Linux Enterprise addresses what customers require in simplifying application deployments and reducing overall costs.”

Vijay Prasanna Pullur, CTO of Pramati Technologies, said, “The SUSE Appliance Program offers Pramati the flexibility we need to develop and bundle our middleware/application stack in either physical or virtual environments. The ability to do so with a customized operating system that precisely fits the needs of a particular application allows us to simplify customer application deployments and reduce costs.”
Availability

A beta version of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS is available for download at www.novell.com/linux/appliance. Details about becoming an early adopter in the SUSE Appliance Program can also be found at that site. The production version of SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS is scheduled for release later this year. LimeJeOS is available at www.opensuse.org/limejeos.

SUSE Linux Enterprise is the best-engineered, most interoperable platform for mission-critical computing from the desktop to the data center. For more information on SUSE Linux Enterprise offerings from Novell®, visit 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 www.novell.com.

Novell, openSUSE and SUSE are registered trademarks 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.com

Microsoft and Novell Provide Renault with Interoperability

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:55:50 UT

Microsoft Corp. and Novell today announced that French carmaker Renault has joined the growing ranks of customers taking advantage of the two companies' cooperation to deliver greater interoperability between Microsoft® Windows® and SUSE® Linux Enterprise. Under the agreement, Microsoft will deliver to Renault more than 1,000 certificates for priority support subscriptions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from Novell®, as Renault consolidates existing Linux* distributions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with the goal of improving interoperability and taking better advantage of virtualization.

“Working with Microsoft to jointly build and support solutions to improve interoperability and deliver powerful new virtualization capabilities is paying great dividends for our customers,” said Susan Heystee, vice president and general manager of global strategic alliances for Novell. “Increasing the presence of SUSE Linux Enterprise in the data center, well integrated with a Microsoft Windows environment, will enhance the deployment of applications and increase the competitive advantage of innovative companies. With growing marketplace understanding of the solutions we are providing to the interoperability challenges in a world of mixed-source software, we expect to continue to see growth of SUSE Linux Enterprise in the market.”

“Customers have asked for solutions to make Microsoft products work better with other platforms and for IP assurance that enables vendors to build technical bridges,” said Susan Hauser, general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft. “We are pleased to provide this real-world, pragmatic solution to customers, such as Renault.”

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) delivers infrastructure software for the Open Enterprise. Novell is a leader in desktop to data center operating systems based on Linux and the software required to secure and manage mixed IT environments. Novell helps customers around the world minimize cost, complexity and risk, allowing them to focus on innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.novell.com.
Microsoft, Windows and Active Directory are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Novell and SUSE are registered trademarks 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.com

News

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:47:49 UT