Suse Linux Enterprise Server 9 Reviewer/'s Guide
SUSE LINUX
®
Enterprise Server 9
w w w. n o v e l l . c o m
R E V I E W E R S G U I D E
Table of Contents
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9
2
O V E R V I E W
2
Q U I C K P R O F I L E
3
K E Y F E AT U R E S
4
P L AT F O R M S U P P O R T
5
B E N C H M A R K S
5
A B O U T N O V E L L
5
P R E S S C O N TA C T S
SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9
2
Overview
SUSE® LINUX Enterprise Server 9 from Novell® is a Linux* server operating system that offers
comprehensive open source application services, support for leading application and
hardware solutions, and end-to-end management capabilities. Backed by a worldwide
ecosystem of Novell support engineers, consultants and business partners, SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9 delivers superior performance and scalability and provides customers
with a reliable Linux foundation.
Q U I C K P R O F I L E
Why Choose Novell for Linux?
Product
• Linux servers and desktops are built for
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9
scalability and reliability
• Unique systems-management capabilities
Announcement date
and a common code base reduce the total
August 3, 2004
cost of ownership
• Help from the largest technical support
Availability date
ecosystem for Linux—when you need it
August 2004
• Indemnification—not just warranty protection
Key benefits
• Unparalleled commitment to Linux and
open source
• Secure, reliable platform for open source
computing in the enterprise
Pricing
• Unmatched system manageability that lowers
Yearly maintenance service subscription for
the cost of ownership
x86 architectures starts at $349 USD per server
• Industry-leading scalability and reliability
with two CPUs.
that enable mission-critical deployments
• Strongest security capabilities that ensure
Supported languages
data privacy
English, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese,
• Novell backing that empowers businesses
Italian, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese
to deploy Linux with confidence
and Korean (among others)
SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9
3
Platform support
Unmatched security
• x86
When SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 8 was certified
• AMD64* and Intel* Extended Memory 64
as compliant with Common Criteria Evaluation
Technology
Assurance Level (EAL) 3+, it was the highest security
• Intel* Itanium* Processor Family
certification ever awarded to a Linux operating
• IBM* POWER*
system. Now, SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is
• IBM* zSeries*
being evaluated for compliance with the EAL 4+.
• IBM* S/390*
To merit this exceptional rating, SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9 is developed in a secure
Additional Information
environment and provides essential security
http://www.novell.com/products/
capabilities such as encryption, security certificate
linuxenterpriseserver/
creation and management, user authentication and
K E Y F E AT U R E S
access control, and firewall and proxy management.
Industry-leading performance and scalability
Unique deployment and systems-
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is the first
management capabilities
enterprise-class Linux server built on the new
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 simplifies
Linux 2.6 kernel, offering unmatched performance
management with YaST, a comprehensive installation,
and scalability for large-scale Linux deployments.
configuration and administration suite unique to
With advanced memory management and processor
SUSE LINUX. YaST gives IT administrators a common
support, Native Posix Thread Library (NPTL),
foundation for managing not just operating system
advanced I/O capabilities and the unique class-
components but also accompanying services such
based kernel resource management (CKRM) feature,
as a DNS server, an Apache Web server or even
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 offers the industry’s
third-party applications. Novell ZENworks® Linux
best performance and linear scalability.
Management complements YaST by enabling IT
administrators to centrally control how they
High availability and reliability
deploy and update systems inside the firewall.
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is architected
By using YaST and integrating ZENworks Linux
for mission-critical use and minimal downtime.
Management, administrators can easily install,
With its high-availability features, IT administrators
configure, update, secure and manage SUSE LINUX
can rely on Hotplug services; change hard disks,
Enterprise Server 9.
processors and other periphery at runtime; cluster
IP aliases for non-cluster-aware applications;
Comprehensive open-source functionality
and use the administration console to configure
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 offers a wealth
clustered-server deployments.
of built-in functionality, including a relational
SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9
4
database and numerous file, print, Web application
Backed by Novell
and networking services. YaST makes it easy to
Novell brings a complete enterprise software
configure these services via its graphical interface
ecosystem to Linux, providing technical support,
or through scripted automation.
training, consulting, indemnification and the
extended partner network that IT buyers demand
Flexible enterprise storage and
virtualization capabilities
when deploying a strategic platform. Novell SUSE
LINUX products are built for performance
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 supports
and reliability and are backed by hundreds of
numerous file systems, network-based storage and
software engineers, support staff and consultants
a new Enterprise Volume Manager, which enable
who are dedicated to Linux, open source and
administrators to deploy SUSE LINUX Enterprise
customer success.
Server 9 in any IT setting. SUSE LINUX Enterprise
Server 9 also supports User-Mode Linux; now
P L AT F O R M S U P P O R T
administrators can easily test disparate Linux
x86
configurations and use virtualization to distribute
The x86 platform, the most common personal
different deployments on the same hardware.
computer hardware platform, is the basis for chips
Broad platform support, built from a
from Intel, AMD, VIA and Transmeta. Supported
common code base
processors include Intel Pentium* and Xeon*
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 supports a
processors, AMD Athlon and K7 series, and the
broad range of hardware architectures including
AMD Opteron and Athlon64 chips in 32-bit mode.
x86, AMD64 and Intel EM64T, as well as the Intel
Itanium Processor Family, IBM POWER, IBM zSeries
x86-64 (AMD-64)
and IBM S/390. For IT managers, this provides
The x86-64 architecture was created by AMD,
flexibility and cost savings, delivering a common
is a 64-bit extension of the x86 platform and runs
operating system, consistent management tools,
32-bit legacy code. Supported processors include
uniform standards support and software updates
the AMD Athlon64 and Opteron and the forthcoming
across all Linux deployments.
Intel Xeon EM64T.
Note that not all 32-bit applications are
Developer productivity
certified to run perfectly in this environment;
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 supports a
check with your ISV or perform extensive testing
variety of open development tools and runtime
before deployment.
environments. Developers, customers and
independent software vendors (ISVs) can use
Ptanium Processor Family
these tools to quickly customize and develop
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server supports the Itanium
Linux-compatible applications.
Processor Family, a 64-bit platform from Intel and
SUSE LINUX
Enterprise Server 9
5
HP that includes an emulator for x86 32-bit
B E N C H M A R K S
hardware. Because 32-bit support relies on an
http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/
emulator, its performance can suffer; however,
press_releases/archive04/nec_tpc.html
64-bit performance benefits from a clean break
http://www.suse.com/us/company/press/
with the x86 platform.
press_releases/archive04/nec.html
IBM POWER (iSeries and pSeries systems)
A B O U T N O V E L L
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is available
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) is a leading provider of
for 64-bit POWER series hardware. The IBM
information solutions that deliver secure identity
POWER 64-bit architecture is used in systems
management (Novell Nsure™), Web application
from Apple and IBM. It supports execution of
development (Novell exteNd™) and cross-platform
code built for the 32-bit edition of the POWER
networking services (Novell Nterprise™), all
platform. POWER systems include IBM iSeries
supported by strategic consulting and professional
and pSeries servers.
services (Novell NgageSM). Active in the open source
community with its Ximian® and SUSE LINUX brands,
IBM zSeries (S/390x)
Novell provides a full range of Linux products and
The IBM zSeries is a 64-bit platform mostly
services for the enterprise, from the desktop to
used in the S/390x mainframe series. zSeries
the server. The Novell vision of one Net—a world
hardware can also run code built for the earlier
without information boundaries—helps customers
31-bit S/390 systems. SUSE LINUX Enterprise
realize the value of their information securely
Server running on zSeries hardware can be used
and economically. For more information, call the
for zVM and LPAR virtualization of both 31-bit
Novell Customer Response Center at (888) 321-
and 64-bit systems.
4CRC (4272) or visit http://www.novell.com.
IBM S/390 (31-bit)
Press should visit http://www.novell.com/
pressroom.
The IBM S/390 architecture uses 31 bits,
rather than the more common 32. In these
P R E S S C O N TA C T S
systems, the thirty-second processor bit is used
Marissa Krupa
by the chip itself instead of being made available
E-mail: kmk@novell.com
to the software. SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is
Phone: 415-591-6614
available in a 31-bit compile for S/390 mainframes.
SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 on S/390 hardware
Martina Krahmer
can be used for zVM and LPAR virtualization of
E-mail: martina.krahmer@suse.com
31-bit systems only.
Phone: + 49 911 74 053 507
© 2004 Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.
Novell, the Novell logo, Ximian and
ZENworksare registered trademarks;
exteNd, Nsure, Nterprise and the N
logo are trademarks; and Ngage is a
service mark of Novell, Inc. in the
United States and other countries.
SUSE is a registered trademark of
SUSE LINUX AG, a Novell business.
*Linux is a registered trademark of
Linus Torvalds. AMD is a trademark
of Advanced Micro Devices. Intel,
Itanium and Pentium are registered
trademarks and Xeon is a trademark
of Intel Corporation. IBM, zSeries,
and S/390 are registered trademarks
and POWER is a trademark of IBM
Corporation. All other third-party
trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
Disclaimer: Novell, Inc. makes no
representations or warranties with
respect to the contents or use of this
document and specifically disclaims
any express or implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for any
particular purpose.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced, photocopied, stored on a
retrieval system or transmitted without
the express written consent of Novell, Inc.
Novell Product Training
and Support Services
For more information about
Novell’s worldwide product
training, certification programs,
consulting and technical support
services, please visit:
www.novell.com/ngage
For More Information
Contact your local
Novell Solutions Provider,
or visit the Novell Web site at:
www.novell.com
You may also call Novell at:
1 888 321 4272 US/Canada
1 801 861 4272 Worldwide
1 801 861 8473 Facsimile
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