The Subscription Management Tool (SMT) for SUSE® Linux Enterprise helps customers manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates while maintaining corporate firewall policy or regulatory compliance requirements, as well as addresses any bandwidth concerns arising from the software update process due to repeated downloads.
SMT is a package proxy system that is integrated with Novell Customer Center (NCC) and provides key NCC capabilities locally at the customer site. It provides a repository and registration target that is synchronized with NCC, thus maintaining all the capabilities of the NCC while allowing a more secure centralized deployment.
SMT allows customers to provision updates for SUSE Linux Enterprise devices (server, desktop, or POS terminal). 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, can avoid bandwidth constraints stemming from repeated download of the same updates by each device.
By using SMT, a customer can easily determine how many entitlements are pending renewal at the end of their billing cycle without having to physically walk through the data center to manually update spreadsheets. The same entitlement information is also available through the customer's NCC account to completely streamline the process.
SMT provides an infrastructure for several hundred SUSE Linux Enterprise devices per-SMT server installation instance, ensuring more accurate and efficient server tracking.
SMT supports fully disconnected operations at highly secure sites, such as installations at military or other highly classified deployments.
SMT can be utilized with any SUSE Linux Enterprise software deployment from Novell that is updated through nu.novell.com, beginning with the SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 Service Pack 2 (SLE 10 SP2) family of products and future releases.
Novell recommends deploying the SLE 10 SP2 and simultaneously deploying SMT where desired.
Installing SMT is optional for customers and although end-user experience remains the same, SMT improves the interaction among SUSE Linux Enterprise devices within the network and how they receive their system updates.
SMT is available as a download to customers with an active SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) subscription and is fully supported. It is packaged as an add-on product to be installed on an SLES 10 SP3 server. Any SLE 10 SP2 product updated from nu.novell.com can be locally supported via an SMT server.