SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop

Features and Benefits

SUSE® Linux Enterprise Desktop is the market's only enterprise-quality Linux desktop that's ready for routine business use. Developed and backed by Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop provides market-leading usability, seamless interoperability with existing enterprise computer systems, and dozens of essential office applications. It also delivers unparalleled levels of flexibility for desktop clients. You can deploy it as a general-purpose desktop, use it in thin- or thick-client configurations (for example, kiosks and cash registers), or rely on it for high-end engineering workstations. With SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, your business can dramatically reduce costs, improve end-user security and increase workforce productivity.

Market-leading Usability

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop provides market-leading usability with the following features:

Intuitive User Interface

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop was carefully developed using a "Design First" methodology. Novell engineers conducted hundreds of usability tests and shot almost 1500 hours of usability video during the design phase of the project. They used their results—and integrated beta customer feedback—to deliver an easy-to-use graphical interface, integrated search capabilities and an intuitive menu design.

Beagle Integrated Search Tool

New integrated search capabilities, powered by Beagle, provide real-time indexing throughout your entire desktop, delivering easy and fast access to all content. Your users no longer need to worry about where and when they stored their work. Simple keyword searches return all documents, applications, e-mails, instant messages and recent web searches in a single results window. The time-consuming activity of searching for data is gone forever.

Enhanced 3-D Accelerated Graphics

Novell added graphics capabilities to the desktop to help your users achieve new levels of productivity. Through Novell contributions (i.e., Xgl and 'Compiz') to the open source graphics subsystem, users get the latest functionality in SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. Key features include:

• Application tiling, which provides a snapshot of what you're using
• Alt-tabbing, which includes thumbnail views of open applications
• 3-D spinning cube, which increases your workspace size

Seamless Interoperability

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop interoperates with existing IT systems, making it easier for you to leverage your current technology investments. We designed SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop to easily coexist with Windows, Mac, UNIX and other operating systems. In fact, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is the most interoperable Linux desktop available today. It works seamlessly with Novell GroupWise and Microsoft Exchange collaboration servers, and it connects to Lotus Notes and IBM Notes plug-in for Workplace client technology. It is also fully compatible with Microsoft Active Directory and other networking and directory standards. Key interoperability features include:

OpenOffice.org Novell Edition with Microsoft File Compatibility and OpenDocument Support

Novell is a top contributor to the OpenOffice.org project and the first organization to implement the OpenOffice.org VB macro interpreter. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop offers a complete office suite of productivity applications–all 100-percent compatible with Microsoft Office.

OpenOffice.org Novell Edition fully supports Office Open XML and the OpenDocument file format, the new public standard for document files. OpenDocument is a public standard maintained by the open source community. The information saved in your OpenOffice.org Novell Edition spreadsheets, documents and presentations is also freely accessible to any other application that supports the OpenDocument format.

Hardware Plug-n-Play

New hardware support for USB and Bluetooth provides an intuitive and easy-to-use hot-plug system for peripheral devices. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports USB device detection and installation for:

• Firewire
• Printers (local and remote)
• Laptop port replicators and laptop docking stations (laptop user support)
• Mice, scanners, digital cameras and portable music players (Apple iPod)
• Additional Bluetooth support includes phones and other devices

Multimedia Support

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop includes RealPlayer from RealNetworks and other easy-to-use open source and proprietary media players. They make it easy to view multimedia files and streaming audio or video feeds, create CDs or DVDs, and more.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports the following audio file formats (pending licenses):

• MPEG
• Windows Media Audio (wma)
• Apple Audio Codec (aac)
• Ogg Vorbis (ogg)
• RealAudio (ram)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports the following video file formats (pending licenses):

• MPEG
• Apple QuickTime (Sorenson and mov)
• Windows Media Video (wmv and avi)
• RealVideo
• Ogg Theora (ogg)
• Windows Streaming Media

Printer Standards Support

Standard print services are now supported through Novell iPrint. This includes automatic driver downloads and installation, location-based printing and Microsoft-based network printing.

Local File System Support

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports most Linux file systems as well as Microsoft FAT, NTFS, and Mac HPFS (read-only).

Network File Standards Support

Standard file protocols provide connectivity to all stored data. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports the following network file standards and software:

• FTP
• NFS for nix connectivity
• CIFS for Windows and Novell Open Enterprise Server connectivity
• NCP for NetWare® and Novell Open Enterprise Server connectivity
• Novell iFolder® v2 and v3

Network Standards Support

Improved network support in SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop allows your users to continue using their current networks, and it provides the same standards for security, whether users are running Novell eDirectory™ or Microsoft Active Directory. In addition, new wireless network capabilities allow your users to easily access available wireless networks–both secure and open.

Dozens of Productivity Applications

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop allows users to become highly productive from the start. Key productivity applications include:

OpenOffice.org Novell Edition

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop includes OpenOffice.org Novell Edition, a complete office suite of productivity applications that are compatible with the Microsoft Office file format. OpenOffice.org Novell Edition features word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database applications.

Novell Evolution Collaboration Suite

Novell Evolution is the most widely used Linux e-mail collaboration client in the world and ships with all the leading commercial Linux distributions. Designed for enterprise users who oversee large volumes of e-mail, Novell Evolution offers complete e-mail management, including the unique vFolder technology from Novell that allows your users to create powerful contextual views of inbound and outbound e-mail. Novell Evolution features direct connections to Novell GroupWise®, Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003, Lotus Notes and any collaboration server that supports the IMAP and POP3 standards.

Gaim, Kopete, and Pidgin Instant Messaging

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop includes Gaim, Kopete, and Pidgin for instant messaging. All three support popular public IM networks such as AOL, MSN, Jabber and Yahoo!. Gaim also supports Novell GroupWise Instant Messaging, offering security and control by keeping the messaging system both encrypted and inside the company. Your employees can only chat with co-workers, which adds a layer of protection to sensitive information.

Mozilla Firefox Web Browser

The Mozilla Firefox web browser is sponsored by the Mozilla Foundation and has been downloaded over 500 million times. Its broad standards support and compatibility features enable it to work with many Web pages and applications that would otherwise require Microsoft Internet Explorer.

F-Spot Photo Library Management

F-Spot is an open source project focused on developing the highest-quality photo-management application. With advanced support for photo import, publishing, cataloging and editing, F-Spot delivers full-scale photo management that is completely integrated into the Linux desktop.

Banshee Music Management

Banshee is a music-management tool that provides you with everything you need to use and manage your music collection. You can use Banshee to:

• Import CDs
• Manage your music library
• Play music
• Create and maintain playlists
• Synchronize music with iPod devices
• Play music directly from iPod devices
• Create audio and mp3 CDs

Tomboy Notes Application

Tomboy is a desktop note-taking application for Linux and UNIX. You can use Tomboy to easily organize ideas, create to-do lists and keep track of important information.

Easy Deployment and Maintenance

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is designed to be the easiest enterprise Linux desktop to deploy and maintain. Key features that allow for easy desktop deployment and maintenance include:

YaST

YaST is a comprehensive installation, configuration and administration suite unique to the SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform. YaST gives your administrators an easy way to manage desktop configurations, end-user settings and connectivity to network resources.

AutoYaST

AutoYaST is a time-saving deployment tool that provides unattended and automated installation. With AutoYaST, your administrators can create a consistent baseline configuration for new installations in large or expanding deployments.

Support for Novell ZENworks® Linux Management

Novell ZENworks Linux Management complements YaST by enabling IT administrators to centrally control how they deploy and update their entire data center–including all systems inside the firewall. With this powerful Linux management tool, you can realize significant IT savings for desktops installed, deployed and managed in a variety of settings.

Robust Software Development Kit (SDK)

Novell offers a comprehensive software development kit (SDK) for rapid delivery of Linux desktop applications. The SDK features complete documentation and tools. Desktop APIs are documented, and your developers can write Linux desktop applications in C/C++, Java, Perl, Python and C#.

Multilingual Support

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop supports single- and double-byte character sets and provides a strong localization for the desktop environment and office productivity suite in the following languages:

• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)
• Japanese
• Korean**
  **Language support will be available soon.

Security

As an open source operating system, Linux is inherently more secure than other operating systems. Novell strengthens Linux further by including the AppArmor® application-security solution as part of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. AppArmor creates a firewall around any Linux program and manages applications by preventing unauthorized access. It can easily contain malicious programs and thwart attempted disruptions, including zero-day attacks. As a result, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is the most secure desktop on the market.

Take a Closer Look

• Use the Reviewers Guide to guide your exploration of all the features of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in greater detail.
• Want to see SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in action? Check out the product presentation and demos.

Talk to us about SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10.