SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Comparisons
Compare Linux Servers
Solaris
The server comparison table below lists some advantages of running SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server 10 over Solaris 10 on x86.
| Area of Comparison | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 | Solaris 10 on x86 |
| Compare Application Availability | When deciding between Linux and Solaris, make sure you consider the availability of the applications you need to run your business. With SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, more than 4,000 software applications are available and certified, including popular open source applications as well as proprietary applications from leading software vendors such as SAP, Oracle and IBM. | Solaris 10 on x86 has seen limited application availability to date. Many software vendors providing SPARC-based versions of their applications for Solaris have not ported those applications to x86 yet. |
| Compare Ecosystem | When you consider Linux vs. Solaris, you should consider the impact of a vibrant ecosystem. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server has a clear advantage over Solaris 10 on x86 with respect to the size and vitality of its ecosystem. Novell has developed partnerships and support relationships with leading hardware vendors such as IBM, HP, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Fujitsu Computer Systems, SGI and many others. We also offer a network of hundreds of services and solutions partners that can help you design, implement, manage and optimize your mixed source environment based on open source and proprietary components. In addition, Linux offers a much larger open source community than does OpenSolaris, providing time-to-market advantages in new feature development and bug fixes. | To date, Sun has not been able to create the same kind of ecosystem for Solaris 10 on x86 that it has for Solaris on SPARC. Sun does not have the widespread hardware and software vendor support for Solaris 10 on x86 that Novell offers for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. This means that Solaris customers have relatively little choice in how they deploy Solaris 10 and which applications and workloads they can run on it. Ultimately this lack of choice reduces the flexibility and value of Solaris, preventing customers from achieving the business agility and cost efficiencies they are seeking. |
| Compare Hardware Availability | The breadth of hardware and processor architectures on which you can run SUSE Linux Enterprise Server gives it a dramatic advantage over Solaris. From x86 and x86-64 servers, blades, clusters and grids to POWER and Itanium based systems to IBM System z mainframes, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is a powerful operating system that gives you the flexibility to take full advantage of your current and future hardware. | In comparison, Solaris 10 is only supported on SPARC and x86, with very limited x86 support by hardware vendors other than Sun. This limitation restricts how and where customers can deploy Solaris, and positions it as a niche operating system rather than an enterprise-wide platform. |
| Compare Virtualization |
There is a dramatic difference between Linux and Solaris when it comes to how they provide virtualization capabilities. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP4 supports Xen 3.2 virtualization on both 32- and 64-bit x86-based architectures with the capability to host 32-bit virtual machines on 64-bit virtualization host servers. SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4 with Xen hypervisor fully supports:
|
By comparison, Solaris 10 Container technology provides some virtualization capabilities, but they differ from those of Xen. Containers isolate separate application and user stack environments on top of a single operating system image. In contrast, Xen provides isolation by running separate instances of one or more instances of various operating systems eg. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, MS Windows and NetWare. |
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
When you compare Linux servers from different providers, you should consider factors such as interoperability, technical support and cost of ownership. Novell offers greater customer value than Red Hat along each of these dimensions.
| Area of Comparison | Novell / SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 |
Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 |
| Compare Interoperability |
You have a variety of platforms in your organization and you need those technologies to work well together today and in the future. Now they can, when you bring Windows and Linux together securely and reliably with SUSE Linux Enterprise. SUSE Linux Enterprise is the fundamental building block of the next generation data center. It's the only Linux distribution that Microsoft officially recommends for customers who want Windows and Linux solutions. And the only Linux with complete support from both Novell and Microsoft. Microsoft and Novell deliver powerful, cross-platform virtualization solutions that allow SUSE Linux Enterprise Server to run as an "enlightened" (or paravirtualized) guest on Windows Server 2008 and allow Windows Server 2008 to run as an enlightened guest on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. The two companies also provide joint customer support for customers that run this virtualization solution. Giving customers the ability to manage their mixed-IT environments of physical and virtual systems with common tools is another area of focus. Novell and Microsoft are working together to develop standards-based systems management solutions. We are developing an open source implementation of the WS-MAN specification, which allows you to use Microsoft System Center and Novell ZENworks® to manage both Windows and Linux environments. Novell and Microsoft also collaborate on identity and directory management, providing technologies that facilitate interoperability between Microsoft Active Directory and Novell's eDirectory™. In addition, Novell Access Manager supports the WS-Federation protocol. The resulting solution gives you the ability to utilize a common authentication method against Windows and non-Windows environments. |
Red Hat does not perform significant technical collaboration with any other major operating system vendor, limiting its ability to help customers build flexible and interoperable computing environments. In the area of virtualization, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux supports Windows guests, it cannot offer the high levels of performance for running virtualized Windows guests that SUSE Linux Enterprise Server offers. For example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux does not allow customers to run Windows operating systems as "enlightened" virtual guests, which is required for maximum performance. And Red Hat customers cannot receive support from Microsoft for their Windows virtual machines running on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux host. In heterogeneous systems management, Red Hat offers no comparable cross-platform solutions. And while Red Hat supports Samba, this does not match the value that Novell will be delivering through its interoperable identity solutions with Microsoft. |
| Compare Technical Support | Novell is widely acknowledged to offer the highest quality Linux support in the industry. In a recent survey of more than 500 customers conducted by independent research firm Lighthouse Research, customers demonstrated higher satisfaction with Novell's Linux support than with Red Hat's Linux support. Customers rated Novell's overall quality of service at 7.09 vs. Red Hat's at 6.56. They also rated Novell's support for mixed-platform environments (open source and proprietary software) at 7.10 vs. Red Hat's at 6.50. In addition, the Association of Support Professionals has named Novell as a "Best Web Support" winner for 2007, while the Help Desk Institute has honored Novell with its "Team Excellence Award for External Support." These awards reflect Novell's commitment to customer success and our more than 20 years of experience in providing and supporting enterprise operating systems. | Red Hat has not been providing enterprise technical support for as long as Novell and has not received the same industry praise for its support. |
| Compare Cost of Ownership | Cost of ownership is an important factor for any server deployment. Novell provides the lowest cost, highest value Linux operating system in the industry. Each subscription includes SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, AppArmor® application security, the Xen virtualization hypervisor and support for many guest operating systems, award-winning support, and vouchers for training or consulting services. And yet Novell customers still save money versus competing offerings. For customers running a 1-2 socket server with up to 4 virtual machine guests, a 3-year SUSE Linux Enterprise Server standard subscription costs 12% less than a comparable Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription. And for servers with more than 2 sockets or running more than 4 guests, the difference is even more dramatic, with a 3-year SUSE Linux Enterprise Server standard subscription costing 53% less than a comparable Red Hat subscription. | For customers running servers with more than 2 sockets or more than 4 virtual guests, the cost of a 3-year Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform subscription is more than $4,200 for a standard subscription or more than $7,100 for a premium subscription—nearly twice the cost of a base Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription, and much more than the cost of comparable Novell product subscriptions. |
| Compare Security |
When you compare Linux servers, you need to consider the cost of keep them secure. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server provides enterprise application security at no extra cost. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with AppArmor security technology provides excellent protection from security intruders for all applications. It is especially important for those applications facing the Internet.
|
Red Hat is attempting to adapt SELinux, a mandatory access control (MAC) open source project, for the enterprise. However, developers and customers are struggling with the complexity inherent in SELinux. SELinux security policies are often too strict, taxing applications to the breaking point. Customers react by turning off SELinux security. RHEL 5 is also certified with the CAPP at EAL 4+. |
Windows Server
When you compare Linux operating systems to Windows, you should consider factors such as cost of ownership, security and virtualization. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server offers greater customer value than Windows Server along each of these dimensions.
| Area of Comparison | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 | Windows Server 2008 |
| Compare Cost of Ownership |
When you compare the cost of Linux servers to Windows servers, you'll find that Novell provides the lowest cost, highest value operating system in the industry. Each subscription includes SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, AppArmor security technology, Xen hypervisor technology, technical support and vouchers for training or consulting services. There is no license cost for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. The cost of a basic product subscription, which includes maintenance updates and product enhancements, is US$349 / €290 for 1 year. There are no fees for client access to services running on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Unlimited technical support starts at an additional US$450 / €374 for 1 year. |
The list price of a Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition license is US$3,999 which includes 25 Client Access Licenses (CALs). Additional packs of 5 CALs cost US$199. A Windows Server 2008 CAL is required for each user or device that accesses or uses the server software. Existing Windows Server 2003 CALs cannot be used with Windows Server 2008. Software Assurance, which includes product enhancements and a small amount of technical support, costs 25 percent of the total license fees for Windows Server and Windows Server CALs, and is charged annually. Technical support for Windows Server can be purchased per incident, which starts at US$259 during business hours, or in a package such as Essential Support which starts at US$8,299. |
| Compare Enterprise Security |
Every Windows vs. Linux server comparison has to include the essential factor of security. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server provides enterprise security at no extra cost, through AppArmor application level security technology. AppArmor gives you network application security via mandatory access control for programs, protecting against the exploitation of software flaws and compromised systems. AppArmor includes everything you need to provide effective containment for programs (including those that run as root) to thwart attempted exploits and even zero-day attacks. AppArmor offers an advanced toolset that largely automates the development of per-program application security so that no new expertise is required. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is certified to be compliant with the Common Criteria (CC) Controlled Access Protection Profile (CAPP) at Evaluation Assurance Level 4 with augmentations (EAL 4+) for the x86-64, POWER/ppc, and s390x architectures—from SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Service Pack 4 onward. Click here for Certification Report. |
Windows operating systems have a long history of security flaws, many built into Internet Explorer, IIS, Active X, and other components. These flaws have resulted in billions of dollars in lost business due to downtime required for patching, installing, security service packs and taking other measures. Windows Server 2003 is certified with the CAPP at EAL 4+. |
| Compare Virtualization |
Take a look at the virtualization capabilities in both when you do compare Linux servers to Windows. Xen hypervisor technology is included with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP4. Guest operating systems available with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP4 and Xen include SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP4, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1/SP2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft XP, Windows 2008 as well as NetWare 6.5 SP7/SP8 (as part of Novell Open Enterprise Server 2). Up to 64 virtual machines (VM) can be run on a single physical machine. Symmetric multi-processor (SMP) VM is supported. |
Microsoft has stated that Hyper-V will be available within 180 days of the release of Windows Server 2008. Virtual Server 2005 R2 (not hypervisor technology) is available via download, but no support is included. Windows operating systems are guests with Virtual Server 2005 R2. Microsoft will also support Linux guests with Linux plugins, including SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10. Windows Server 2003 supports four VMs. Virtual Server 2005 R2 supports SMP by virtualizing a uniprocessor configuration in the VM environment (no SMP for virtual CPUs). The Virtual Server 2005 Management Pack enables users to monitor physical computers running Virtual Server 2005 R2 and VMs. |
openSUSE
To many observers, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and openSUSE® appear to offer very similar features. So the question often arises "Which one should I choose?"
The answer is quite straightforward. If you are a business looking to deploy a hardened, supported operating system that is capable of running corporate IT applications, then SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is the right choice. If, however, you are a Linux enthusiast looking to evaluate some of the latest "bleeding edge" Linux technologies (perhaps not quite ready for prime time) then openSUSE (formerly known as SUSE Linux) would better suit your needs. Let's do a Linux server comparison between these two SUSE Linux offerings.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is Supported (what that really means)
It's easy to say that the key difference between the versions is that SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is supported, and openSUSE is not. But it's important to understand what that really means to really compare and appreciate the difference. Let's take a look at what it means to you when a world-class corporation like Novell stands behind a product like SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server passes through rigorous quality assurance procedures before it is released. These test include months of regression testing of the open source projects included in the distribution, months of performing test cases of 3rd-party applications like Oracle and SAP, months of hardware tests on all the major processor architectures. All with purpose of delivering an operating system of the utmost stability and reliability.
"Support" is a guarantee that right from the start if you have issues with installation you can call.
"Support" is also a guarantee that certified hardware has been rigorously tested to work with the operating system. (And if it doesn't work, you have the right to place a support call.)
Similarly "support" also means that 3rd-party applications like Oracle or SAP have also been certified to work with the distribution. Again if you find this not to be the case, you again have the right to place a support call. (Check the Partner Product Guide to find applications that are certified to work with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.)
Once your system is up and running, "support" means that you are entitled to automatically receive OS updates via Novell Customer Center for the length of your subscription, ensuring that your operating system maintains its superior levels of reliability and performance. During this time, should a security vulnerability be discovered and a patch produced, "support" ensures that you automatically get that patch too!
Finally "support" also ensures that any Novell training or consulting offerings that are available have been developed specifically for the hardened, stable, and tested platform.
So support doesn't just mean telephone technical support. It means you've got Novell on your side.
Comparison of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and openSUSE
Here's a look at the different features and benefits you'll find in the two versions.
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server | openSUSE | |
| Products | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 | openSUSE |
| Target users | IT professionals looking for a hardened, supported Linux platform | Linux technical enthusiasts, or community developers |
| Release Strategy | Major release every 2-3 years; service pack release every 9-12 months | Eight months |
| Technical Support | 60-day installation support, plus comprehensive optional support offerings, available in flexible configurations | 60 days of installation support for boxed version |
| Printed Manuals | Yes | Yes |
| Security Patches | Yes | Yes |
| Software and Driver Updates | Automatically distributed | Self-service |
| Update Protection | Yes | No |
| Service Pack Availability | Yes | No |
| ISV Certifications | Yes | No |
| IHV Certifications | Yes | No |
| Indemnification | Yes | No |
| Lifecycle Guarantee | Yes: Seven years* | Yes: Two years |
| Training | Yes | No |
| Consulting | Yes | No |
*Platform is guaranteed for five years from date of general availability.