SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop: A Cost-effective and Flexible Desktop Alternative
Product Flyer
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
Why choose SUSE® Linux Enterprise Desktop for your business? The answer is simple. It's low-cost, so you don't incur exorbitant licensing fees. Designed with users in mind, it's easy to use and works with your existing systems. And it's flexible and secure to deploy, running as a general office desktop system or tailored for thin or thick clients.
When you choose SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, you get a solution that is:
- Easy to use
- Interoperable with your existing systems
- Secure
- Low-cost
- Flexible to deploy and manage
Combined with world-class Novell® support and the new Novell Customer Center, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop meets your business-computing needs.
Identify the right place in your organization to begin using SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, then enjoy the savings. Expand on that initial deployment and enjoy the success.
Easy to Use: Market-leading Usability
"We are a beta site for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10, and the usability is terrific. We especially like having AppArmor available out of the box so we can easily secure our desktops. We couldn't be happier from a security standpoint."
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is extremely intuitive. Its familiar interface and functionality significantly reduce training efforts, and its exciting new desktop effects enhance productivity. However you look at it, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop means greater cost savings for you.
At Novell, we created SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop with end users in mind. We recorded people using the software over thousands of hours to find out how they interacted with their computer desktops. Based on this research, we found ways to improve the design—and the overall user experience—without radically changing the interaction model. New desktop features include an intuitive interface, a simpler menu, integrated search functionality and graphical desktop effects that will forever change the way your users interact with their desktops.
Increased Productivity
"We considered a Windows desktop but found that it would be far more difficult and expensive to manage than a Linux desktop. SUSE Linux [Enterprise] Desktop was by far the best option."
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop increases user productivity by delivering a tightly integrated suite of applications, including:
- Office suite. OpenOffice.org 2.0, the Novell edition, is a complete office suite. It is compatible with standard file formats, including those of Microsoft*, Sun* and OpenDocument (open source file format from OASIS). OpenOffice 2.0 also includes native support for Visual Basic macros and importing Pivot Tables.
- Web browser. The award-winning Mozilla* Firefox Web browser protects users from viruses, spyware and pop-ups and makes it easy to import favorites and settings.
- Collaboration. Novell Evolution™, which ships with all leading commercial Linux distributions, is the most widely used Linux collaboration client in the world.
- Instant messaging. Gaim instant messenger supports popular public instant-message networks such as AOL, Jabber, MSN and Yahoo!, as well as Novell GroupWise® Messenger.
- Multimedia support. Multimedia support for Adobe*, Macromedia* and RealNetworks* comes installed and ready to use.
- Search functionality. Beagle® personal information management is tightly integrated into the environment to provide real-time indexing and integrated search capabilities throughout the entire desktop.
- Desktop effects. New 3-D graphical enhancements increase productivity. Users can better organize their desktops, reducing the amount of time they need to complete tasks.
- Photo. F-Spot photo-library management offers advanced support for photo importing, publishing, cataloging and creating versions.
- Music. Banshee™ delivers a musicmanagement and music-playback application.
- Notes. Tomboy offers desktop notetaking for Linux and UNIX*.
Interoperable: Seamlessly Leverage Your Existing IT Investments
You've invested heavily in your existing computer systems, and you don't want to waste that. That's why we've made SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop the most interoperable Linux solution on the market. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is compatible with Microsoft Active Directory*, Novell eDirectory™ and other networking and directory standards, so you can plug it right into your existing infrastructure. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop shares files seamlessly with Windows*, Mac* and UNIX, and it can talk to your existing e-mail servers, including Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise, and any collaboration server that supports the IMAP, SMTP and POP standards. Connectivity to Lotus Notes* is available with the Notes plug-in from IBM's Workplace Client Technology.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop also supports other industry staples, including plug-n-play hardware support for USB and Bluetooth* devices, wireless networking, support for printing and file standard protocols, multimedia content viewers and Microsoft file-format fidelity in OpenOffice.org 2.0. As a result, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is the first enterprise-class Linux desktop that basic office workers can use.
Secure: The Safest Operating System on the Market
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is the most secure desktop on the market—regardless of operating system.
As an open source operating system, Linux is inherently more secure than other operating systems. Novell strengthens Linux further by including the Novell AppArmor™ applicationsecurity solution as part of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. AppArmor creates a firewall around any Linux program and manages applications by preventing unauthorized access. By providing mandatory access controls for programs, AppArmor protects users against exploitation of software flaws and compromised systems. 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—regardless of operating system.
Affordable: Availability at a Fraction of the Cost
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop changes the way you think about buying software. No longer tied to complex licensing programs, you buy what matters: a subscription for the updates and services that help you run your business. A Novell subscription comes at a fraction of the cost of proprietary operating system platforms—but never at the cost of user productivity. Consequently, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop increases your return on investment. Novell desktop subscriptions come with all the required applications for your business needs, including an office suite of applications, a Web browser, collaboration tools and much more.
Flexible: Easy Deployment and Management in Many Configurations
"With Linux desktops providing all of the functionality students need in an open environment at an extremely low cost, schools will be better able to educate students and prepare them for life after high school."
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop meets a wide range of deployment needs. You can deploy it as a general-purpose desktop, use it in various thin- or thick-client configurations (for example, kiosks and cash registers), or rely on it for high-end engineering workstations.
No matter how you deploy it, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is easy to manage. It includes YaST, a comprehensive installation, configuration and administration suite. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop also comes with AutoYaST, a time-saving tool that automatically performs installation and configuration. Novell ZENworks® Linux Management, an add-on option, complements YaST by enabling you to centrally control how you deploy and update your desktops—inside the firewall—which means fewer hours spent on administration and lower IT costs.
With a SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop subscription, you get access to the new Novell Customer Center. This convenient online interface makes it easy for you to manage all your business and technical interactions with Novell. From one location, you can review the status of all your Novell products, subscriptions and services. You can also obtain critical Linux updates and support, which will help you reduce systems-management costs. Designed for comprehensive service, Novell Customer Center features automated registration, renewal notification and complete order history. It also provides tools for tracking support requests and planning for future rollouts.
Where Should You Deploy SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop?
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop increases your return on investment. Novell desktop subscriptions come with all the required applications for your business needs, including an office suite of applications, a Web browser, collaboration tools and much more.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop is a versatile product that can be deployed in a variety of ways. It is an ideal workstation for the following types of environments:
- Fixed-function computing. An environment where a single designated application performs a particular business-computing task (commonly found in cash registers or check-in kiosks).
- Transactional computing. This environment requires business applications as well as a basic office suite, e-mail, calendaring and Internet access. Most transactional computing occurs in a single line-of-business application (commonly found in travel agencies and call centers).
- Technical computing. This environment supports industry-specialized applications such as CAD/CAM running on highperformance hardware (commonly found in engineering firms).
- General office computing. An environment—wired or wireless—that requires tight integration among office suite applications and any other specialized productivity and collaboration applications (commonly found in law firms, universities, enterprises, small businesses and many other organizations).
Get It Today
We encourage you to try SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. We're confident you'll find it simple to use, interoperable with existing systems, flexible to deploy, extremely secure, and—best of all—affordable. Learn more at: www.novell.com/products/desktop.