SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP2

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

1. What are the major themes of SUSE® Linux Enterprise 10 SP2?
2. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 in SP2?
3. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 in SP2?
4. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 in SP2?
5. What is the Subscription Tool (SMT) for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
6. What are the improvements in the SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit?
7. Are there any changes in product pricing?
8. Where can I download SP2?
9. When is the next major platform release for SUSE Linux Enterprise?

Answers

1. What are the major themes of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP2?

   Novell has announced the immediate availability of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP2. This service pack has significant updates to the server product line, desktop product line and software development kit (SDK). Novell is also announcing the forthcoming release of SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 SP2 in June and a new tool, the Subscription Management Tool, both of which will be available in July.

   Building on the proven benefits and market momentum of the SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform, SP2 features numerous enhancements in virtualization, management, high availability and storage, network management, desktop usability, and hardware enablement.

2. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 in SP2?
   
   
   • Several virtualization advances, including Xen version 3.2 and support for fully virtualized Windows Server 2008 and the live migration of Windows Server 2008 guests between physical machines.
   • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 is the only non-Windows virtualization platform that is officially supported by Microsoft.
   • Updates to the YaST management toolset, encompassing first-boot enhancements and network module support for FICON devices on mainframes, bridge devices and VLANs.
   • Advances in high availability and storage management such as updates to Heartbeat 2 and OCFS2, and new capabilities for managing the XFS file system.
   • Support for IPv6; SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 has been designed to meet the U.S. Government's requirements for IPv6 and is currently in the certification process.
   • Enhanced hardware enablement including new network, storage and other drivers, as well as support for IBM cryptographic hardware.
   
   
3. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 in SP2?
   
   
   • Improved interoperability with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office–local NTFS file system support; improved integration with Microsoft Active Directory; and an upgrade to OpenOffice.org 2.4 Novell Edition, with key enhancements to VBA macro support, audio and video playback support, and a technical preview of Office Open XML translator.
   • Improved network management–plug-and-play support for wireless broadband (UMTS, 3G) and 802.1X wired network support.
   • Improved hardware enablement–improvements to audio, graphics, wireless, storage and network drivers.
   
   
4. What are the technical enhancements to SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 in SP2?
   
   
   • SP2 further improves the performance and predictability of time sensitive applications through support for adaptive locking, OFED 1.3, and the Precision Time Protocol.
     • Adaptive locking modifies spinlocks to reduce operating system overhead times, dramatically improving the performance of throughput sensitive workloads.
     • OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) 1.3 is the latest open source RDMA software stack, enabling the implementation of high-speed interconnects based on InfiniBand and 10-Gigabit Ethernet. With SP2, Novell becomes the first Linux distributor to support customers using OFED 1.3.
     • Precision Time Protocol is a time transfer protocol standard that allows the precise synchronization of high-speed networks and provides accuracy in the nanosecond range compared to general operating system protocols like NTP and GPS.
   
   
5. What is the Subscription Tool (SMT) for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
   
   
   • The Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise helps customers manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates while maintaining corporate firewall policy or regulatory compliance requirements.
   • SMT is a package proxy system that is integrated with Novell Customer Center and provides key capabilities locally at the customer site. It provides a repository and registration target that is synchronized with the Novell Customer Center, thus maintaining all the capabilities of the Novell Customer Center while allowing a more secure centralized deployment.
   • SMT allows customers to provision updates for all SUSE Linux Enterprise devices (server, desktop, or Point of Service terminals) that are running SP2 (or subsequent releases).
   • By using SMT you can easily determine how many entitlements are pending renewal at the end of your billing cycle without needing to update this information manually with spreadsheets. The same information is also available in your Novell Customer Center account to completely streamline the process.
   • SMT can supply updates for up to one thousand SUSE Linux Enterprise devices per SMT server, depending on the utilization profile.

   For more information about the Subscription Management Tool, please read this overview or these frequently asked questions.

6. What are the improvements in the SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit?

   The SDK gives developers and technical enthusiasts even more ways to create powerful new software with SUSE Linux Enterprise–including updates to several tools that enable the creation of installation media and appliances: KIWI, YaST2 Product Creator, YaST2 Add-on Creator and YaST2 Image Creator.

7. Are there any changes in product pricing?

   This is a service pack release, so there are no pricing changes to any of the SUSE Linux Enterprise product subscriptions.

   Pricing for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server can be found at http://www.novell.com/products/server/howtobuy.html.

   Pricing for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop can be found at http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/howtobuy.html.

   Pricing for SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time can be found at http://www.novell.com/products/realtime/howtobuy.html.

8. Where can I download SP2?

   The new versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop are available at http://www.novell.com/linux/download_linux.html. All SUSE Linux Enterprise products and tools, including the SDK, are available at download.novell.com after their release.

9. When is the next major platform release for SUSE Linux Enterprise?

   The next release of the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform will be an entire new generation–SUSE Linux Enterprise 11–coming in the first half of 2009. As outlined at Novell BrainShare 2008, it will deliver major advancements in mission-critical data center technologies, UNIX to Linux migration, virtualization, interoperability, green computing and desktop Linux.