Novell Announces Next-Generation Platform for the Open Enterprise

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 delivers new features for mission-critical operations, including Xen virtualization, improved performance and the industry’s easiest-to-use application security

SALT LAKE CITY (BrainShare® 2006)—20 Mar 2006—Novell today introduced its next-generation platform for the open enterprise, SUSE® Linux Enterprise 10. Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise is a secure and reliable foundation for enterprise computing from the desktop to the data center. It will be first to deliver fully supported Linux* innovations such as Xen virtualization, exceptional performance and scalability, application-level security, and improved desktop usability. As a result, organizations will be able to experience the flexibility, power and reliability of the best-engineered Linux, backed by Novell’s industry-leading support, services and training.

“Novell has a broad vision for open enterprise computing, and no other Linux vendor has a comparable lineup of enterprise-class solutions that address the pressing needs of today’s IT executives,” said Jack Messman, chairman and CEO of Novell. “SUSE Linux Enterprise is the platform for the open enterprise. It delivers powerful solutions built on open standards for all of the most important technology arenas within today’s enterprise – data center, workgroup, desktop, security and identity, and resource management.”

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 is the basis for all of Novell’s next-generation enterprise Linux offerings, including SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and the recently announced SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. With this platform, organizations can better address the challenges of increasing competition, spiraling IT costs, growing system security threats and demanding customers. In addition, Novell solutions for a wide range of IT needs are designed to be implemented on SUSE Linux Enterprise.

Matt Eastwood, IDC program vice president of enterprise server research, said, “As Linux moves from the edge of the organization into the heart of the enterprise, the Linux market continues to grow quickly. By integrating support for new technologies like Xen 3.0 virtualization and AppArmor security, Novell is taking the guesswork out of Linux deployments for enterprises.”

Virtualization
SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 is the first enterprise platform to include a fully integrated and supported version of Xen 3.0, the emerging open source standard for virtualization services. Xen 3.0 lets organizations consolidate multiple workloads on a single server. With Xen 3.0, customers can configure applications and systems for maximum efficiency. According to Gartner, the average data center server runs at 20 percent of capacity. With Xen virtualization on SUSE Linux Enterprise, customers will have the ability to increase server utilization to nearly 70 percent.
“SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 is the first enterprise Linux distribution to offer full commercial support for the industry’s fastest and most secure virtualization technology, the open source Xen 3.0 hypervisor,” said Simon Crosby, CTO of XenSource. “With Xen 3.0, SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 can take full advantage of Intel and AMD hardware support for virtualization, delivering bare-metal virtualization performance to enterprise customers. Novell is a trusted partner to XenSource, and we look forward to working closely with Novell to deliver compelling virtualization solutions to enterprise customers.”

Security
Only SUSE Linux Enterprise includes Novell® AppArmor, the application-level security service that protects customer systems and processes. With the open source AppArmor, customers can quickly and easily deploy powerful application security for both servers and desktops while reducing IT staff workload and lowering total cost of ownership. AppArmor helps customers rapidly develop and enforce security policies to protect infrastructure against attackers who seek and exploit application flaws. AppArmor provides tools to protect critical infrastructure without huge investments in time, resources or training. SUSE Linux Enterprise also fully supports leading open standards for encrypted file systems, firewalls, certificate management, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention.

Software Management and Customer Care
Customers who subscribe to SUSE Linux Enterprise gain access to the latest software enhancements, bug fixes and security patches through regular updates via the Novell Customer Center, ensuring the latest functionality and best hardware support. The Novell Customer Center is a centralized, online portal that also provides access to technical support and is completely integrated with Novell ZENworks® Linux Management. Supported and certified by leading hardware and software vendors, SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 is backed by Novell’s award-winning technical support and global ecosystem of partners and services.

Driving Linux Innovation
In addition to Xen and AppArmor, SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 includes many Novell-driven Linux innovations. SUSE Linux Enterprise’s storage foundation integrates Oracle* Cluster File System 2, Enterprise Volume Manager and Heartbeat 2 clustering services to deliver an entirely open source high-availability storage solution. Xgl is new core rendering technology for the Linux desktop that takes advantage of widely available accelerated 3D rendering hardware to let developers create richer graphical experiences for Linux desktop users. The Novell edition of OpenOffice.org now provides extensive support for Visual Basic macros in Excel spreadsheets, closing one of the chief compatibility gaps with Microsoft Office. SUSE Linux Enterprise also includes a complete, integrated application development kit, including Mono®, to build new solutions based on Linux, along with middleware services including Apache, Geronimo, Java, PHP, Python, TCL/TK, Ruby and shell scripting.

Industry Support for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10
Industry leaders are expressing support for Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 as a compelling platform for the open enterprise.

Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) CEO Stuart Cohen: “Linux is now operating in the mainstream IT marketplace and is widely deployed across businesses of all sizes. New Linux capabilities, like virtualization and powerful Linux desktop features, will continue to drive user adoption at increasing rates. Novell’s new SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 brings these capabilities together in its integrated enterprise platform.”

Dell Product Group Vice President Paul Gottsegen: “The combination of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 with Dell PowerEdge servers enables customers to realize the benefit of driving Linux deeper into the enterprise. Dell’s servers will be optimized to fully utilize the advancements of this release and offer organizations a secure and scalable infrastructure to run mission-critical applications.”

HP Director of Marketing for Open Source and Linux Douglas Small: “HP helps customers make Linux and open source technology work across varied environments by providing them all the tools and support they need. Leveraging a 20-year history of partnering with Novell, HP combines Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise offerings with HP’s market-leading servers, virtualization products and support for a single point of accountability. Customers walk away with the world-class benefits they should expect of Linux and open source – flexibility, cost savings and a dedicated community of supporters.”

IBM Vice President of Worldwide Linux and Open Source Scott Handy: “Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 runs across the full range of IBM Software and Systems providing our worldwide customers an open, secure and flexible IT environment. IBM’s partnership with Novell is contributing to a boom in Linux growth in industries like government, retail, health care and financial services, as well as emerging global markets.”

Intel Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Software and Solutions Group Richard Wirt: “Enterprise customers are looking for the benefits that Intel platforms deliver – world-class performance, efficiency, dependability and responsiveness. Intel and Novell have worked closely to optimize SUSE Linux Enterprise for Intel platforms, including support for Intel innovations such as the Intel Core Microarchitecture, Intel Virtualization Technology and Intel I/O Acceleration Technology. The combination of Intel platforms and SUSE Linux Enterprise will offer customers a powerful choice for open computing.”

SUSE Linux Enterprise desktop and server offerings are scheduled to be available beginning this summer. For additional information on the platform for the open enterprise, visit http://www.novell.com/linux.
About Novell
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) delivers Software for the Open Enterprise™. With more than 50,000 customers in 43 countries, Novell helps customers manage, simplify, secure and integrate their technology environments by leveraging best-of-breed, open standards-based software. With over 20 years of experience, more than 5,000 employees, 5,000 partners and support centers around the world, Novell helps customers gain control over their IT operating environment while reducing cost. More information about Novell can be found at http://www.novell.com.

Novell, Mono, SUSE and ZENworks are registered trademarks, BrainShare is a registered service mark, and Software for the Open Enterprise is a trademark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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