SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ( SLES) is a Linux distribution of SUSE, which is designed specifically for corporate customers.
The product is equipped with an appropriate offer support and long-term maintenance phase. The data necessary for the mission-critical application hardware and software certifications play an equally important role.
History
SLES has been developed in Nuremberg in the summer and fall of 2000, based on Suse Linux from a very small team, led by Marcus force, Bernhard Kaindl and Joachim Schröder SuSE and was first on 31 October 2000 in a version for IBM mainframe ( S/390 ) available. A preliminary version was published on 13 July 2000. In December 2000 it was announced with the leading telecommunications provider Telia in Sweden a first major customer. In April 2001, then followed the SLES for the x86 architecture, which obtained the necessary certification for the use of mySAP in July 2001.
In Q4 2005, Novell sold 65,000 stand-alone subscriptions of Suse Linux Enterprise Server.
Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise products are based on the community work of openSUSE, which were further developed by Novell Support.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
With SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop ( SLED ) SLES got a twin in the desktop segment, which is sold in parallel with the same concept and code base itself. In parallel with SLES 10 changes Novell also for the corporate desktop on the use of the well-known brand SUSE and so is called the successor of the former Novell Linux Desktop 9 (NLD ) Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop ( SLED ) 10
Desktop environment
Originally SLES was delivered to the one used in SUSE Linux and both widely praised and criticized Desktop Theme Suse ceramic, which offers a uniform look and feel for GNOME and KDE on an adapted to the KDE Theme ceramic GNOME theme.
With the integration of SUSE in Novell, however, no longer dominated KDE, but the previously purchased by the company Novell Ximian, in which the founder of GNOME are united. With SLED 10 was not asked during installation whether KDE or GNOME installed as a desktop environment. KDE was only chosen as a pattern in the software selection. Since SLED 11 can be re-elected between GNOME and KDE.
Multimedia
In contrast to Red Hat Enterprise Linux is integrated in some programs the ability to play MP3s, but not on a directly usable by all programs mp3 codec, but through the use of real player software for playback in the background, such as Amarok.
Enterprise OS
SLES is an enterprise OS, so an operating system, which responds to the needs of large companies. As an enterprise OS, it is consequently designed for durability and long maintenance cycles. It allows SLES, a system with full manufacturer support for 5 years (or more) to take advantage of having to migrate without packages or software versions. Just this fact makes an enterprise OS for commercial use interesting, because only long support periods have large software companies such as Oracle or SAP have an interest to certify an operating system for their applications. The same applies for the major computer and server manufacturer. Enterprise OSes finds therefore mostly on servers, but also where computer to run extremely stable ( eg stock market, medical, aerospace ).
Special Tools
SLES is how SUSE Linux using the integrated graphical installation and administration tool YaST, which is easy to use even for beginners, installed and administered. A simple configuration of the integrated packet filter is already possible during the installation via YaST.
Update cycles
Because of the certification and focus on the best possible stability in the enterprise environment following editions SLES a rather slower pace and maintained longer. The customer gets mostly a maintenance period of at least 5 years (7 to max. 9 years for SLES10 ) assured so that he has time margin to plan carefully and to schedule an update. He can also skip some good reprints and adapt their behavior with respect to updates to their individual needs through the long maintenance periods.
Novell Linux compensation program
Novell offers an insurance policy against copyright lawsuits for the SLES distribution. Customers should therefore be protected from lawsuits that turn against possible copyright violations in the Suse products. The background is that the company SCO, the parts of the intellectual property of Linux claimed, has threatened lawsuits against Linux users.
LSB certification
The SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is always certified with the time of publication the current version of the Linux Standard Base. In SLES 10, this is 3.0 in SLES 9 2.0. Older versions of SLES are certified to older LSB standards. Some versions of Suse Linux are also certified to the time of publication current LSB standards.
Versions
No other distributions on SUSE Linux Enterprise based
In contrast to Red Hat Enterprise Linux ( RHEL) distribution with its freely available versions such as CentOS there from the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ( SLES) or the SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop ( SLED ) no freely available distribution options. SLES and SLED however, can be downloaded in a free trial version. This includes 60 days limited support inclusive upgrade eligibility. Thereafter, the trial version can be used freely without support and upgrades on.
As a free alternative exists openSUSE distribution, are developed on the basis of SLES and SLED. OpenSUSE is in this respect comparable with Fedora to Red Hat Enterprise Linux. A new major release of openSUSE is tested in the Super Labs SUSE / Novell and ported to various platforms like the IBM zSeries. The findings go back to the community. For productive operation not considered suitable packages of the openSUSE distribution are removed, more freely available " closed source " products from other manufacturers, with which it has license agreements are added. Thus, openSUSE is always preceded by a few months the Enterprise version.