At BrainShare in Amsterdam last week, Novell launched SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Service Pack 1 (SP1), which delivers enhanced virtualization capabilities, advances in high availability clustering, and more flexible maintenance and support options. As a result, customers can take advantage of the latest open source technologies to run their mission-critical services cost effectively on any platform - physical, virtual or cloud.
SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 SP1 provides broad virtualization support, including support for KVM (kernel-based virtual machine), an emerging open source virtualization hypervisor, and the latest Xen 4.0 hypervisor with significantly improved virtual input/output performance. Improving high availability, SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 SP1 also introduces clustering advances such as support for metro area clusters, simple node recovery with ReaR, an open source disaster recovery framework, and new administrative tools including a cluster simulator and web-based GUI.
With SP1, Novell is implementing more flexible support options that will allow customers to remain on older package releases during the product's lifecycle, and will lower the hurdle to deploy upcoming service packs. Novell has also announced enhancements to the Partner Linux Driver Program, a program that allows SUSE Linux Enterprise customers to receive the latest supported hardware drivers and kernel modules from the Novell partner ecosystem in a timely manner.
"With SP1, not only are we delivering technical innovations that allow them to run their mission-critical workloads reliably, securely and affordably, we're also providing commercial support and partner programs with unprecedented flexibility, innovation and control," states Markus Rex, senior vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions at Novell. "IBM is committed to helping clients design, deliver and implement innovative Linux solutions that meet their unique business needs," adds Dan Frye, vice president, Open Systems Development, IBM. "The Partner Linux Driver Program's tools and program support provide our joint clients with drivers and modules that integrate seamlessly with SUSE Linux Enterprise, and are well maintained and supported."
For more information about SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Service Pack 1, go here.
Novell is featuring SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Service Pack 1 in major cities across the U.S. The events will showcase how to build, test and run core images for any workload - physical, virtual or cloud - using SUSE Studio. For more information and to register for the tour, go here.