Novell Launches Linux 10, Mobile Server

Novell Monday launched its next generation SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 and new products GroupWise Mobile Server and Open Workgroup Suite.

Additionally, Waltham, Mass.-based Novell revealed plans to release two new versions of its Open Enterprise Server over the next three years.

The product announcements, made at BrainShare 2006, will drive Novell's ambitious Linux open enterprise platform plans, said Novell Chairman and CEO Jack Messman.

Yet it was the CEO's announcement that Novell will support NetWare through 2015 that drew the most applause during his opening keynote at the Salt Lake City Palace Convention Center in Utah.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 (SLES 10), built on code 10, a common Linux code base for the desktop, server and data center, is available in beta and is being prepared for release this summer, Novell said.SLES 10 will feature integrated Xen virtualization, systems management and AppArmor security as well as improved scalability, Novell said.

At a session detailing SLES 10 following the keynote, for instance, Novell said the distribution will offer application security, cluster-aware data management, support for 10 plus terabytes of memory and up to 1024 CPUs, NFS4 and enhanced iSCSI support that will allow customers to turn SLES into a SAN.

While the launch of SLES 10 overshadowed most product announcements, Novell also detailed plans for the next two Open Enterprise Servers over the next three years.

The next Open Enterprise Server, code named Cypress, is scheduled for release in mid-2007 and will offer server virtualization, better integration with Active Directory and Novell eDirectory using Kerberos. Cypress will help people migrate to Linux and integrate mixed environments. For example, the next version will support virtualized support for NetWare as a guest operating system.

The next edition, code named Ponderosa, will offer collaboration services. OES was first launched at last year's BrainShare.Novell also launched a new Linux workgroup suite that will be priced much lower than Microsoft's client and server licenses, Messman said. It will ship in May, Novell said.

The Novell Open Workgroup Suite includes the Linux version of Open Enterprise Server, GroupWise for Linux, and Zenworks and is priced at $110 per device/per user and $75 annually for maintenance. At the client level, it also includes the Novell Enterprise Linux Desktop with Open Office.

There will be two options to customers -- one for Linux and one for Netware customers. The Netware version will cost $150 per device per user.

The software company also announced the GroupWise Mobile Server, which is based on Intellisync's technology and through a partnership with Blackberry developer Research in Motion. It is in beta testing and will be available shortly, Novell said.

The mobile server, which will ship with a Blackberry Server License and five client access licenses, will be available at no cost to users of its recently introduced GroupWise 7, Novell said.Novell also announced a custom Linux Zenworks solution developed with Dell and five new MarketStart partners -- Spikesource, Enterprise DB, Alfresco, Black Duck and Novacoast.

In conjunction with Dell, Novell has developed Zenworks Linux Management -- Dell Edition. The custom Zenworks offering, due to ship next month, integrates with Dell's OpenManage management toolset to ease the process of server configuration, Novell said