Public Beta Now Available, With Significant Improvements in Virtualization, High-Performance Computing, Desktop Usability, Security, Interoperability and System Management: Novell has announced the public beta software availability of the first service pack (SP1) for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10, with general availability scheduled for the second quarter of this year. SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 from Novell features significant enhancements in virtualization, high-performance computing, security, interoperability and system management. With this service pack, organizations can take advantage of the latest technical advances in the best-engineered, lowest-cost and most-interoperable platform for mission-critical computing. "The market has received SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 with open arms, and we are committed to increasing the return on their investment," said Holger Dyroff, vice president of SUSE Linux Enterprise product management for Novell. "In addition to integrating maintenance updates into SP1, we have listened to customers and added new functionality that will make it easier for them to take advantage of the benefits of enterprise Linux, as well as for hardware and software partners to ensure their products add maximum value to users." SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 includes SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, providing a secure and reliable foundation for enterprise computing from the desktop to the data center -- a lineup of enterprise-class solutions matched by no other Linux vendor. SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 enhancements include the following: * Enhanced virtualization support and management. With the latest update to the Xen hypervisor (version 3.0.4++), organizations can reduce costs through server consolidation and improved system management. New paravirtualized network and block device drivers will allow Microsoft Windows Server 2000/2003/XP to run unmodified in Xen virtual environments on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 operating on Intel Virtualization Technology and AMD Virtualization hardware. Seamless live migration is possible for paravirtualized virtual machines across distinct physical hosts. * Updated high-availability storage infrastructure. Service Pack 1 includes updates to all key components of the infrastructure, including the cluster file system, volume manager and cluster resource manager, to ensure data integrity and availability. As a result, there is improved support for workloads including SAP running on Oracle, DB2 and MaxDB, as well as Web services and virtual image storage. * Support for new processor technologies, including Quad-Core Intel Xeon and Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors. Through joint engineering with the chip vendors, SUSE Linux Enterprise enables multiple virtual machines to run varied data center workloads in native and Xen virtualized environments with outstanding performance, energy efficiency and reliability. * Enhanced security features. The Novell AppArmor 2.0 security framework is integrated into the SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform and now includes support for Apache Tomcat. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop now includes desktop lockdown tools, secure disk partitions and encrypted home directories. * Expanded OpenOffice.org support. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop now includes the latest version of the Novell edition of OpenOffice.org (version 2.1), including the new OpenXML/ODF translator to convert Microsoft Word 2007 documents to OpenOffice.org, additional Visual Basic macro support, and improved Impress presentation functionality, including the ability to play embedded video as part of presentations. * Desktop virtualization. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop now includes Xen virtualization technology along with improved management and auditing tools. * Desktop enterprise integration technologies. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop now fits more seamlessly into existing environments due to enhancements in Microsoft Active Directory* authentication and network management, and it also now includes Firefox 2.0. * Updated desktop user experience. Improvements include redesigns to the Novell main menu, control center, and logout and screen-saver dialogs, and updates to the desktop effects engine. The desktop also includes new utilities like an international clock applet and a disk space usage utility. * Audit subsystem enrichment. Major improvements and extensions to the audit subsystem enable SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 to meet strict government standards and vertical industry requirements. The updates include modules for security certification provided by the Common Criteria for Information Security Evaluation (CAPP EAL 4+). * Support for Novell Open Enterprise Server 2. SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 has many new features designed to support the workgroup services in Open Enterprise Server 2, including updates to the DNS, DHCP and LDAP modules, as well as support for paravirtualized NetWare 6.5. Terri Hall, vice president of Software Solutions and Alliances for AMD, said, "The public beta of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 from Novell continues their tradition of leading the market with support for new hardware technology. The enhanced virtualization capabilities in SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 take full advantage of AMD Virtualization technology, providing customers with the ability to consolidate operating environments such as NetWare 6.5 and Windows Server 2003. We look forward to the general availability of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1, including significant support for AMD's next-generation Quad-Core processor, code named 'Barcelona,' which will provide customers with a seamless upgrade path to new levels of performance and increased computing capabilities." Availability SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 beta software is now available, with general availability scheduled for May. For more information about SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 or to obtain the SP1 beta software, visit its Web site .