WALTHAM, Mass., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Novell today announced the expansion of its Long Term Service Pack Support (LTSS) program for SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server, lengthening customers' access to the company's industry-leading Linux* support for each service pack release.  For the first time, long term support is also provided globally for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z*.  Novell further announced the immediate availability of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 Service Pack 4 (SP4), bundling all previously released patches, fixes and updates for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10, while supporting the newest hardware, storage systems and networking devices, including Intel's latest Xeon* E7 processor family and AMD's latest Opteron* processors.

Long Term Service Pack Support (LTSS) for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

Novell's updated LTSS offering enables data center customers to stay on covered releases longer than other Linux distributions.  The ability to run workloads for an extended time on one service pack helps enterprises mitigate risk by minimizing changes to mission-critical workloads, allows more time to migrate to a future release of SUSE Linux Enterprise, and defers the costs associated with updating and testing.

The updated LTSS program includes the following features:

• Three extra years of extended support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.  With the expansion of the LTSS program, Novell is now offering three years of extended support, in addition to the seven years of general support, for each major version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.  This enables a ten year support lifecycle for each platform generation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, thus providing a UNIX-like lifecycle at a much lower total cost of ownership.  During extended support, customers continue to receive essential security updates and critical bug fixes.
• Five years of support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server service packs.  Novell is also lengthening the period of time during which LTSS will provide support for individual service packs.  Customers can now obtain support for each covered service pack for up to three years past the end of a service pack's general support phase, which typically lasts two years.  As a result, customers can either upgrade to the next service pack at a slower pace or skip a service pack altogether and ultimately move to a later release.
• Worldwide support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on IBM System z.  As the market leader for Linux on the mainframe, Novell is making further investments in this market to help customers obtain more value from their mainframe deployments.  LTSS for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z reduces risk by ensuring that the configurations for mission-critical workloads running on the mainframe can be maintained over an extended period of time without change.

"Long Term Service Support Programs are essential to Linux as a leading platform for mission-critical environments," said Richard Jones, managing vice president, Gartner.  "They offer the assurance that those workloads can continue to run in a stable and secure environment for a longer period of time, which is a true differentiator in today's ultra-competitive, budget-constrained marketplace."

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4 supports a wide range of the industry's newest hardware, storage systems and networking devices, including Intel's latest Xeon E7 processor family and AMD's latest Opteron processors. This release also delivers all previously released patches, fixes and updates for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 (including SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z), SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 10.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4 provides support for HyperPAV (for improved disk subsystem throughput) and hardware-accelerated cryptographic devices, as well as refreshed device drivers for storage and networking devices.  In addition, the enhancements to the LTSS program will allow customers to run SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP4 with commercial support until 2016.

"Our customers have made it clear that the long-term support of their Linux platforms is critical to their business," said Markus Rex, senior vice president and general manager, Open Platform Solutions, at Novell.  "The extension of our support program and the release of SP4 for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 provide important benefits for data center operators, giving them UNIX*-caliber lifecycles for their critical workloads. Across the full spectrum of physical, virtual and cloud environments, SUSE Linux Enterprise backed by Novell services is delivering exceptional value while helping customers further reduce risk."

Availability

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4, the final service pack for the SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 platform, and the updated terms of Novell's Long Term Service Pack Support are available immediately.  For more details on SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4, go to http://www.novell.com/products/server10/ and http://www.novell.com/products/desktop10/, and for more information on LTSS, visit http://www.novell.com/linux/service-pack-support.html.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL), a leader in intelligent workload management, helps organizations securely deliver and manage computing services across physical, virtual and cloud computing environments. We help customers reduce the cost, complexity and risk associated with their IT systems through our solutions for identity and security, systems management, collaboration and Linux-based operating platforms. With our infrastructure software and ecosystem of partnerships, Novell integrates mixed IT environments, allowing people and technology to work as one. For more information, visit www.novell.com.

Copyright© 2011 Novell, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Novell, the Novell logo, the N logo, and SUSE are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries.  * All third party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Novell, Inc.