SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Receives Update Optimized for SAP Apps

SUSE Linux is updating its flagship server offering with new features and capabilities that are optimized to enable SAP applications.

The new SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) for SAP applications is based on the SLES 11 Service Pack 3 update, which was released in July.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications is designed and built to run SAP applications, said Sabine Soellheim, senior solution marketing manager for SUSE.

“Tight integration between the operating system (OS) and SAP, coupled with special features only SUSE Linux offers, boost the performance and reliability of SAP applications running on x86 to full Unix parity,” Soellheim told eWEEK.

The new SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications is the first update for the platform since June 2012, when SUSE released its Service Pack 2 update.

Provisioning

A key new feature in the latest update is support for the SAP software provisioning manager.

“In the past, provisioning was dependent on the product’s or respective platform’s provisioning process and tools,” Soellheim said.

Software provisioning manager 1.0 was released in Dec. 2012 and is the successor of the product and release-specific delivery of provisioning tools, she said. The software provisioning manager covers a broad range of platforms and products.

“Whether a customer is going to install an SAP NetWeaver system, an SAP Business Suite system or a stand-alone engine, all these installations can be handled flexibly and reliably on all supported platforms, and all with the same look-and-feel and behavior,” Soellheim said. “Using the software provisioning manager, customers automatically get support of the latest products, versions and platforms, including the latest fixes in the tool and supported processes.”

Scale-Out

The new SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications release benefits from all the core underlying updates that come with the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3 update.

“Service Pack 3 supports the latest open-source high-speed interconnects, protocols and adapters for improved communication between your scale-out solution components,” Soellheim said.

Service Pack 3 expands the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) support for Network File System (NFS) and also includes IPv6 support for NFSv3, benefiting current NFS deployments and improving interoperability.

“Since 1999, SUSE and SAP have regularly collaborated to bring innovation to customers,” Soellheim said. This trend will continue, and SUSE is looking to co-innovate further in support of SAP In-Memory (HANA) for all size customers running physical, virtual and cloud deployments.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.