A Linux-based server operating system, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) was created and is maintained by the German organization, SUSE. It is designed for servers, mainframes, desktop computers and workstations.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server was originally released in 2000 and has since gone through a large number of upgrades. The company released its SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 back in 2006, which was later followed by SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 in 2009. SLES 11 was followed up by SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 in 2014, which remains the latest version available for use.
The release of SLES is often offset by three to four years, providing service packs roughly every 18 months. SLES 12 and Service Pack 3 are the most current versions of the operating system.
What SLES Is Used For
IT professionals use SLES for the management of workload as well as for optimization at the enterprise level. With the help of open-source standards and products, users can add additional functionality and support. SLES is scalable and provides users with the ability to give IT services across a multitude of environments efficiently.
With the help of SLES, users can maintain security compliance, expand system reliability, and promote new technologies under a single overarching operating system.
How do SLES 10, 11 and 12 differ?
Interoperability and ease of administration are critical components of the latest SLES release. IT professionals can integrate SUSE Linux Enterprise Servers into other environments to promote architectural optimization without interference or high amounts of downtime. Geo-clusters and containers are also two areas of increased compatibility and support in the latest SLES release. With the new variant, users can incorporate open-source Docker container tools into the system on the SLES 12. Geo-clusters provide IT with greater flexibility coupled with high availability of add-ons, by giving administrators permission to set up replication clusters that span several data centre locations.
Suse Linux Enterprise Server In Cloud Computing Environments
Besides supporting in-house workloads, SLES also offers a wide variety of cloud service providers. Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services all offer SLES-based cloud services. If an IT team wants to build or deploy custom OS images on them, providers should consider getting SUSE Studio or other third-party tools for greater levels of optimization.
Pros And Cons
SLES focuses on niche businesses and partners having multiple industry vendors. Despite the VMware SUSE Linux Enterprise Server putting an end to its partnership in June 2014, other vendors have still supported SLES. SUSE is still accessible because of administrator-friendly services, and with the release of SLES 12, users can now work with modules that quickly react to dynamic software stacks. SUSE does not have its own virtualization platform though.
Users are still required to turn to other sources for virtualization capabilities. SUSE charges users for their support and patches, with the total cost changing depending on the use of their service.