Open Enterprise Server

Open Enterprise Server (OES) is a server operating system published by Novell in March 2005 to succeed their NetWare product.[1]

Open Enterprise Server
OS familyUnix-like, NetWare
Source modelOpen source / Closed source
Latest releaseOES 2018 SP1 / February 2019 (2019-02)
Marketing target
Package managerRPM Package Manager
Preceded byNetWare 6.5

Unlike NetWare, Novell OES is a Linux distribution—specifically, one based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. The first major release of Open Enterprise Server (OES 1) could run either with a Linux kernel (with a NetWare compatibility layer) or Novell's NetWare kernel (with a Linux compatibility layer).[1] Novell discontinued the NetWare kernel prior to the release of OES 2, but NetWare 6.5 SP7, and later SP8 can run as a paravirtualized guest inside the Xen hypervisor, until today (Officially supported until 7 March 2012, Novell self-supported until 7 March 2015).

OES 1 and OES 2

Novell released OES 1, the first version of OES, on 25 March 2005.[1] Since some users wanted backward compatibility with NetWare, Novell offered two installation options: OES-NetWare and OES-Linux. These are two different operating systems with different kernels and different userlands.

OES-NetWare is NetWare v6.5 equipped with NetWare Loadable Modules for various Novell services (such as NetWare Core Protocol, Novell eDirectory, Novell Storage Services, and iPrint) and open-source software (such as OpenSSH, Apache Tomcat, and the Apache HTTP Server).

OES-Linux is based on the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) with added NetWare services ported to the Linux kernel: e.g. the NetWare Core Protocol, Novell eDirectory, Novell Storage Services, and iPrint.

Novell released OES 2, the second version of OES, on 12 October 2007, it was the first SLES-Linux-kernel-only OES, but it retained the OES-NetWare operating system option, as NetWare 6.5 SP7, can run as a paravirtualized guest inside the Xen hypervisor. The SLES base of the OES 2 was updated to SLES 10 SP1.

Features introduced in OES 2 include:[2]

See also (based on different OES editions):

  • Novell Open Workgroup Suite
  • Novell Open Workgroup Suite Small Business Edition

OES 11

OES 11 was released on 12 December 2011 based on SLES 11 SP1 64-bit (From OES 2 no NetWare kernel any more). This is the first version of OES to be 64-bit (x86_64) only. NetWare 6.5 SP8 was still possible to run as a 32-bit only paravirtualized guest inside the Xen hypervisor.

  • Introduces Novell Kanaka for Mac client
  • Uses Zypper tool to patch up to 100 times faster than OES2
  • Added Automated / Unattended Upgrades from OES2
  • New Novell Linux Volume Manager ( NLVM) provides easier storage management

Novell released a service pack, OES 11 SP1, on 28 August 2012.

Novell released a service pack, OES 11 SP2, on 28 January 2014.

Novell released a service pack, OES 11 SP3, on 26 July 2016.

OES 2015
  • OES 2015 was released on 31 August 2015, added new features and improved performance.[3]
  • OES 2015 SP1 was released on 14 June 2016.[3]

OES 2018
  • OES 2018 was released on 28 November 2017, based on SLES 12 SP2.
  • OES 2018 SP1 was released on 4 October 2019, based on SLES 12 SP3.
  • OES 2018 SP2 was released on 7 May 2020, based on SLES 12 SP5.

Release summary
  • OES, released on 25 March 2005, based on NetWare 6.5 SP3 and SLES 9 SP1.
    • OES SP1, released in September 2005, was based on NetWare 6.5 SP4 and SLES 9 SP2.
    • OES SP2, released in January 2006, was based on NetWare 6.5 SP5 and SLES 9 SP3.
  • OES 2, released on 12 October 2007 based on NetWare 6.5 SP7 and SLES 10 SP1.
    • OES 2 SP1, released on 1 December 2008,[4] based on NetWare 6.5 SP8 and SLES 10 SP2.
    • OES 2 SP2 was released on 11 November 2009,[4] based on SLES 10 SP3.
    • OES 2 SP3 was released on 7 November 2014,[4] based on SLES 10 SP3, SLES 10 SP4 (as of April 15th 2011).
  • OES 11 was released on 12 December 2011, based on SLES 11 SP1 (64-bit only).
    • OES 11 SP1 was released on 28 August 2012,[4] based on SLES 11 SP2.
    • OES 11 SP2 was released on 28 January 2014,[4] based on SLES 11 SP3.
    • OES 11 SP3 was released on 26 July 2016, based on SLES 11 SP4.
  • OES 2015 was released on 31 August 2015.[3], based on SLES 11 SP3.
    • OES 2015 SP1 was released on 14 June 2016, SLES 11 SP4.
  • OES 2018 was released on 28 November 2017, based on SLES 12 SP2.
    • OES 2018 SP1 was released on 4 October 2019, based on SLES 12 SP3.
    • OES 2018 SP2 was released on 7 May 2020, based on SLES 12 SP5.

End-of-support schedule
OES version Release date General Ends [5]
Old version, no longer maintained: 1 25 March 2005 31 July 2009
Old version, no longer maintained: 2 12 October 2007 31 July 2013
Old version, no longer maintained: 11 12 December 2011 13 June 2017
Old version, no longer maintained: 2015 31 August 2015 31 December 2019
Old version, no longer maintained: 2018 28 November 2017 7 February 2020
Older version, yet still maintained: 2018 SP1 4 October 2019 31 October 2023
Current stable version: 2018 SP2 7 May 2020 31 October 2024
Legend:
Old version
Older version, still maintained
Latest version
Latest preview version
Future release

Components
  • Automatic Client Upgrade (ACU) - automates the upgrade of Novell client software on existing workstations[6]

Marketing

Vendor motivation

Novell executives expect that porting these services to an OS with growing popularity and better support from hardware and software vendors will give Novell a good opportunity to improve its business results.

OES is Novell's reaction to two things:

  • the increased significance of Linux and open-source in the company strategy and the industry in general
  • the fact that it lost a lot of market share, not because the customers were dissatisfied with the quality of its networking services, but mostly because these services ran almost exclusively on top of an OS that was narrowly specialized in its initial design and didn't get as strong support from ISVs as most of its competitors.

License costs

Licensing costs are identical regardless of the platform, and the platforms may be mixed under the same license. As with Novell's other products, OES is licensed per user seat, without regard to the number of servers. Pricing is typically not altered by physical CPUs or the use of hardware virtualization technologies (e.g. VMware, Xen). NetWare and OES both include two-node licenses for Novell Cluster Services, allowing basic clustered environments to be created without additional licensing charges.

In comparison, Microsoft Windows charges per server and per client, with additional charges for larger SMP support and for clustering.

See also

References
  1. Prickett Morgan, Timothy (13 December 2011). "NetWare-Linux Love Child Turned Up to 11". The Register. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  2. "Upgrading to OES2: Planning & Implementation Guide".
  3. "Manage File & Print Networks - Open Enterprise Server". Novell Web site. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  4. "Novell Product Support Lifecycle".
  5. Product Support Lifecycle
  6. Harris, Jeffrey (2005). Novell Open Enterprise Server Administrator's Handbook, NetWare Edition. Novell Press. Pearson Education. ISBN 9780672332784. Retrieved 2015-02-15. Automatic Client Upgrade[:] Although the Client Upgrade Agent has largely replaced this functionality, Novell still offers the ACU feature to automate the upgrade of multiple existing workstations to the latest Novell client.

Further reading
  • Harris, Jeffrey; Mike Latimer (2005). Novell Open Enterprise Server Administrator's Handbook, SUSE LINUX Edition. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32749-0.
  • Harris, Jeffrey (2005). Novell Open Enterprise Server Administrator's Handbook, NetWare Edition. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32748-3.
  • Bastiaansen, Rob; Sander van Vugt (2006). Novell Cluster Services for Linux and NetWare. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32845-9.
  • Hughes, Jeffrey (2005). Novell's Guide to Open Enterprise Server Networks. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-7897-3196-8.
  • Williams, Jason; Peter Clegg; Emmett Dulaney (2005). Expanding Choice: Moving to Linux and Open Source with Novell Open Enterprise Server. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32722-3.
  • Simpson, Ted (2006). Hands-On Novell Open Enterprise Server for Netware and Linux. Course Technology. ISBN 978-1-4188-3531-6.
  • van Vugt, Sander (2005). Pro Novell Open Enterprise Server. Apress. ISBN 978-1-59059-483-4.
  • Tomkinson, Larry (2009). Upgrading to OES2 Planning and Implementation Guide. Novell.
  • "Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 Authorized Beta". 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
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