ServersSuSE Linux 8.0 Ships, Offers Grid Computing Option

SuSE Linux 8.0 Ships, Offers Grid Computing Option

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As promised, SuSE Linux Monday released version 8.0 of its SuSE Linux operating system. One of the operating system”s key new features is Sun Microsystems” Sun Grid Engine 5.3 software in the Professional Edition.

New features in SuSE Linux v8.0 include increased security, a KDE-3-based GUI, a smoother installation process, and expanded multimedia capabilities. (See “SuSE Linux 8.0 on the Way” for a detailed description of what is new in this latest version.)

As promised, SuSE Linux Monday released version 8.0 of its SuSE Linux operating system. One of the operating system’s key new features is Sun Microsystems’ Sun Grid Engine 5.3 software in the Professional Edition.

SuSE Linux v8.0 uses the 2.4.18 Linux Kernel with more than 1,200 drivers, and it supports graphic cards and glibc 2.2.5. It comes with Apache 1.3.23, a file and print server for Windows networks, and Samba 2.2.3a. It also includes functions that provide memory protection, pre-emptive multitasking, optimized memory management, and network properties to enhance professional deployment and ambitious home use.

In addition, the Profession Edition of version 8.0 features Sun Microsystems” Sun Grid Engine, Sun”s open source software for setting up and managing grid computing models.

According to Sun spokesperson Peter Jeffcock, this is the first time the Sun Grid Engine has been folded into a product directly.

“SuSE Linux is proud to be the first Linux solution provider to bring a powerful grid computing solution to the Linux marketplace. Sun”s Grid Engine technology delivers real benefits to SuSE Linux users and to the growing Linux community,” said Boris Nalbach, CTO of SuSE Linux.

The Grid Engine Project is an open source project that develops resource management tools for cluster and campus grids. Grid technology enables enterprises to manage and submit jobs to available computing resources on an individual basis (in the form of a cluster grid), a departmental basis (a campus grid), or enterprisewide (in a global grid).

Enterprises using Grid Engine technology include Ford, Caprion Pharmaceuticals, BP, Cognigen Corporation, Motorola, Sony Semiconductor and Devices Europe, Aachen University of Technology, University of Durham, and University of Edinburgh.

More than 150,000 CPUs comprising more than 4,500 grids worldwide have deployed Sun Grid engine. Sun Grid Engine offers heterogeneous platform support, and nearly 35 percent of these CPUs are in Linux environments.

With Sun Grid Engine 5.3 software available with SuSE Linux”s 8.0 Professional Edition, Sun believes it can attain its goal of attracting more enterprises to grid computing and, with that, to the grid community.

“Distributing Grid Engine software with SuSE Linux 8.0 will catalyze the adoption of grid computing and significantly increases the exposure of grid computing in the Linux and Unix communities,” said Wolfgang Gentzsch, director of grid computing, Sun Microsystems.

Sun has been involved with grid computing since the September 2000 release of Sun Grid Engine software. The Grid Engine Project, an open source initiative managed by Collabnet and created with funding from Sun, aims to collaboratively advance the development and use of grid computing technology across all platforms. The Grid Engine Project has released approximately 500,000 lines of Grid Engine source code under an open source license.

Sun”s own flavor of the open source software is currently used in grid implementations in technical, commercial, and academic research computing environments worldwide. Sun Grid Engine is tested, supported, and distributed by Sun.

SuSE Linux 8.0 can be purchased directly from SuSE at http://shop.suse.com and from
software retailers. Linux 8.0 Professional (which consists of seven CDs, one DVD, three manuals, and 90 days of installation support) carries a recommended price of $79.95. The Personal Edition (comprised of 3 CDs, 2 manuals, and 60 days of installation support) is $49.90 and does not include Sun Grid Engine.

The Sun Grid Engine is available for free download at http://wwws.sun.com/software/gridware/get.html. A CD version is available for $20.

Related Stories:
SuSE Linux 8.0 on the Way
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