CSB (Customer Support Bulletin)
Document: 50005019
Revision: 00
Issued: 1 Jul 2005
Expired: N/A
Author: M. Watanabe
Approver: M.H. Marc
Dossier: 500
Origin: XPR (Open Systems)
Domain: Linux, Novascale, Express5800
Products/Models: SLES 9 (Suse Linux)
Subject:  
  SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 Announcement

Table of contents

I. ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW

II. NEW OFFER CONTENTS

III. DELIVERY CONTENTS
III-a. SOFTWARE FOR NovaScale 4000/5000/6000 & DOCUMENTATIONS
III-b. SOFTWARE FOR Express 5800 & DOCUMENTATIONS
IV. INSTALLATION & ADMINISTRATION
IV-a. For Itanium NovaScale 
IV-b. For Express 5800
V. UPDATE SOFTWARE  
V-a. Online procedure
V-b Manual procedure
VI. KNOWN PROBLEMS / DIFFICULTIES

VII. MAINTENANCE POLICY
VII-a.  MAINTENABILITY & SUPPORT STRATEGY
VII-b. TRAINING
 

I. ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW

SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9  (SLES 9) is the first enterprise-class Linux server built on the new Linux 2.6 kernel, offering unmatched performance and scalability for large-scale Linux deployments. With advanced memory management and processor support, Native Posix Thread Library (NPTL), advanced I/O capabilities and the unique class-based kernel resource management (CKRM) feature, SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 offers the industry best performance and linear scalability.


II. NEW OFFER CONTENTS

Novell Suse SLES 9 runs on Novascale and Express 5800 servers.

The following article explains what's new in SLES 9: http://www.novell.com/products/linuxenterpriseserver/sles9_whatsnew.pdf.
This other article  explains in details all the features of SLES 9: http://www.novell.com/products/linuxenterpriseserver/sles9_featurelist_technical.pdf .

III. DELIVERY CONTENTS

The SLES9 software is provided as a set of CD-ROMs. This chapter describes all the references (MI: Marketing Identifier) of this product.

For NovaScale 4000/5000/6000 series
EXSU281-LA0H SLES 9 FOR IPF,UP TO 2-CPU LIC.,M&D,1 YEAR SUPPORT
EXSU282-LA0H SLES 9 FOR IPF,UP TO 16-CPU LIC., M&D,1 YEAR SUPP
EXSU283-LA0H SLES 9 FOR IPF, ADD L 8-CPU LIC., 1 YEAR SUPP

For Express 5800
LSEH001-X902 SLES 9 for IA32, up to 2-CPU lic., M&D, 1-year Support
LSEH002-X916 SLES 9 for IA32, up to 16-CPU lic., M&D, 1-year Support
LSEH003-X9E8 SLES 9 for IA32, add l 8-CPU lic., M&D, 1-year Support

Note: Currently BULL ships SLES 9 service Pack 1 a.k.a SP1.

III-a. SOFTWARE FOR NovaScale 4000/5000/6000 & DOCUMENTATIONS

This table gives the CDs references.
REFERENCE
NAMING
CD 76741539 SLES 9 IA64 (6 volumes CDs)
CD 76741680 SLES 9 IA64 SP1 (3 volumes CDs)
CD1 : /DOCU HowTo and StartUp.pdf
RELEASE-NOTES.en.html

III-b. SOFTWARE FOR Express 5800 & DOCUMENTATIONS

This table gives the CDs references.
REFERENCE NAMING 
CD 76741648 SLES 9 (6 volumes CDs)
Sources are on CD 4,5,6
CD 76741683 SLES 9 IA32 SP1 (3 volumes CDs)
Sources are on CD 2,3
CD1 : /DOCU HowTo and StartUp.pdf
RELEASE-NOTES.en.html

IV. INSTALLATION & ADMINISTRATION

All administrative tasks are done through a  tool called YaST (Yet Another Setup Tool) which allows to install, configure and administrate the whole system. Now licensed under the General Public Licence (GPL), this tool delivers a consistent management experience across all supported SUSE LINUX platforms.

IV-a. For NovaScale 4000/5000/6000

The Bull Release Notes are provided in a document delivered with the product called SRB (Software Release Bulletin), it has the reference 86A238EJ00.

IV-b. For Express 5800

Only IA32 binary distribution is supported now. The Release notes are delivered on the CD's  of the distribution :
To have more information about Installation and Administration,  look at the Internet addresses:

V. UPDATE SOFTWARE  

The Novell  SLES 9 distribution offers two ways for system update, online and manual from CD-ROMS. This chapter describes in details the procedure.

V-a. Online procedure

The YaST Online Update (YOU) tool is the easy way to get all recommended patches and security fixes from a SuSE update server. This paper describes how to do that in few steps. For more information, read the complete documentation available at http://www.novell.com/documentation/sles9/index.html .

This operation has some steps:

The YOU uses the /var/lib/YaST2/you/  directory to store temporary information needed by the update process. Make sure that there is enough free size in /var to do that.

Note: A lack of disk space can break the update and keep the system in wrong state. At installation time, sizing /var with a value at least 2 GB should be right...

At the web page http://portal.suse.com/, every Internet user can use the link sign up here to set up their own accounts. The password will be sent to your favorite email address.

To complete this step, a number called the Reference Number or Registration code is mandatory, it is shipped with initial delivery of Novell SUSE SLES CDs. To keep your Enterprise Linux subscriptions active, be sure to renew the subscription each year.

Go to the link http://portal.suse.com/ to activate your subscription and use the login and password created above.

All operations can done using the graphic Novell SUSE configuration tool called yast2.

To do that, use the YaST2 Software -> Online Update at the top of YaST2 and enter the login information previously defined, then select the updates and start the process.

The update operation often changes the Linux kernel, a reboot is necessary to have the full benefits of the update.

V-b Manual procedure

The first step is to get the Service Pack CDs from BULL. To do that , use the Web Call Manager  at  http://www.bull.com/support or http://www.cs.bull.net/  to make a call requesting the update CDs (In case of problems to do that, contact your local Bull Representative). Do not forget to give the name, address and phone number (important in case of delivery problem) of the person in charge of receipting the CDs.

Then use YaSt to update the system, selecting "Installation from CD" instead of "On-line update" and follow up instructions to proceed.

VI. KNOWN PROBLEMS / DIFFICULTIES

None.

VII. MAINTENANCE POLICY

VII-a.  MAINTENABILITY & SUPPORT STRATEGY

In case of trouble, the first way to have more information is to look at the Internet resources.
Note: the full access to these support sites needs a valid Novell account that can be created as described above.
Note: the Novell company is going to redesign its web architecture, so these addresses are subject to change.
Then another way to find help is to call the BULL technical support:

    VII-b. TRAINING

    Bull offers more than 450 technical training courses, within 6 training families: Databases, operating systems, applications/methods and languages, networks and security, Internet and project management. According to each company's specific needs, training can be done at Bull’s training centers, on-site, through e-learning or with mixed approaches. To have more information, look at  http://www.bull.com/training or contact your Local Bull representative.

     

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