Introducing SUSE Manager 5.0: A Leap Forward in Linux Management

IT is complex and getting more complex.  From mixed Linux management to multi cloud and AI to cyber security.  How does one manage all their servers with automation so they remain compliant, secure and up to date?  The answer is clear!  SUSE Manager is the only management solution that provides automated management for more than 16 Linux distributions all from a single console.

Today, SUSE is announcing the imminent launch of SUSE Manager 5.0.  While the first customer ship is not until July 17, there is much to get excited about now.  Let’s discuss some of the new benefits coming to SUSE Manager 5.0.

Containerization is here

Like many of you, SUSE Manager is on a modernization journey. With 4.3, we started that journey by containerizing the SUSE Manager Proxy and SUSE Manager Branch Server. With this release, the SUSE Manager 5.0 Server is also being delivered as a container.  What does that mean to you?

First, containerization removes application dependencies on the underlying container host. Why is this important?  Because it means that you can now take advantage of all the feature updates that will be released for SUSE Manager without worrying what effect they will have on the underlying Linux server, and vice versa. This frees the  SUSE Manager 5.0 server to be deployed in a more flexible and scalable manner. 

Containerizing the server also provides greater portability and resilience. Resilience is a service’s ability to continue to operate under adverse conditions and the speed with which it is able to return to normal operation from the point of first failure. Should your SUSE Manager fail, it is now very easy to spin up another SUSE Manager container.  Then, all you have to do is connect to your data, and  you are up and running quickly.

Did someone say more security?

With security continuing to be a top concern, SUSE Manager 5.0 has enhanced security posturing for your mixed Linux environment.  These include integrating OVAL data and confidential computing attestation.  

OVAL (Open Vulnerability and Assessment Language) definitions are standardized, machine-readable tests written in the Open Vulnerability and Assessment Language that check computer systems for the presence of software vulnerabilities, configuration issues, programs, and patches. Now additional information is shown about the vulnerability, including the CVE and OVAL details for each security patch.  For the first time in SUSE Manager, this vulnerability information is available outside the channels providing patches. 

With this release of SUSE Manager, we also provide our initial step into the world of confidential computing, providing confidential computing attestation.  For certain systems that are registered to it, SUSE Manager can be used as an attestation server.  That is, it verifies confidentiality capabilities on the systems which can run in this mode. These systems need to be attested and checked on a regular basis. The history of the past checks is also stored and available per request.  Initially attestation is available on specific AMD processors, with more on the roadmap.

It’s a mixed Linux world

The heart of SUSE Manager is that it manages more than 16 different Linux distributions on different versions and multiple architectures.  It really is a testament to SUSE’s approach of “Make One, Manage Many” allowing you to get the most value from the distributions you choose to run. With this release of SUSE Manager, we are pleased to provide some enhancements to our mixed Linux management portfolio. 

Native package management Appstream support for all of the EL clients we support, including RHEL, Oracle Linux, Rocky Linux, Alma Linux and Liberty Linux.  Previously when we delivered packages we had to flatten out the channels causing a disconnect between the native tool (DNF) and they didn’t align; now with SUSE Manager 5.0 they will align. 

The Liberate formula, included in SUSE Manager, converts systems from EL clients such as AlmaLinux, CentOS 7, Oracle Linux, Rocky Linux, or even Red Hat Enterprise Linux to SUSE Liberty Linux. With this formula, the conversion can take place during the client onboarding on SUSE Manager,  Or you can apply it later to previously registered systems.

More enhancements

In addition to what we previously discussed, SUSE Manager 5.0 includes some other notable enhancements, including:

• Image based deployment across multiple architectures.  Providing SUSE Manager 5.0 as an image will make installation easier, more consistent and will lead to less downtime.
• Thanks to ARM, providing hardware for it, we added architecture support including Aarch 64/ARM64.  Now SUSE Manager runs on x86-64, ARM, ppc64le, and s390x systems.

SUSE Manager 5.0 will be available for download in just a few short weeks,  We can’t wait to share it with you!