1 Planning for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server #
1.1 Considerations for Deployment of a SUSE Linux Enterprise Server #
The implementation of an operating system either in an existing IT environment or as a completely new rollout must be carefully prepared. At the beginning of the planning process, you should try to define the project goals and necessary features. This must always be done individually for each project, but the questions to answer should include the following:
How many installations should be done? Depending on this, the best deployment methods differ.
Will the system run as physical host or as a virtual machine?
Will the system be in a hostile environment? Have a look at Chapter 1, Security and Confidentiality to get an overview of consequences.
How will you get regular updates? All patches are provided online for registered users. Find the registration and patch support database at http://download.suse.com/.
Do you need help for your local installation? SUSE provides training, support, and consulting for all topics pertaining to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Find more information about this at https://www.suse.com/products/server/.
Do you need third-party products? Make sure that the required product is also supported on the desired platform. SUSE can provide help to support software on different platforms when needed.
1.2 Deployment of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server #
To make sure that your system will run flawlessly, always try to use certified hardware. The hardware certification process is an ongoing process and the database of certified hardware is updated regularly. Find the search form for certified hardware at https://www.suse.com/yessearch/Search.jsp.
Depending on the number of desired installations, it is beneficial to use installation servers or even completely automatic installations. When using Xen or KVM virtualization technologies, network root file systems or network storage solutions like iSCSI should be considered.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server provides you with a broad variety of services. Find an overview of the documentation in this book in About This Guide. Most of the needed configurations can be made with YaST, the SUSE configuration utility. In addition, many manual configurations are described in the corresponding chapters.
In addition to the plain software installation, you should consider training the end users of the systems and help desk staff.
1.3 Running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server #
The SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating system is a well-tested and stable system. Unfortunately, this does not prevent hardware failures or other causes for downtime or data loss. For any serious computing task where data loss could occur, a regular backup should be done.
For optimal security and data safety, you should make regular updates of all the operated machines. If you have a mission critical server, you should run a second identical (pre-production) machine that you can use to test all changes. This also gives you the possibility of switching machines in the case of hardware failure.
1.4 Registering SUSE Linux Enterprise Server #
To get technical support and product updates, you need to register and activate your SUSE product with the SUSE Customer Center. We recommend to register during the installation, since this will enable you to install the system with the latest updates and patches available. However, if you are offline or want to skip the registration step, you can register at any time later from the installed system.
In case your organization does not provide a local registration server, registering SUSE Linux requires a SUSE account. In case you do not have a SUSE account yet, go to the SUSE Customer Center home page (https://scc.suse.com/) to create one.
During the installation you will be asked to enter your registration code. For details, see Section 6.8, “SUSE Customer Center Registration”.
If you deploy your instances automatically using AutoYaST, you can register the system during the installation by providing the respective information in the AutoYaST control file. For details, see Section 4.3, “System Registration and Extension Selection”.
For registering an already installed system, see Section 14.2, “Registering an Installed System”.