Enterprise-grade Linux for ARM System Innovation

What is SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM, a new Linux server platform from SUSE, provides solution providers with the first generally available commercial enterprise-grade Linux distribution that is optimized for Armv8-A architecture servers.

Are virtual images supported with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM includes full enterprise support for virtualization with KVM.

What support options are available?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM includes immediate access to software updates and industry-leading technical support. Subscription options include Standard support 12 hours / day, 5 days / week and a 2-hour maximum response time for Severity 1 problems, or Priority Support with 24 x 7 access and a 1-hour maximum response time for Severity 1 problems. Learn more about SUSE Linux Enterprise Server support subscriptions.

What 64-bit Arm processor systems are enabled by SUSE?

SUSE partnered with the following Arm processor providers to exploit and test unique Armv8-A features:

• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)—Opteron A1100
• Cavium—ThunderX
• Cavium—ThunderX2 CN99xx *
• Cavium—Octeon TX *
• HiSilicon—Hi1616 *
• NXP—QorIQ LS2085A / LS2045A, LS2080A / LS2040A
• NXP—QorIQ LS1043A *
• MACOM / Applied Micro—X-Gene 1, X-Gene 2
• MACOM / Applied Micro—X-Gene 3 *
• Marvell—Armada 7040/8040 *
• Rockchip—RK3399 *
• Qualcomm—Centriq 2400 *
• Xilinx—Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC

* New processors enabled for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM 12 SP3.

Note: Please check with the specific hardware vendor for SUSE YES certification for the Arm processor. Due to the rapidly evolving availability of Arm System on a Chip hardware, not all platforms have undergone the same degree of hardware testing.

What workloads are enabled for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM is flexible to support advanced features of a broad set of Armv8-A processors and open source community-based storage, networking and high performance computing solutions. Key features include the ability to:

• Develop innovative large-scale High Performance Computing (HPC), storage and networking solutions with the capability to support over 95 processor cores with NUMA.
• Deploy High Performance Computing (HPC) updated functionality faster and easier with the HPC Module. This module is updated more frequently than the base operating system allow you to keep up with rapidly evolving HPC without changing the base OS. This enables you to meet time to market requirements for your solution while avoiding extensive retesting of your platform.
• Enable software-defined storage with built-in Ceph client enablement.
• Leverage and contribute to open source innovation with community-sourced, SUSE-validated Arm-based packages built using Open Build Service (OBS) and additional software available from SUSE’s Package Hub.

What are the benefits of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM for solution providers?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM enables hardware and software solution providers to:

• Deliver innovative solutions with a rock solid OS foundation that is flexible to support advanced features of a broad set of Armv8-A processors and open source community-based storage, networking and high performance computing solutions.
• Improve time to market with an array of advanced tools to more quickly compile, package and deploy Linux solutions for 64-bit Arm systems.
• Exploit Arm System-on-a-Chip specific features with optimizations for storage, and a foundation for network integration as well as support for encryption and compression engines or custom FPGA features.
• Enhance security for commercial workloads using the highest level of security for a commercial OS designed for Common Criteria EAL4+ support, enabling Arm ecosystem security mechanisms.
• Reduce problem resolution time and increase peace of mind with ready and available SUSE Premium Support services options including up to 1 hour response times and 24x7 access.
• Optimize application performance by compiling with the latest available compiler technology available from the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Toolchain Module.

What are the benefits of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM for enterprise early adopters of Arm servers?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM enables hardware and software solution providers to:

• Deliver innovative solutions with a rock solid OS foundation that is flexible to support advanced features of a broad set of Armv8-A processors and open source community-based storage, networking and high performance computing solutions.
• Deploy Arm System-on-a-Chip specific features with optimizations for storage – including Ceph support – as well as networking solutions.
• Enhance security for commercial workloads using the highest level of security for a commercial OS designed for Common Criteria EAL4+ support, enabling Arm ecosystem security mechanisms.
• Reduce problem resolution time and reduce the time and effort to maintain the Linux OS with ready and available SUSE support subscription options including as little as 1-hour response times and 24x7 access

Is SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM for enterprise IT shops?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM is offered to enable hardware and software solution providers to deliver innovative solutions and improve time to market by exploiting Armv8-A processor capabilities on a well-established open source, industry standard OS distribution with enterprise-class security and superior support. Enterprise early adopters are encouraged to evaluate SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for Arm, but SUSE does not currently offer a direct subscription model for enterprise IT organizations.

Does SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM run on the Raspberry Pi

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM includes an image to fit on an SD card specifically for the Raspberry Pi. This enables enterprises who use the Raspberry Pi as an IoT device for industrial automation to focus on solution delivery, rather than OS enablement and maintenance. A 60-day free trial is available to introduce SUSE Linux Enterprise Server to developers who wish to inexpensively experiment with 64-bit Arm processors and the SUSE Linux OS. It supports the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B and boots to an easy to use graphical user interface. A compiler and popular development tools are also available for download.

How can I get a copy of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for the Raspberry Pi?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM for the Raspberry Pi in production use is available from the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server download page www.suse.com/download-linux. It can be used for 60-days as a trial with free patches and updates for non-production education and experimentation.

After downloading the ~650MB image you will need to unpack and burn the image to an SD Card of at least 8GB of capacity.

See the Quick Start guide at www.suse.com/documentation/suse-best-practices/sles-for-arm-raspberry-pi/data/sles-for-arm-raspberry-pi.html.

What Raspberry Pi options are supported?

The following I/O options are supported:

• HDMI
• USB keyboard
• USB Mouse
• Ethernet
• Bluetooth
• GPIO

To enable the Bluetooth controller for use with bluetoothctl and related applications, run:

hciattach /dev/ttyAMA0 bcm43xx 921600

SUSE depends on the source code for hardware drivers to be made available upstream to the open source community before they can be included in SUSE Linux Enterprise products. For this reason the following Raspberry Pi 3 features are not available:

• Audio (through the jack)
• Camera
• Raspberry Pi touch screen
• HATS
• HDMI Audio
• H.264 MPEG

Can I use an earlier version of Raspberry Pi?

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for ARM supports only 64-bit hardware, including Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ is not supported at this time. Models of Raspberry Pi prior to 3 Model B are 32-bit.