Novell has introduced its next-generation enterprise platform, SuSE Linux Enterprise 10, which the vendor claims to be the first to deliver fully supported Linux features such as virtualisation, application-level security and improved desktop usability.

SuSE Linux Enterprise 10 is the basis for all of Novell's next-generation enterprise Linux offerings, including SuSE Linux Enterprise Server and the recently announced SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.

Novell claims that the offering is the first enterprise platform to include a fully integrated and supported version of Xen 3.0, the emerging open source standard for virtualisation services which lets organisations consolidate multiple workloads on a single server.

According to industry analyst Gartner, the average data centre server runs at 20 per cent capacity, but with Xen virtualisation on SuSE Linux Enterprise, customers will have the ability to increase server utilisation to nearly 70 per cent.

SuSE Linux Enterprise 10 also includes Novell's AppArmor application-level security service, an open source offering that provides tools to protect critical infrastructures.

AppArmor supports open standards for encrypted file systems, firewalls, certificate management, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention.

Matt Eastwood, programme vice president of enterprise server research at analyst firm IDC, added: "As Linux moves from the edge of the organisation into the heart of the enterprise, the Linux market continues to grow quickly.

"By integrating support for new technologies like Xen 3.0 virtualisation and AppArmor security, Novell is taking the guesswork out of Linux deployments for enterprises."