Huawei and SUSE Announce SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Support for KunLun RAS 2.0

Huawei and SUSE today announced SUSE Linux Enterprise Server as the preferred standard operating system (OS) for Huawei’s KunLun RAS 2.0. Based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Service Pack 2, the OS supports the unique Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS 2.0) features of Huawei’s KunLun Mission Critical Server. The RAS 2.0 features enable customers to add or remove CPU and memory resources without shutting down the system. These features combine to make KunLun “Always Online.” SUSE Linux Enterprise Server provides broad support for mission-critical workloads such as databases and middleware.

The Huawei KunLun is ideal for carrying mission-critical services of enterprises and delivers 24/7 business continuity, minimizing service loss that would result in the case of system crash. Leveraging Huawei’s innovative RAS 2.0 technologies, KunLun supports CPU and memory hot swap and has surpassed UNIX servers by some reliability indicators. As a pioneer at the forefront of the open source software industry, SUSE has grown a wealth of kernel technology know-how and enterprise technology implementation practice in the Linux open source community. SUSE has been leading the industry by delivering superior RAS support for the x86 platform. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server runs on the KunLun underlying firmware and perfectly merges the Linux kernel ACPI driver module, memory/CPU hot swap module, and kernel and memory management subsystem. In this way, the OS allows customers to physically add or remove core components, such as CPUs and memory modules, without disrupting services.

“Huawei and SUSE have been collaborating for a long time in the mission-critical computing space,” said Wang Zhen, vice president of the Huawei Server Product Line. “We have jointly released KunLun, the world’s first 32-socket mission critical server, at CeBIT 2016. Now we bring our partnership to a new level by releasing the industry’s first standard Linux OS that supports KunLun RAS 2.0. The OS will help KunLun deliver reliability that is parallel to, and even surpasses, that of traditional UNIX servers. These benefits will translate into better return on investment for our customers.”

Ralf Flaxa, SUSE president of Engineering, said, “KunLun is the result of deep collaboration between Huawei and SUSE. SUSE leads the industry by releasing the preferred standard OS that supports KunLun RAS 2.0 features, including CPU and memory hot swap. In addition, soon the OS will come with the in-service kernel upgrade feature provided by SUSE. These features will enable KunLun to be ‘Always Online.’ This benefit isn’t currently available with other Linux operating systems.”

Huawei has collaborated with the best partners along the industry chain to build KunLun, implementing vertical consolidation and joint optimization from the bottom-layer chip level all the way up to the OS and the application layer. KunLun perfectly addresses the high reliability, performance, and scalability requirements of mission-critical environments and, at the same time, embraces the x86 ecosystem. This is an epic advance because KunLun liberates enterprises from the longstanding restrictions of costly, enclosed architectures, fully unlocks the innovation capabilities of the enterprises, and helps them better compete and succeed in the mission-critical computing arena of today and tomorrow.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solution provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices, and cloud computing. Huawei’s 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises, and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products, and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world’s population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com.