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SUSE S.A.

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SUSE S.A.
Company typePrivate
IndustrySoftware
FoundedSeptember 2, 1992; 34 years ago (1992-09-02) in Nuremberg, Germany
FounderRoland Dyroff, Burchard Steinbild, Hubert Mantel, Thomas Fehr
Headquarters
Nuremberg
,
Germany
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Markus Rex (leader of SUSE Linux development under Novell)
ProductsSUSE Linux Enterprise, openSUSE Linux distribution
ParentMicro Focus International (since 2014)
Websitewww.suse.com

SUSE S.A. (,[1]) is a Germany-based global company specializing in open-source software, with a focus on Linux solutions tailored for enterprise clients. Established in 1992, SUSE was the pioneer in offering Linux specifically designed for commercial environments. The company develops SUSE Linux Enterprise and acts as the primary sponsor of the community-driven openSUSE Linux distribution.

The openSUSE "Tumbleweed" edition functions as an upstream source for both the "Leap" release and SUSE Linux Enterprise. The "Leap" version is positioned as a non-commercial alternative that provides a seamless upgrade path to the enterprise-grade SUSE Linux, serving as a bridge between community and business products.

Early Years

On September 2, 1992, in Nuremberg, Germany, Roland Dyroff, Burchard Steinbild, Hubert Mantel, and Thomas Fehr established the Software and Systems Development Corporation (). Three of the founders were mathematics students at university, while Fehr was already working professionally as a software engineer. The acronym S.u.S.E. stands for Software- und System-Entwicklung (Software and Systems Development), paying homage to computer pioneer Konrad Zuse.

Initially, the company’s focus was on software development and providing consulting services related to UNIX. However, it quickly transitioned to distributing Linux along with technical support. Its inaugural Linux product was an enhanced version of the Slackware distribution, distributed on 40 floppy disks and localized into German with assistance from Slackware’s creator Patrick Volkerding. In early 1994, S.u.S.E. introduced its own distribution based on Florian La Roche’s Jurix.

By 1997, S.u.S.E. had established an office in Oakland, California, and relocated its headquarters from Fürth to Nürnberg in 1998. The brand name evolved from S.u.S.E. to SuSE in December 1998 and was eventually stylized as "SUSE" by 2003. Over time, SUSE expanded its presence to include six domestic offices and four international branches located in the USA, Czech Republic, UK, and Italy. On November 25, 2002, Richard Seibt assumed the role of CEO. In Hong Kong, SUSE products are distributed by TriTech Distribution Limited.

The company’s official emblem and mascot is GEEKO—a veiled chameleon whose name blends "gecko" with "geek". This mascot has undergone several design changes alongside updates to SUSE’s corporate identity.

Founding Activities

SUSE originated as a service provider offering software packages such as Softlanding Linux System (SLS) and Slackware, alongside publishing manuals for UNIX/Linux systems and delivering technical support.

Significant third-party distributions associated with SUSE’s early development include:

  • In mid-1992, Peter MacDonald developed SLS—a comprehensive Linux distribution that incorporated components like X and TCP/IP, which was distributed via floppy disks.
  • In 1993, Patrick Volkerding enhanced SLS to create Slackware.
  • In 1994, with Volkerding’s collaboration, Slackware installation scripts were translated into German, leading to the release of S.u.S.E. Linux 1.0 initially on floppy disks and subsequently on CDs.

To create its proprietary Linux distribution, S.u.S.E. initially built upon SLS in 1992 and later utilized Jurix in 1996 as the foundation. Florian La Roche joined the team to develop YaST—a configuration and installation tool that became central to their distribution.

In 1996, S.u.S.E. launched its first official distribution under its own name: S.u.S.E. Linux 4.2—a reference to the answer to "The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything" from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The initial release of YaST also carried the version number 0.42.

Expansion

SuSE Linux incorporated significant components from Red Hat Linux, such as the RPM Package Manager and its directory organization.

S.u.S.E. grew to become the leading Linux distributor in Germany. In 1997, SuSE, LLC was established in Oakland, California with James Gray as president and managing partner, aiming to expand its presence in markets across the Americas and Asia. While Red Hat held a dominant position in the United States, SuSE gained traction primarily in Germany and Nordic regions like Finland and Sweden. The company officially rebranded to SuSE (removing the dots) in October 1998. Notably, Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, was a frequent user of SuSE. By 1999, SuSE had also entered the United Kingdom market.

In 2000, SuSE introduced "SuSE Linux Enterprise Server for S/390," marking it as the first Linux distribution designed specifically for enterprise use. The following year, "SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 7" was released, supporting AMD and Intel 32-bit (x86) processors, Intel 64-bit (Itanium), along with IBM mainframe systems such as S/390, iSeries, pSeries, and zSeries.

Novell

On 4 November 2003, Novell declared its intention to acquire SuSE Linux AG for $210 million. This acquisition was part of Novell’s strategy to migrate its customer base away from the NetWare kernel. The transaction was finalized in January 2004, after which SuSE Linux AG became a subsidiary under Novell, renamed as SuSE Linux GmbH and SUSE Linux Products GmbH. The latter entity took responsibility for SUSE Linux development under Markus Rex's leadership. Novell integrated partner relations and sales teams into its structure, with Richard Seibt serving as CEO of Novell EMEA until May 2005.

To better appeal to corporate clients, SuSE had launched the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server in 2001 and shortly before the acquisition rebranded itself as "SUSE Linux," transitioning "SUSE" into a brand rather than an acronym.

According to J. Philips, Novell’s Asia Pacific strategist, there would be no immediate alterations to SUSE's development methodology. At Novell’s 2004 BrainShare event, all company computers operated on SUSE Linux for the first time, and it was announced that the proprietary management tool YaST2 would be released under the GPL license.

The openSUSE Project

On 4 August 2005, Novell revealed plans to transform the SUSE Professional series into a more community-driven project by launching the openSUSE Project. Although the software had always been open source, openSUSE opened up development to external contributors and users for testing and feedback. Prior development had been exclusively internal. Version 10.0 marked the first release featuring public beta testing.

SUSE Linux 10.0 included a combination of open source and proprietary software alongside retail boxed versions. As part of this evolution, access to YaST Online Update servers was made free for all SUSE Linux users. Furthermore, the GNOME desktop environment was elevated to equal status alongside the traditional KDE desktop.

In November 2005, SUSE co-founder Hubert Mantel resigned, expressing that changes following Novell's acquisition had altered SUSE so profoundly that it no longer resembled the company he had helped establish thirteen years earlier. His departure was reportedly connected to disagreements over incorporating Ximian products into GNOME-based default desktop settings. Mantel returned to Novell a year later.

Microsoft partnership

On 3 November 2006, with a renewal on 25 July 2011, Novell entered into a collaboration agreement with Microsoft aimed at improving the interoperability of SUSE with Microsoft Windows. This alliance also sought to promote both companies' products jointly and included a patent cross-licensing arrangement. The deal sparked debate and criticism within the Free Software community.

Acquisition by The Attachmate Group

On 22 November 2010, Novell consented to be purchased by The Attachmate Group for $2.2 billion. Attachmate intended to manage Novell as two distinct entities, designating SUSE as an independent business unit while preserving its connection with the openSUSE project.

To address antitrust concerns, the U.S. Department of Justice mandated modifications regarding the transfer of specific Novell patents to CPTN Holdings LLC. The initial agreement raised fears about potential restrictions on innovation and competition in open source software across server, desktop, mobile OS, middleware, and virtualization markets.

The principal terms related to patent licensing were:

  • All Novell patents would be governed under the GNU General Public License Version 2 and the Open Invention Network (OIN) License;
  • CPTN was prohibited from limiting which patents remained accessible under the OIN license;
  • Neither CPTN nor its owners could pressure Novell or Attachmate to change the availability of patents under the OIN license.

The acquisition finalized on 27 April 2011. Subsequently, on 23 July 2011, Attachmate launched a dedicated website for SUSE, which continued operating independently. By June 2012, numerous SUSE engineers who had been laid off during Novell’s tenure were rehired.

Merger with Micro Focus

On 20 November 2014, Attachmate Group merged with Micro Focus, forming the Micro Focus Group and establishing Micro Focus International as SUSE's new parent company. SUSE remained a distinct business unit with its own product lineup. Nils Brauckmann, formerly SUSE's president, was promoted to CEO and joined the board of Micro Focus Group.

OpenAttic acquisition

On 9 November 2016, SUSE acquired storage management assets from German IT provider it-novum, specifically OpenAttic. This technology was incorporated into SUSE Enterprise Storage as a graphical interface designed to manage and monitor Ceph-based storage clusters.

Purchase of HPE OpenStack and Stackato assets

On 9 March 2017, SUSE completed the acquisition of asset portfolios related to OpenStack and Cloud Foundry from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). This expanded SUSE’s capabilities in both Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). HPE retained rights to OEM these technologies for their Helion OpenStack and Stackato solutions.

Divestiture to EQT AB

On 2 July 2018, Micro Focus announced it would sell its SUSE division to Blitz 18-679 GmbH, a subsidiary of EQT AB, for $2.535 billion. The transaction closed on 15 March 2019. Blitz 18-679 GmbH was later renamed Marcel BidCo GmbH, becoming the ultimate parent company of SUSE Software Solutions Germany GmbH, which continued operations following the dissolution of SUSE LINUX GmbH in August 2019.

On 22 July 2019, Melissa Di Donato, formerly COO at SAP, was appointed as CEO of SUSE.

Acquisition of Rancher Labs

On 8 July 2020, SUSE revealed its plan to acquire Rancher Labs, a provider specializing in Kubernetes management platforms. The transaction was finalized on 1 December 2020, coinciding with the appointment of Rancher’s CEO and cofounder, Sheng Liang, as SUSE's President of Engineering and Innovation.

Initial public offering

In early 2021, SUSE set preparations in motion for an IPO with an anticipated market value between 7 and 8 billion euros. The company issued an official Intent to Float announcement on 26 April 2021. Subsequently, on 19 May 2021, SUSE debuted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at an opening price of 30 euros per share, while EQT AB maintained a controlling interest of 75.7%. The restructured SUSE S.A. established its headquarters in Luxembourg, with Nürnberg continuing as its principal software development hub.

Acquisition of NeuVector

On 28 October 2021, SUSE completed the acquisition of NeuVector, Inc., a comprehensive container security solution provider, for a total consideration of $130 million paid in cash and stock.

Delisting from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange

Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen was named CEO of SUSE on 21 March 2023.

On 17 August 2023, EQT Private Equity disclosed plans to remove SUSE from public trading and integrate it into a privately held Luxembourg entity. This initiative received endorsement from both the Management and Supervisory Boards to allow SUSE to concentrate fully on operational objectives and long-term strategic goals.

The merger concluded on 13 November 2023, with the former SUSE S.A. consolidating into Marcel New Lux IV S.A., a non-public Luxembourg Public Limited Liability Corporation. The entity retained the SUSE S.A. name, and shares were withdrawn from trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Products

The first public version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server was released as version 7 on 24 August 2001. The latest iteration is SUSE Linux Enterprise 15.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

SUSE’s flagship Linux distribution, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ("SLES"), is designed for extensive enterprise deployments across physical machines, virtual environments, and cloud platforms. It supports a broad range of processor architectures such as Intel x86, ARM, AMD x86-64, IBM Power Systems, and IBM S/390 and z Systems. SLES is offered both as on-demand access and bring-your-own-subscription ("BYOS") images available through Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, and Google Compute Engine.

Server offerings within the SUSE Linux Enterprise portfolio
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications – engineered specifically for SAP workload optimization
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Service – customized for retail environments including user touchpoints and in-store server operations
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing – infrastructure solutions for HPC needs
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension – includes clustering and storage replication technologies to ensure high availability
Specialized editions based on the Server platform

Several tailored versions stem from the core Server product line to support strategic partnerships:

  • SLES for Amazon EC2
  • SLES for Microsoft Azure, equipped with a kernel optimized for Azure
  • SLES supporting ARM Raspberry Pi devices, particularly tuned for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time, which transforms the operating system into a real-time platform

Desktop Solutions within the SUSE Linux Enterprise Suite

  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, the follow-up to Novell Linux Desktop
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension, an add-on that integrates desktop functionalities into SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
  • LibreOffice productivity suite, provided by SUSE

Discontinued Editions

  • SLES for VMware (included as entitlement with VMware vSphere; discontinued since June 2014)

Software-Defined Infrastructure

  • SUSE OpenStack Cloud, an automated platform designed for deploying and managing private IaaS clouds based on OpenStack; sales ended in October 2019
  • SUSE Enterprise Storage, a software-defined storage solution leveraging Ceph to offer scalable, cost-efficient storage using standard hardware; discontinued from March 2021

Management Tools

  • SUSE Manager, a robust Linux server administration solution derived from Uyuni (a fork of Spacewalk utilizing SaltStack), facilitating package and patch management, provisioning, and system monitoring

Application Delivery Platforms

  • SUSE CaaS Platform ("Container as a Service"), a platform for containerized application development and hosting built on Kubernetes
  • SUSE Cloud Application Platform, a PaaS system constructed on Cloud Foundry and Kubernetes

SUSE Studio

SUSE Studio was a web-based interface for crafting customized Linux distributions using openSUSE’s KIWI and Open Build Service utilities. It allowed users to visually assemble and generate various Virtual Machine and Disk Images. In September 2017, SUSE Studio combined with Open Build Service and was rebranded as SUSE Studio Express.

openSUSE

openSUSE is a community-led initiative supported by SUSE focused on developing and maintaining components of SUSE Linux. Originating from the former "SuSE Linux Professional," it embodies SUSE’s commitment to community engagement following Novell’s acquisition.

Uyuni

  • Uyuni,[2] a comprehensive Linux server management suite, is a fork of the Spacewalk project. Built on SaltStack, it offers capabilities including package and patch management, security auditing, provisioning, and monitoring.

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Pronunciation
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named uyuni
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