Network World — Likewise Tuesday said its software for bridging Linux desktops and Microsoft’s Active Directory will now be included with Novell’s Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 11.

Novell SLED 11 Feels Like Window 7, MacOS

Likewise Enterprise is software that allows Novell’s Linux desktop to use Active Directory for its network authentication needs. In addition, administrators can easily include Linux desktops in their Active Directory environments and manage them with some of the same tools they use to manage Windows desktops.

The Likewise software is designed to work with Linux, Unix and Mac desktops.

An agreement forged between Novell and Likewise will give all buyers of SLED 11 the Likewise software, which also will be included in the SLED software repositories. Via Active Directory, companies using SLED 11 will be able to authenticate users, set access controls, manage settings and group policies, and create audit reports.

Novell shipped SLED 11 in March and the desktop included a number of hooks with Microsoft software, an outgrow of a controversial deal the two companies signed in 2006.

Last August, Microsoft invested another $100 million into the Novell deal. So it was no surprise when SLED 11 was delivered with hooks into system management, virtualization, and multimedia systems from Microsoft.

A new SLED 11 extension that supports Novell’s Mono Project allows .NET applications to run on Linux systems without having to recompile programs. Mono is a .Net -compatible set of tools that includes a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime.

In addition, group policies in Likewise Enterprise allow management of security settings in SLED 11. The Likewise software also includes support for GNOME group policies.

The SLED 11 desktop has been met with favorable reviews since it hit the market two months ago. A Network World review says SLED 11 has a look and feel that's similar to past versions of Apple’s MacOS and some parts of Windows 7.

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