# Open Enterprise Server

> computing platform for delivery of shared network services

**Wikidata**: [Q1197839](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1197839)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Enterprise_Server)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/open-enterprise-server

## Summary
Open Enterprise Server (OES) is a computing platform and server operating system developed by Novell. First released in March 2005, it delivers shared network services and was designed as the successor to the NetWare operating system. The platform integrates established Novell services with a foundation that uses the RPM Package Manager.

## Key Facts
- **Inception Date:** March 2005
- **Developer:** Novell
- **Classification:** Computing platform, Operating system
- **Predecessor:** Replaces and follows the `NetWare` network operating system.
- **Latest Version:** OES 2018 SP3 (as of July 2021)
- **Package Management:** Uses RPM Package Manager.
- **Aliases:** OES, Novell Open Enterprise Server, OpenText Open Enterprise Server

## FAQs
### Q: What is Open Enterprise Server?
A: Open Enterprise Server is a server operating system developed by Novell to deliver shared network services. It is the official successor to the NetWare platform, combining traditional Novell services with a more modern architecture.

### Q: Who developed Open Enterprise Server?
A: Open Enterprise Server was originally developed by Novell. The product has since been associated with Micro Focus International and OpenText, which now hosts the official product website.

### Q: What did Open Enterprise Server replace?
A: Open Enterprise Server was designed to replace Novell's earlier network operating system, NetWare, which was first released in 1983.

## Why It Matters
Open Enterprise Server is significant because it provided a critical modernization path for the large installed base of Novell NetWare customers. NetWare was a dominant force in corporate networking for many years, but its proprietary architecture became a limitation. OES was created to bridge this gap, allowing organizations to migrate from the legacy NetWare kernel to a modern platform while retaining the valuable, business-critical services they relied on, such as file, print, and directory services.

By integrating these traditional Novell services onto an operating system that uses the RPM Package Manager, OES offered a hybrid solution. This allowed IT departments to preserve their existing infrastructure and user-facing workflows, minimizing disruption while moving to a more standard, supportable, and extensible platform. It represents a key transitional product in the history of network operating systems, managing the evolution from a proprietary past to an open-standards-based future.

## Notable For
- **Successor to NetWare:** OES was specifically created to be the follow-up to the historically significant NetWare network operating system, providing an official upgrade path for its users.
- **Hybrid Service Model:** The platform is notable for blending Novell's well-known proprietary network services (like file, print, and directory services) with a modern OS foundation that utilizes the RPM Package Manager.
- **Migration Path:** It provided a crucial migration solution for businesses, enabling them to modernize their server infrastructure without having to completely abandon and replace the Novell ecosystem they had built.

## Body
### ### Development and History
Open Enterprise Server (OES) was developed by Novell and first released in March 2005. It was created as the direct successor to Novell's long-running and influential computer network operating system, NetWare, which had its inception in 1983. Over time, the product's development and ownership transitioned, with later associations with Micro Focus International and OpenText, which now manages the official product website.

### ### Technical Specifications
- **Type:** OES is classified as both a computing platform and an operating system.
- **Primary Function:** Its core purpose is the delivery of shared network services for enterprise environments.
- **Package Management:** The system utilizes the RPM Package Manager for software installation and management.

### ### Versions
The versioning history provided includes:
- **2015 SP1:** Released in 2016.
- **OES 2018 SP3:** The preferred latest version, released in July 2021.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013