The extensions support the ability to provision, or install, Linux onto bare metal servers from a centralized software library; automate patch installation; manage configurations, and compliance with policies for configurations of Linux; job management related to patching Linux; and core admin functions such as server monitoring and setup.

Of course, all this comes against the backdrop of Oracle’s rumored entry to the Linux business last fall, which for a time include talks about Oracle setting up its own distributions. In actuality, Oracle is trying to damp down talk that any of this means Oracle-specific distributions, as it claims that it will follow Red Hat’s release schedules. Instead, Oracle is competing with Red Hat on the bottom line by vying for the support subscription business.

Specifically, Oracle Enterprise Manager for Linux is bundled as part of the Basic and Premier tiers of Oracle’s Unbreakable Linux support program. These are the tiers that include 24 x 7 support, with the enterprise tier differentiated in its support of back porting where patches are applied to earlier versions of the OS. It’s not included in the network version, which provides batch downloads rather than patches, and more limited support.

(Oracle Enterprise Manager is also available for Solaris and windows, but does not at this point have the same scope of functionality.)

And so Oracle is looking to score points by claiming first, that its Linux support options are cheaper than Red Hat’s (Oracle’s top price is $1199/server per year, compared to $2499 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux). And secondly, that the just-announced enterprise management functions are bundled into its core Linux support, whereas with Red Hat, you’d have to pay for some of these features a la carte.

For now, Oracle’s Unbreakable Linux program, which was unveiled late October, is winding up its free trial support period, so it didn’t yet have numbers to report regarding downloads.

But during a recent earning call, Oracle president Charles Phillips reported 9000 downloads. As we reported back then, during a comparable period, Novell’s SuSE Linux was hit for 325,000 downloads, while Red Hat’s non-commercial Fedora Core 6 had an average of 12,500 installations per day in its first month.

Oracle Enterprise manager for Linux is available as part of its Basic and Premier tiers of Unbreakable Linux now. And the company promises to report updated download figures soon.