Cluster Computing:

LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS SUPPORT OSDL REQUIREMENTS DEFINITION

The Open Source Development Lab (OSDL), a global consortium of leading technology companies dedicated to accelerating the adoption of Linux, announced support from many of the world's leading Linux distributions for the new OSDL Carrier Grade Linux Requirements Definition version 2.0 (CGL 2.0). The Lab also announced an industry agreement on a new registration process for demonstrating that a Linux distribution satisfies the CGL 2.0 priority one requirements.

"We're pleased to have the key market players quickly rally behind both the new OSDL CGL requirements definition and to show their support for an open industry process to demonstrate that they satisfy the priority one requirements," said Stuart Cohen, CEO of OSDL. "With the endorsements of the prominent network equipment providers and Linux distributions, we are confident that CGL is now the engine helping drive Linux as the new preferred computing platform in the communications industry."

This latest requirements definition for next-generation carrier grade Linux offers major advances in security, high availability and clustering. The requirements are divided into three levels of priority. The CGL 2.0 requirements are prioritized based on input from leading network equipment providers, including Alcatel, Cisco, Ericsson, Fujitsu, NEC and Nokia.

To become OSDL CGL registered, Linux distributions must document that they satisfy all of the priority one requirements described in the 2.0 document. These cover important areas of a Linux-based communication system, including hardware support, compatibility with other specifications -- such as the Linux Standard Base (LSB), POSIX, Service Availability Forum (SAForum), Hardware Platform Interface (HPI) -- and tools such as kernel debuggers, and layered support for SNMP over IPv6.

To register that they satisfy CGL 2.0 priority one requirements, Linux distributions will self-certify against the OSDL Registration Requirements defined by the working group and post their results publicly on the Web. Posted results must include a declaration of how each priority-one definition is met. OSDL will also provide a list of those companies who complete the registration process with links to their Web sites.

Leading Linux distributions Miracle Linux, MontaVista Software, SUSE LINUX and Turbolinux have pledged support for CGL 2.0 and have announced plans to satisfy the new requirements.

"Carrier Grade Linux will be the next step towards accelerating the adoption of Linux," said Takeshi Sato, president of Miracle Linux. "We will support the requirements in CGL 2.0."

"MontaVista Software has had a strong commitment to producing a quality Carrier Grade Linux product," said Glenn Seiler, director of Product Marketing, MontaVista Software. "A Carrier Grade Linux registration process is the next step in delivering a mature and quality product based on the OSDL Carrier Grade Linux specification. Equipment providers and other users of Carrier Grade Linux now have a metric for determining how a Linux distribution complies with the specification."

"Carrier Grade Linux is becoming an increasingly critical part of any Linux infrastructure project," said Markus Rex, vice president, Research and Development, SUSE LINUX. "SUSE's implementation of the current CGL standard has been well received in the industry -- enabling companies to leverage industry-standard hardware for mission critical applications."

"Turbolinux believes that with the new specification for OSDL Carrier Grade Linux 2.0, the adoption of Linux will accelerate and more companies in the telecom market will deploy their mission-critical systems on Linux," said Koichi Yano, president and COO of Turbolinux, Inc.