[ALUG] Microsoft has built a Linux OS and it makes perfect sense

[Erik Rowberg]

Thanks for the Andreas.

In a similar way with other open source software.  why start from scratch?

On Sat, Sep 19, 2015 at 6:09 PM, Andreas Tauscher via Linux <
linux at lists.habari.co.tz> wrote:

> To clarify what Microsoft is really doing with Linux. Because the term
> distribution is not really correct in this case or wrong expectations
> are brought to this.
>
> Who was expecting now something like Ubuntu, Fedora or OpenSuSE: Sorry.
> This system is created for a very specific purpose.
>
> They are working on a system called ACS - Azure Cloud Switch. And it is
> based on Linux.
> The name is already telling what this is. It is a software for switches
> and routers. And the word cloud tells this switches and routers are
> virtual.
>
> Actual on a management capable switch is running a software, a operating
> system and most of the features are usable only with switches from the
> same supplier.
> A Cisco switch can talk only to another Cisco, a HP only to HP .......
> And changes in the network usual need also changes in routing tables and
> even changes in the wiring.
>
> SND now separates the software from the hardware.
> The result is something like a GDI printer. The printer is reduced to
> the absolute minimum: A interface and the print unit. The PC is doing
> what normally the controller board is doing: Rendering the pages an
> sending to the print unit.
> The switch is here also reduced to the absolute minimum hardware and
> intelligence and getting its commands over the Swich Abstraction
> Interface SAI from a controller.
> The controller software is running on a separate device or server and
> can control hundreds or thousands of switches. From different
> manufacturers.
>
> A SDN has plenty of advantages. I get independent form a physical port
> or connection. For example a international company: A developer has
> usual plugged his laptop with a cable in the office in Munich. Now he is
> travelling to the office in New York. And the whole time he is still
> connected to the network in the Munich office like he would sit there at
> his desk. It is working completely transparent nobody has to change
> anything no routing to change, no patch field has to be touched. The
> network controller is re-routing everything as needed. In New York he
> will still have the same IP address like in Munich.
> Or for a cloud supplier: A SDN makes it easier to move resources even
> between data centres.
> If more ports are needed: You add them simply. virtual ports at zero
> costs, physical ports on a much lower price than you pay per port on a
> "real" switch.
>
> SDN is a open source development and Linux is here years ahead. Open
> vSwitch is a core part for a SDN and in the kernel since at least 2009.
> Microsoft would have to start from scratch.
> So why not taking the existing Linux implementation and extending it
> with some special features Azure offers/needs?
>
> Microsoft is doing exact the same like Facebook or Google: They build
> servers and switches meeting exact their needs. And when all the bolts
> and nuts are already available and the existing open source
> implementations are working stable why spending years of development and
> millions of $ in something others have already implemented better than I
> can as a newbie?
>
> Time to market is the only interesting point. If they have to use Linux
> to get a service rolled out before or together with competitors they
> will use it instead coming years later with a own solution when all the
> competitors are already well established. Beside the fact that the
> investment was higher than what the competitor had to invest.
> Years later it will be hard to make clients moving and paying a higher
> price.
>
> Microsoft becoming simply more pragmatic and is reinventing it selves as
> a service provider.
>
> Andreas
>
>
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-- 
Regards,

Erik Rowberg
Managing Director
Habari Node Limited

http://www.habari.co.tz
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