Nexenta: Power of OpenSolaris with usability of Linux

therek's picture
Submitted by therek on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 12:26
Category:

While going through the backlog of blogs and news clambering around my newsfeed (I'm really worried how fast I became a workaholic, not having enough time to check the news, in just a few days time) I stumbled upon this post to the opensolaris-discuss mailing list two days ago: NexentaCore 2.0 Alpha1 "Hardy" Released.

I must admin, that even though I do have a couple of CDs laying somewhere around, I have not being following the developments of this -- or any other as a matter of fact -- distribution based on OpenSolaris kernel too keenly, especially since the release of OpenSolaris 2008.05. Nevertheless, I thought that the new release of Nexenta OS might be a good excuse to mention it now.

As we all know, the Operating System commonly referred to as Linux is actually a collection of libraries and applications (mostly of the GNU origin) gathered around the Linux kernel, thus the GNU/Linux. There are a lot of Linux distributions available on the Internet, out of which one of the most prominent are Debian and it's derivative - Ubuntu. What the folks at the Nexenta project are proposing is a Debian/Ubuntu "easy to upgrade, easy to use" environment bundled with the OpenSolaris kernel. From project's webpage:

Nexenta Operating System is a free and open source operating system combining the OpenSolaris kernel with GNU application userland. Nexenta Operating System runs on Intel/AMD 32/64bit hardware and is distributed as a single installable CD. Upgrades and binary packages not included on the CD can be installed from NexentaOS repository using Advanced Packaging Tool. In addition, source based software components can be downloaded from network repositories available at Debian/GNU Linux and Ubuntu Linux.

If you'd like to run a ZFS on your Debian system in kernel-land instead of using userspace FUSE prosthesis, I think Nexenta is the place to go. If not, I guess the whole idea is interesting enough to take a look at the project. Me, I've got enough of Debian already, thank you very much...

knowing-card's picture

knowing-card

13 years 48 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago

0

Avoiding Torvalds kernel a good thing

This might be a good move for those who want to distance themselves from Torvalds after some of the nasty things he has said and implied about true free software advocates.

BDC's picture

BDC

13 years 48 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago

0

Interesting Thought

Torvalds is a brilliant mind but his people skills could use some work

Balzac's picture

Balzac

13 years 48 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago

0

Torvalds should admit he made a mistake

when he made freedom less than his top priority.

Open Solaris is a step in the right direction, but the Linux kernel has GPLv2 which I prefer to the CDDL.

I wish they would release a fork of solaris under GPLv3 and then I'd be willing to switch from the Linux kernel.

Don't forget that the pace of development on the Hurd project is picking up and it may be a fun environment for those who are enthusiastic enough to be pioneers of a kernel with great potential.

I intend to learn more about the Hurd because I'm more interested in freedom, autonomy, and a micro-kernel design than I am in the rich media features available to Linux kernel users.

therek's picture

therek

13 years 48 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago

0

I think I read somewhere

I think I read somewhere that Sun considers releasing OpenSolaris under GPLv3, but I can't find the link to that information at the moment.

If you're really interested in freedom (not GPL-ed freedom) and you're not looking for rich media features I would propose some BSD kernel... although it's not a micro-kernel.

Best karma users