| Linux distros stake out the cloud |
Jul. 07, 2009
 Two vendors of Linux distributions have announced major cloud computing initiatives over the last week. First, Canonical launched an Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud Services group, and then Red Hat announced its Premier Cloud Provider Certification and Partner Program, say reports in eWEEK and ChannelInsider, respectively.
The Canonical announcement follows up on the April launch of the company's Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC) service, in conjunction with the release of Ubuntu 9.04 Server Edition. In May, Canonical launched a beta web-based "Ubuntu One" cloud service that offers online storage and file synchronization for Ubuntu 9.04 users.
UEC uses open source technology from Eucalyptus, enabling organizations to test, deploy and experiment with their own private, in-house cloud, using the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) API. UEC can help businesses build cloud environments inside firewalls, as well as explore the benefits of cloud computing without the data and security issues involved with using an external cloud provider, claims Canonical.
The new Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud Services unit will help and support users building private clouds with UEC, says an eWEEK story by Darryl Taft. Professional services are said to include cloud assessment, deployment, and management support.
Taft quotes Simon Wardley, Canonical's head of cloud strategy, as saying that Canonical has teamed up with Eucalyptus to jointly provide the professional cloud services, but with a single customer interface via the Canonical support team.
"We'll help you assess your environment to help you deploy a private cloud," Wardley was quoted as saying. "And we'll help you with the transition from public cloud to private cloud."
Red Hat exploiting Microsoft cloud confusion?
Red Hat's new Premier Cloud Provider Certification and Partner Program enlists industry leaders in cloud computing to become certified to offer Red Hat technology solutions, according to a story by ChannelInsider (like eWEEK, a sister publication to LinuxDevices). Partners in the program will collaborate with Red Hat on technical support, security updates, hardware certification, sales and marketing, and business models, writes author Carolyn April.
So far, the only announced partner is Amazon Web Services, but Red Hat expects to announce more partners soon, says the story. Many Red Hat ISVs want to begin offering certified middleware-based applications based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) or JBoss Enterprise, in a software-as-a-services model for cloud delivery, the story quotes Red Hat executives as saying. These ISVs are said to prefer to use a cloud provider already familiar with their open source platform.
Red Hat may well be able to take advantage of customer confusion about Microsoft's cloud services, writes April. Microsoft "is struggling with its cloud services channel message," she adds. The crux of the problem, she writes is that Microsoft is "struggling to balance its own entrance into cloud services with its bread-and-butter on-premises software licensing business."
The story quotes Red Hat VP of corporate development, Mike Evans, as saying, "Nearly all of the cloud players are using Linux and open-source virtualization with the exception of Microsoft. I don't think any cloud provider can compete without using open-source technologies."
Availability
The eWEEK story on Canonical's Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud Services group may be found here. The ChannelInsider story on Red Hat's cloud certification and partner programs may be found here.
Recent eWEEK opinion pieces on Ubuntu 9.04 include Eric Lundquist's "Five Things I Like About Ubuntu Desktop Software—and Five Things I Don't Like," here. ("Cons" listed include "What happens if Mark Shuttleworth decides he has invested enough money?"). Meanwhile, Don Reisinger's "Is Ubuntu Linux Ready for the Enterprise?" may be found here. (Quick answer from Reisinger: Yes, Ubuntu is "a compelling alternative for enterprise users," as long as quality tech support is not a top concern.)
-- Eric Brown
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