Windows Gives Cloud Cover to Linux
After launching an open source subsidiary, Microsoft has taken another step towards openness. In its latest move, Microsoft is offering Linux-based operating systems on its Azure cloud service. The company’s Azure portal comes with a variety of Linux dist
LetDs have a look at what jicrosoft is offering. Bill Laing, corporate sP, Server and Cloud, made the announcement by saying... “Hybrid cloud, which involves the use and building of applications that connect to data and services across a mix of data centers, is the reality for cloud computing today. Businesses and applications will move to the cloud in their own unique way, at their own unique speed. Supporting this change requires a cloud solution that provides WKH QHFHVVDUy flHxLELOLWy IoU WKH GLIIHUHQW ways you will architect, develop and deploy your applications and IT solutions—be it on-premises, in the cloud, or a mix of both.”
The new tindows Azure services simplify building applications that span cloud and on- premises servers. By combining infrastructure and platform services, these new capabilities of tindows Azure give greater flexibility in how to build or bring applications to the cloud. Some of the highlights of the new enhancements include: tindows Azure virtual machines (sjs): sjs give you application mobility, allowing you to move your virtual hard disks (sHDs) back and forth between on-premises and the cloud. Users can migrate existing workloads such as jicrosoft SQL Server or jicrosoft SharePoint to the cloud, bring their own customised tindows Server or Linux images, or select from a gallery. As a common YLUWuDOLVDWLoQ fiOH IoUPDW, VH' KDV EHHQ DGoSWHG Ey KuQGUHGV oI YHQGoUV DQG LV D IUHHOy DYDLODEOH VSHFLfiFDWLoQ FoYHUHG uQGHU WKH 0LFUoVoIW 2SHQ SSHFLfiFDWLoQ PUoPLVH. tindows Azure virtual network: This lets you provision and manage virtual private networks (sPNs) in tindows Azure as well as securely extend on-premises networks into the cloud. It provides control over network topology, including configuration of IP addresses, routing tables and security policies, and uses the industry-standard IPSEC protocol to provide a secure connection between your corporate sPN gateway and tindows Azure.
tindows Azure websites: vou can build websites and applications with this highly elastic solution supporting .NET, Node.js and PHP, while using common deployment techniques like dit and cTP. tindows Azure websites will also allow easy deployment to the cloud of open source applications like tordPress, goomla!, DotNetNuke, Umbraco and Drupal—with just a few clicks. New tools, language support, and SDh: The tindows Azure SDh gune 2012 includes new developer capabilities for writing code against the latest service improvements, with updated support for gava, PHP and .NET, and the addition of Python as a supported language on tindows Azure. Additionally, the SDh now provides 100 per cent command line support for both tindows and the jac lS. tith this initiative, jicrosoft, which was earlier considered a threat to open source, has demonstrated that it is now warming up to Linux. By involving developers in Azure, jicrosoft sees an inevitable opportunity. jandar Naik, director, Platform Strategy, jicrosoft, said, “In the cloud, openness is paramount. te are committed to taking
an open approach in the cloud—supporting open standards and enabling open source on our cloud platforms. Support for Linux on Azure is a key part of this commitment towards openness. te aim to have broad and rich support for open source on our cloud platforms, and deliver great value for every IT dollar our customers spend.”
This initiative will also benefit Linux distributions that have joined hands with jicrosoft. Naik explains, “cor our partners, this clearly provides an expanded reach for their platforms through tindows Azure. And for jicrosoft, these partnerships are invaluable in making the Linux experience we provide on tindows Azure today first class in every regard, in line with our commitment to openness. As part of the technical preview for tindows Azure sirtual jachines, key partners Canonical, lpenLogic and SUSE are expanding tindows AzureDs infrastructure-as-a-service capabilities by enabling Linux running on persistent virtual machines. Compatible operating systems and images available through the online gallery currently include: lpenLogic CentlS, openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and Ubuntu.” The kind of partnerships jicrosoft has been able to strike clearly shows that its efforts have been well received by the Linux vendors.
It is worth mentioning here that the company had recently advertised an opportunity for a senior software engineer with hardcore Linux credentials. Commenting on it, Naik said, “jicrosoft has worked hard to become even more open. te will continue down the path of openness by investing in open and emerging standards, and partnering with open source communities. lur partnership and investments in Linux are a core part of this effort towards being more open.”