The next version of the Carrier Grade Linux specification is out. Now, it's up to the vendors to get registered and prove themselves compliant.
The OSDL has opened up registration for newly-released Carrier Grade Linux 3.2 specification (CGL 3.2). The new CGL specification is an evolution of the version 3 specification that was originally announced just over a year ago.
As a definition, CGL provides a set of stringent carrier requirements that registered products are measured against for use in carrier applications and environments.
CGL 3.2 is the first "register-able" definition of the CGL specification and a step up from version 2.0 , which was released in 2003.
OSDL's CGL initiative manager, Ibrahim Haddad, explained that CGL 3.2 is an update that addresses serviceability, performance and hardware.
"But the most significant and new aspect of this release is that vendors and distributors can officially register with CGL 3.2 and publicly disclose how they meet each of the CGL requirements and demonstrate the suitability for carrier grade platforms," Haddad told internetnews.com.
"The previous CGL specification was for reference and development only," Hadded continued. "So 3.2 represents an important step forward towards building and deploying CGL-based platforms and applications."
MontaVista Linux's Dan Cauchy, director of product management, called CGL 3.2 an important development for the industry. (MontaVista currently holds the chairman position of the CGL Technical Board and has made significant technical contributions to CGL 3.2.)
The OSDL CGL Web site currently lists five vendors that are compliant with the now legacy CGL 2.0 definition. Among them are MontaVista, Novell, Wind River, TimeSys, FSM Labs and Asianux.
According to MontaVista's Cauchy, MontaVista's CGE edition is designed from the ground up to be registered against CGL specifications, including the latest CGL 3.2.
"Registrants of the 2.0 specification have already expressed strong interest in moving their compliance forward," OSDL's Haddad said.
There are other reasons that vendors would be motivated to register for CGL 3.2, he added. For one, CGL 3.2 takes into account the need to manage and leverage new hardware platforms like ATCA, multi-core CPUs, multi-processor boards and multi-blade systems. The new specification also defines a CGL security paradigm, which is increasingly important to end-users and so a part of the requirements that CGL registrants must themselves satisfy when working with customers.
"With the release of the 3.2 requirement specification, CGL presents a mature and stable platform definition that builds on strong global deployment from earlier versions," Haddad said. "Changes and additions moving forward, as such, will be evolutionary."
A Novell spokesperson was unavailable for comment by press time about the latest specification. A Wind River spokesperson told internetnews.com that Wind River is not commenting on the spec right now.
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