Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

[DoYouKubuntu]

Source.

Report: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Arnal Dayaratna, Ph.D.

Unconfirmed reports from the All About Microsoft blog by ZDNet’s Mary-Jo Foley suggest that Microsoft is gearing up to support Linux on its Windows Azure cloud platform in 2012. The blog claims that Microsoft will launch a persistent virtual machine on the Azure platform that enables customers to run Windows or Linux “durably,” meaning, without suffering any loss of data due to rebooting on the Azure platform. Support for the persistent virtual machine on Windows Azure will additionally enable customers to host applications using SharePoint and SQL Server. While the conjunction of Linux and Windows might seem unthinkable given Microsoft Corporation’s historical antipathy toward Linux and open-source computing, Linux support on Azure would represent a huge coup for Azure customers that would like the flexibility to run Linux-based instances in the vein of Amazon Web Services. Moreover, Linux support on Azure enables Azure to compete more squarely with VMware. Microsoft reportedly conceded to customer requests for persistent virtual machines because customers demanded the ability to host applications such as SharePoint within a persistent virtual environment.

Interesting--and shocking!

[HalationEffect]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

What was really shocking was when (a couple of years back) MS contributed driver code under the terms of the GPL for inclusion in the Linux kernel...

[GreyGeek]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

It's even MORE shocking when you consider that they are extending this generous opportunity to an OS that has less then "1%" of the market

I run XP as a guest OS and Linux controls the computer. Microsoft is just trying to preserve its sanctuary by reversing that process to keep Windows in control of the computer. SharPoint and SQL Server are lockins.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

It's even MORE shocking when you consider that they are extending this generous opportunity to an OS that has less then "1%" of the market

I've mentioned this before, but a Linux Journal article a few months ago, written by Doc Searls, said that Linux is now the most used operating system. I've assumed that the WILDLY successful Android is largely responsible for this, but--in my opinion--Linux is Linux is Linux...

[de_koraco]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

SharPoint and SQL Server are lockins.

They have always been lockins. Azure is a cloud platform, and Microsoft is in no position to strongarm others there, what with Amazon, WMWare, ARM clusters and the like. They can adapt or die.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

Hm. A thread about Microsoft, Amazon, and the cloud. Where to start??

Building a shared-services environment that supports persistent VMs is hard. This is more complex than simply standing up a rack and saying "that thar rack is Bob's." Bob's VMs could conceivably land anywhere in the data center, and those VMs likely are spread across multiple racks, possibly taking only slices of physical machines, and definitely backed by disk drives in separate racks. When Amazon EC2 first came out, you had two choices for managing instances: run or terminate. It took a few years for the technology to mature to a point where start and stop became viable; even now, though, when you restart a stopped instance, its name and IP address will be different. So if Azure provides a true persistent VM, then that puts them ahead of AWS competitively -- and trust me, taking some business from AWS is one of Azure's goals.

Another point to realize is that Azure is fairly independent of "legacy" Microsoft. Take a look at Mary Jo's December article, where she lists a number of new additions:

* Hadoop with MapReduce using JavaScript
* a Node.JS SDK on Github
* an updated Azure plug-in for Eclipse
* a NoSQL database implementation
* support for Memcached

Lots of stuff for open-source fans to sink their claws into.

One final point: that really successful cloud provider -- you know, the one you buy your books from? Their whole business model is hands-off self-support. Enterprises generally loathe that: when crap goes kaput, they want a phone number to call. Well, guess who knows how to sell to enterprises, and already has their trust (if not their love)? I think you all can answer that one.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

One final point: that really successful cloud provider -- you know, the one you buy your books from?

I buy EVERYTHING possible from them! From my mother's diapers to Calphalon cookware, from garden hoses to earrings, I LOVE that I can order so many different types of things and have records of it all neatly organized at one place. I also like Amazon because of its Linux friendly video streaming.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

I also like Amazon because of its Linux friendly video streaming.

Served up from machines running Amazon's own Linux distro, also available to all AWS customers.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

I also like Amazon because of its Linux friendly video streaming.

Served up from machines running Amazon's own Linux distro, also available to all AWS customers.

Right. As I wrote in my blog post [about Amazon's streaming videos] last year, Amazon was already running THEIR business on Linux, and it was nice to see them supporting those of US who've also made that intelligent choice.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

Right. As I wrote in my blog post [about Amazon's streaming videos] last year

The streaming player is Flash-based, so it should work anywhere Flash does, as you noticed. Because the Unbox player allows you to watch offline, it has to wrap some DRM around the video file before you download it. You've probably noticed that very little DRM-protected video content is available for Linux. Studios are scared to death about the ability to crack DRM and therefore limit their content to software whose manufacturers provide mechanisms to restrict what users can do.

(For a little bit of related controversy from the Vista days, see this article. See also the attempted backpedaling. The links are obscured behind a URL shortener for a reason, which you'll understand when you click them. They are safe, don't worry.)

[GreyGeek]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

DYK: I try to buy as much of my non-grocery items as I can from Amazon. Tthree reasons: price, service and consumer ratings. As a Prime member I get free shipping on Prime items, and access to free viewing on Instant Movies. If a product arrives in bad shape or isn't what I thought it would be, I generate an RMA through the Amazon and send it back, shippings costs courtesy of Amazon. Most stuff arrives at my house within three or four days.

Steve: While I HATE > Microsoft's business ethics and practices, and tolerate their software when I have to, I appreciate your fair and balanced postings on Microsoft and their technology, and on security. They are very informative and truly an asset to this forum.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

DYK: I try to buy as much of my non-grocery items as I can from Amazon. Tthree reasons: price, service and consumer ratings. As a Prime member I get free shipping on Prime items, and access to free viewing on Instant Movies. If a product arrives in bad shape or isn't what I thought it would be, I generate an RMA through the Amazon and send it back, shippings costs courtesy of Amazon. Most stuff arrives at my house within three or four days.

Yes, I have Prime, too, which is what prompted my blog post about running Amazon's streaming videos on Linux. I've been shopping at Amazon since their earliest days, and I just love what they offer. When I'm looking for something I'm not already familiar with, I read through a lot of reviews--both positive and negative--before making a decision. I've come to rely on that much more than I rely on my Consumer Reports account! I basically only use the latter when I'm looking for a big ticket item like a refrigerator. But adult diapers? Straight to Amazon's reviews. One feature I wish they'd add is a choice we could set so that when doing a search, "Prime Eligible" is the default and we don't have to choose it EVERY time.

Steve: While I HATE > Microsoft's business ethics and practices, and tolerate their software when I have to, I appreciate your fair and balanced postings on Microsoft and their technology, and on security. They are very informative and truly an asset to this forum.

Well said, GG.

[SteveRiley]

Re: Microsoft To Support Linux and Persistent Virtual Machines On Windows Azure

I appreciate your fair and balanced postings on Microsoft and their technology, and on security. They are very informative and truly an asset to this forum.

Well said, GG.

Thanks much, guys. It's truly an honor to be here.