Linux has moved closer to maturity as a robust
datacentre platform, with the release of a major refresh of the
kernel software.
The latest version of the Linux kernel - kernel 2.6.14 - which
is at the core of many enterprise Linux products, is designed to
make it a stronger alternative to the Windows operating system.
Enterprise Linux suppliers such as Red Hat and Novell said they
expected to adopt the kernel in their Linux distributions to
improve the datacentre capabilities of their products.
A Novell spokesman said, "By using the new Linux kernel, Novell
can create a mature, datacentre-ready, Linux enterprise
server."
Linux kernel 2.6.14 features many enhancements to improve
usability, the main one being native support for Wi-Fi (broadband
wireless) running on Intel's mobile Centrino platform. However,
suppliers must still obtain the Intel driver firmware separately
from the kernel due to Intel's licensing restrictions.
The kernel also has better support for technologies such as
InfiniBand, USB and SCSI.
The kernel was originally scheduled to be completed on 7
October, two months after release 2.6.13, which followed two months
after the previous version. Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux,
said, "It was delayed twice due to some last-minute bug-reports,
some of which were false alarms."