HP will highlight its growing Linux commitment next week at LinuxWorld Expo in San Francisco, by showcasing several Linux-based HP products, technologies, and initiatives. Specifically, HP will announce new security software for Linux, demonstrate HP's internally-developed Embedded Linux platform for intelligent devices, announce the open sourcing of an embeddable web services platform, and evangelize a… recently launched open source developer portal.

Linux security extension

HP describes the new Linux security product, called the “HP Secure OS Software for Linux” as a “secure server platform that protects key server components including the operating system and application layer, providing reliable protection and multiple layers of security which include prevention, containment and detection.”

According to HP, the software prevents unauthorized communications between programs, networks, and files, and includes a containment feature that locks a program if it is penetrated, and detects hacks and attempted hacks.

HP's Embedded Linux OS

A key element of HP's Linux strategy is “to make Linux pervasive by extending it to intelligent, connected devices,” according to William Woo, general manager of HP's Embedded Software Operation.

“HP has embraced Linux for consumer appliances because of its open source and community support,” said Woo. “We have made significant investments to optimize Linux for small consumer appliances and will contribute these enhancements back to the open source community,” he added.

As part of this strategy, HP has created their own Embedded Linux based software platform, called Chai-LX, which will be used to power newly developed HP consumer appliances. Chai-LX combines an HP-developed Embedded Linux OS core with HP's Chai software and selected Java applications.

For HP, Chai-LX represents “an integrated and customizable software platform that enables intelligent, connected devices to host Java applications and dynamic web-services,” according to company sources. The flexibility that results from having control over their own Embedded Linux OS platform is intended to help HP to differentiate their devices from those of their competitors.

One example of HP's use of Chai-LX is the recently announced HP Digital Entertainment Center.

Whither Chai-LX?

Does HP, which already sells embedded software products like the HP Chai virtual machine, plan to compete with Embedded Linux software vendors like Lineo and MontaVista by selling its Chai-LX device platform software to other companies?

“No,” according to Mike Balma, director of marketing. “Chai-LX will be used for our own internal purposes only and will not be offered as a product to other companies,” he said. “It's based on a Red Hat Linux distribution, stripped down to make a small foot-print and enhanced with device-oriented features like power management,” he added.

Bruce Perens, HP's senior strategist on Linux and Open Source, put HP's commitment to Embedded Linux this way: “Linux is now the standard operating system platform for embedded systems at HP.”

Asked whether all HP device developers are required to use Embedded Linux within their projects, Perens replied “I'm sure engineers within HP could select another OS, but there's no reason to.”

The GPLing of ChaiServer

HP also intends to use the occasion of LinuxWorld to announce the open sourcing of its ChaiServer product, an embedded Java application server for intelligent, connected devices.

According to HP, ChaiServer is already deployed within millions of web-enabled LaserJet printers to provide the capability of web-based printing services.

The open source version of ChaiServer will be available by October 30, 2001 at its devnet developers portal.

devnet provides a web-based collaborative development environment targeting intelligent, connected devices. devnet hosts projects and community activities associated with HP's Chai, Cooltown's Coolbase, Print, Image, and other open source projects.

 
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