The OSDL (Open Source Development Labs) has published its requirements definition for Carrier Grade Linux 3.1 (CGL v3.1), featuring new capabilities related to security, clustering, and manageability. Additionally, the OSDL will host two panels at the SuperComm trade show June 6-9 in Chicago.

Security, in particular, appears to be a focus of CGLv3.1. The OSDL says carriers face increasing threats of unauthorized access to management and control interfaces. Such threats can be mitigated by sophisticated access control, strong authentication, and tamper-proof auditing of administrative actions and logs, it says. CGL v3.1 identifies security capabilities that include file integrity checking, PKI and SSL support, resource management, and operating system support for Trusted Platform Module (TPM) hardware.

Linux distributors are expected to register CGL v3.1 distributions before 2007. The previous requirements definition, CGL v3.0, was published in February.

OSDL timeline showing windows within which CGL specifications and registrations are expected to be completed

The OSDL will host two panel discussions at this year's SuperComm, including “Accelerating Linux Deployment in Communications,” and “The Business Case for Linux.”

The former, hosted by OSDL strategic program manager Ibrahim Haddad, will look at the most recent requirements from the Carrier Grade Linux working group, including high availability and clustering definitions. Panelists include:

• Anthony Ambrose — general manager for Platform Programs and Communications Infrastructure Group at Intel
• Peter Badovinatz — senior technical staff manager of the Advanced Linux Response Team at IBM's Linux Technology Center
• Alex deVries — Linux architect at Wind River Systems
• Markus Leberecht — director of strategy and architecture at Motorola
• Manas Saksena — chief technology officer at TimeSys
• Glenn Seiler — director of product marketing at MontaVista Software

The panel will be held Monday, June 6, 2005 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in M14C at McCormick Place in Chicago. Haddad will also deliver a “State of the Penguin” keynote address at the Linux Solutions Telecom Conference being held at SUPERCOMM.

The second panel will be led by the OSDL's open source architecture specialist, Bill Weinberg, formerly of MontaVista. Panelists include:

• Anjan Ghosal — chief executive officer and founder of IntelliNet Technologies
• Mark Matthews — of MySQL
• Peder Ulander — vice president of marketing at MontaVista Software

The panel will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2005 from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Linux Solutions Telecom Conference and Pavilion Theater.

OSDL CEO Stuart Cohen said, “With increasing awareness of CGL benefits, telecommunications equipment manufacturers are moving quickly to implement Linux in mission critical applications.”

Markus Leberecht, directory of strategy and architecture at Motorola, said, “Common specifications such as CGL are an integral part of the emerging class of computers called communications servers. The presence of OSDL and the various CGL discussions at SuperComm confirms the progress that Linux is making in the telecom space.”

Additional details about SuperComm can be found here.

 
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