Ubuntu: Karmic Koala to make cloud 'dance'
Summary
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Canonical chief Mark Shuttleworth introduced Karmic Koala on Friday, in a post on the Ubuntu site. That release of the Linux distribution, due in October, will follow the Jaunty Jackalope version that is expected in April.
Cloud computing lets companies set up their web-based services on third-party infrastructure, making those services available anywhere, while taking the processing load off client machines. A recent Evans Data survey suggested that 40 percent of open-source developers intend to write their applications for the cloud, partly due to lower infrastructural requirements and partly due to the greater computational capabilities associated with cloud computing.
The Ubuntu cloud strategy is, for now, based on the use of the application programming interfaces (APIs) for Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) platform.
A tool called 'Ubuntu-vmbuilder' already makes it possible to create a custom Amazon Machine Image (AMI) — the image that is uploaded onto Amazon's platform in order to set up a virtual machine — but, according to Shuttleworth, "a portfolio of standard image profiles will allow easier collaboration between people doing similar things on EC2".
Karmic will also include functionality for building "EC2-style" clouds on companies' own hardware. While Jaunty will include work from a University of California-based project called Eucalyptus, which makes it possible for users to set up their own clouds, Karmic will have added functionality to make it easier to deploy applications into that virtualized infrastructure and, in Shuttleworth's words, "make those clouds dance, with dynamically growing and shrinking resource allocations depending on your needs".
"Imagine if we could make it possible to build a cloud-computing facility that drops its energy use virtually to zero by napping in the midday heat, and waking up when there's work to be done. No need to drink at the energy fountain when there's nothing going on," Shuttleworth wrote. "If that sounds rather open and nebulous, then we've hit the sweet spot for cloud-computing futurology."
The desktop version of Karmic Koala will also see visual and speed improvements in terms of startup, Shuttleworth wrote. Canonical is considering graphical boot options such as Red Hat's Plymouth, and planning a new login procedure that works for small groups as well as large installations.
The overall look of the distribution is also likely to be refreshed. "Brown has served us well but the Koala is considering other options," Shuttleworth noted.
According to Shuttleworth, the startup time for a Jaunty installation on a netbook will be 25 seconds, with Koala hopefully proving faster. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix is also being updated with technology from the Intel-led netbook Linux project Moblin, Shuttleworth said.
Further details on the features and interface of Karmic Koala will be revealed at the Ubuntu Developer Summit in Barcelona in May.
This post was originally published on ZDNet.co.uk.
Talkback Most Recent of 39 Talkback(s)
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Great to see all of the innovation and competition!!
And, we do need free and open cloud software and apis for cloud infrastructure to keep Google and Amazon in line. I want to be able to move my loads to other providers if Amazon or Google do not play nice.
DonnieBoy23rd Feb 2009 -
RE: Ubuntu: Karmic Koala to make cloud 'dance'
Ubuntu would be better off fixing their broken OS now instead of talking about future OS's. Then talk about how the installer is broken and if they have any plans to fix it, why it takes hours to recompile, how their systems continously segfault, and the fact it plays only one sound at a time. Maybe, just maybe they will close the telnet port in future versions. Keeping this long list of bugs will prevent anyone from using it, which is a good.
Loverock Davidson23rd Feb 2009 -
Loverock is a novice....
who doesn't quite have what it takes to be taken serious about anything. Since he has had all of these 'segfaults' and can get his to 'play only one sound at a time' and he needs to 'recompile' all of the time, it is quite obvious that 1. He is a novice and 2. his computer is junk. Take Lover with a grain of salt because he has no clue about anything.
todbran@...23rd Feb 2009 -
Don't discredit me
because I'm an IT Professional with YEARS of service. Its just that linux plain out sucks. The sooner you admit that the better off you will be. It'd be one thing if I was the only one experiencing these problems, but when you have thousands of people experiencing it, the problem is with linux. Now run along and tell your master Linus to make a real OS, not some patched up hack job clone of an OS.Loverock Davidson23rd Feb 2009 -
It's utterly impossible to discredit you
You have no credit to begin with!
InAction Man23rd Feb 2009 -
Says you
but when people come here purposely looking for my opinions I think that says quite a bit about my credit.Loverock Davidson23rd Feb 2009 -
That's a figment of your imagination
If you weren't so boring you would have people (those with twisted minds) looking for you just to have a laugh, not for your insane opinions.InAction Man23rd Feb 2009 -
We don't need to discredit you!
You are doing a perfect job yourself! Why interfere with a master idiot!
Linux User 14756023rd Feb 2009 -
We're not discrediting you . . .
We're laughing at you . . .
JLHenry23rd Feb 2009 -
He lost the argument
He lost the argument the moment when he mentioned compile. I'm running Arch Linux right now, no compiling anywhere. I could if I wanted to - but there would have to be a damn good reasom to compile something given the wide variety of repositories that are out there.
Same for ubuntu - but then again, loverock is the Mike Cox of the Linux world; dyed in the wool ABL (Anything But Linux) who's hatred of Linux is either a parody or he is simply a moron who can't follow some basic instructions. I guess he is the sort of person appliance and food companies have to write stupid instructions on their products - on a pack of peanuts stating, "this product may contain nuts" or "Don't use this hair drier in the shower".
Kaiwai23rd Feb 2009 -
mjolnar@...24th Feb 2009 -
He's not Mike Cox
Loverock is not the Mike Cox of the Linux world, Mike's posts are clever and funny; Loverock's are stupid and boring.
Roger Bamforth25th Feb 2009 -
I'm a Ubuntu noobie
but I don't have any issues with it. The only thing that irritated me about Intrepid is that the display resolution in automatic at startup. I can't get it to use 1280x1028 with my old 17" Empression display. According to the specs that is the native resolution, it only picks it up as generic display and I can only go to 1028x764.
That is what happens on my old box, my new build loads in about 47 seconds, no issues, it loads at 1920x1200. I love the 940 Denub Black Edition.
mjolnar@...24th Feb 2009 -
I had this EXACT SAME problem, mjolnar
I was looking forward to trying this "great" OS only to find I couldn't adjust the screen res. Saying you have drivers for so much hardware is a FAR far cry from having GOOD drivers.
I can't believe after all these years, Linux is still struggling with driver issues.
Drakaran26th Feb 2009 -
There you go again
Why don' you cultivate yourself a little? It would help you get some clues about the world, digital and beyond.InAction Man23rd Feb 2009
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