Linux for "cloud computing": Request for Input

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

Hi,

I am doing some consulting about "Why Linux is good for cloud
computing" (and for that matter "Software as a Service" (SaaS), which I
consider more or less one and the same).

I am going to start with the fact that Unix systems were designed
(almost) from the beginning to be multi-tasking and multi-user, then
worked its way out to be multi-architecture, multi-threaded and embraced
64-bit systems relatively early.

In addition, Unix systems utilized network processes and stressed
client/server models (evident in daemons, NFS, the X Window System), as
well as scripting languages that allowed control of applications through
APIs and not just a graphical interface.

This gave:

o scalability
o some architectural security
o standards based development

A lot of work in highly available servers was done with Unix systems
such as Solaris, Digital Unix and others.

Linux, patterned after Unix, inherited a lot of these characteristics.

In addition with Linux you get:

o "Open Source" that helps give:

   - needed bug fixes rapidly (under control of the service provider)
   - development of new features by large numbers of programmers,
researchers, etc.
   - many "middleware" and emerging "management" systems are being
developed on Linux, or developed as FOSS projects
     + Eucalyptus
     + Languages like Ruby, PHP, Python
   - licensing terms that do not restrict what you can offer to
customers (i.e. how many instances can you run, how many customers can
attach, etc.)
   - a couple of different security models (SE/Linux, AppArmor, as
examples) to chose from
   - graceful degradation:  If a technology is abandoned, the provider
of services can maintain it until a migration can occur through
community action
   - Open development model - allows service providers to plan ahead and
have input to development

o Linux also was used as the basis for Beowulf systems, which developed
a lot of code surrounding "high performance clusters", leading to highly
scalable systems

o Basically can be same OS on desktop as servers

Any other ideas on the topic of "Why Linux for Cloud Computing?"

Any blatant negatives for Linux as a platform?

Note that I am not arguing for or against "the cloud", just why Linux is
or is not a good system for it.

The entire paper will be available for free download when it is
finished.

Thanks in advance for your input.

md