Linux's reach to ARM-based networking equipment: Stakes and Opportunities

Behind and in front of this project, we have: the not-for-profit engineering group Linaro. Linaro was formed in 2010 to develop Linux-based software for ARM processors for different platforms, such as mobile devices and servers.

Henceforth they are going to develop code to run routers, switches and other networking equipment on ARM-based

networking equipment.

In fact the idea behind the initiative is to provide a standardized base Linux distribution that networking equipment vendors can modify and use for their own products.

According to ARN, the newly formed Linaro Networking Group (LNG) will tackle the work, and is comprised of engineers from networking-component and software vendors such as Enea, Freescale, MontaVista and Nokia Siemens Networks, as well as from ARM itself.

‘’Using Linux as the base, the group plans to develop a standardized open source core platform for networking equipment built with ARM SoCs (system-on-a-chip), such as routers, switches, wireless base stations, and appliances with networking components.’’

The industry needs networking operating systems that are better suited to today's networking environments, which include large-scale cloud platforms, a wider range of end devices and more diverse forms of data that travel over networking equipment, according to the group.

The working group plans to first release a set of code by mid-2013, and will issue updates once a month after that.