Ubuntu Team Launches Snappy Ubuntu Core for Container, Cloud Deployments
Among Linux distributions, Ubuntu has a fairly sterling reputation as a proven operating system that developers can build around. Just witness the fact that more than half of OpenStack deployments are being built on Ubuntu, according to the OpenStack Foundation. Google's Chrome OS is also built around many core operating system technologies from the Canonical team.
Years ago, the Canonical team launched a stripped down version of the Ubuntu core aimed at embedded systems. And now, with container farms as the targets, the Ubuntu team is out with a new “snappy” version of Ubuntu Core. This minimalist take on Ubuntu can also serve Docker deployments and platform-as-a-service environments.
"Ubuntu Core is a new rendition of Ubuntu for the cloud with transactional updates. Ubuntu Core is a minimal server image with the same libraries as today’s Ubuntu, but applications are provided through a simpler mechanism. The snappy approach is faster, more reliable, and lets us provide stronger security guarantees for apps and users — that’s why we call them 'snappy' applications."
"Snappy apps and Ubuntu Core itself can be upgraded atomically and rolled back if needed — a bulletproof approach to systems management that is perfect for container deployments. It’s called transactional or image-based systems management, and we’re delighted to make it available on every Ubuntu certified cloud."
The team at Canonical is even going so far as to call Snappy the “biggest revolution in Ubuntu since we launched our mobile initiative.” You can try the snappy Ubuntu Core alpha today, first on the Microsoft Azure cloud. Linux users can also try the snappy Ubuntu Core locally with KVM.
The fact that the Ubuntu team has been working with Microsoft first on incorporating snappy into the Microsoft Azure cloud platform speaks volumes about how Canonical and Microsoft are moving closer together.
"Microsoft loves Linux, and we’re excited to be the first cloud provider to offer a new rendition of one of the most popular Linux platforms in the rapidly growing Azure cloud," said Bob Kelly, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft. "By delivering the new cloud-optimised Ubuntu Core image on Azure, we’re extending our first-class support for Linux and enabling freedom of choice so developers everywhere can innovate even faster.”
Look for snappy to show up on other cloud platforms as well, further entrenching Ubuntu technology in the cloud landscape.