Skip to main content

What is a Linux Distribution?

A Linux distribution is an installable operating system constructed from a Linux kernel and supporting user programs and libraries. A complete Linux operating system isn't developed by a single organization, but by a collection of independent open source development communities working with individual software components. A distribution provides an easy way for users to install and manage a working Linux system.
In 1991, a young computer science student named Linus Torvalds developed a Unix-like kernel he named Linux, licensed as open source software under the GPL. The kernel is the core component of the operating system, which manages hardware, memory, and scheduling of running programs. This Linux kernel could then be supplemented with other open source software, such as the utilities and programs from the GNU Project, the graphical interface from MIT's X Window System, and many other open source components such as the Sendmail mail server or the Apache HTTPD web server, in order to build a complete open source Unix-like operating system.
However, one of the challenges for Linux users was to assemble all these pieces from many different sources. Very early in its history, Linux developers began working to provide a distribution of prebuilt and tested tools that users could download and use to quickly set up their Linux systems.
Many different Linux distributions exist, with differing goals and criteria for selecting and supporting the software provided by their distribution. But distributions generally have a number of common characteristics:
  • A distribution consists of a Linux kernel and supporting user space programs.
  • A distribution may be small and single-purpose or include thousands of open source programs.
  • Some means of installing and updating the distribution and its components should be provided.
  • The vendor should support that software, and ideally be participating directly in the community developing that software.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is Red Hat's commercially-supported Linux distribution.

Comments

Post a Comment

thank you for visiting :)

Popular posts from this blog

The Seven-Step Model of Migration

Irrespective of the migration approach adopted, the Seven-step Model of Cloud Migration creates a more rational point of view towards the migration process and offers the ability to imbibe several best practices throughout the journey Step 1: Assess Cloud migration assessments are conducted to understand the complexities in the migration process at the code, design and architectural levels. The investment and the recurring costs are also evaluated along with gauging the tools, test cases, functionalities and other features related to the configuration. Step 2: Isolate The applications to be migrated to the cloud from the internal data center are freed of dependencies pertaining to the environment and the existing system. This step cuts a clearer picture about the complexity of the migration process. Step 3: Map Most organisations hold a detailed mapping of their environment with all the systems and applications. This information can be used to distinguish between the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cloud Computing architecture

Cloud computing architecture refers to all components and sub-components that together form the structure of the cloud computing system. This architecture can be divided into three parts for better understanding – front end, back end and middleware. Each part of the cloud architecture has its own set of functionalities and protocols that work together to deliver on-demand services to user-facing hardware as well as software. In general, the architecture is evolved out of large distributed network applications over the last two decades. Hence it supports any system where resources can be pooled and partitioned as required. The general cloud architecture is capable of running multiple software applications running on multiple virtual hardware in multiple locations to efficiently render on-demand services to the users. The users could be using these software applications from their desktop or laptop or mobile or tablets. Usually, whatever the user is looking at – through t...
Post a Comment
Read more

connection oriented

connection-oriented:- connection-oriented  describes a means of transmitting data in which the devices at the end points use a preliminary  protocol  to establish an end-to-end connection before any data is sent. Connection-oriented protocol service is sometimes called a "reliable" network service, because it guarantees that data will arrive in the proper sequence. Transmission Control Protocol ( TCP ) is a connection-oriented protocol. For connection-oriented communications, each end point must be able to transmit so that it can communicate. The alternative to connection-oriented transmission is the  connection-less  approach, in which data is sent from one end point to another without prior arrangement. Connection-less protocols are usually described as  stateless  because the end points have no protocol-defined way to remember where they are in a "conversation" of message exchanges. Because they can keep track of a conversation, connection-or...
Post a Comment
Read more

tag