กลางเดือนธันวาคม AWS announced Release Candidate custom OS Amazon Linux 2 based on Red Hat Linux Enterprise 5 years support neat modern features help people test - hopefully get more interested AWS compute technologies
AWS released AL2 as VM appliance available testing outside AWS domain บทความนี้มาจากนั้น ดาวน์โหลด VirtualBox vdi setup VM ดู what/how/where/when เริ่มกัน
Initial Impressions
Download VDI setup Red Hat type machine configure usual options boot ~30 seconds fast-scrolling text login prompt Text only no GUI AWS SSH login EC2 AMI ที่นี่ต้องการ different way convoluted ต่างหาก ตอนนี้ assume magical login - หา easy/trivial root/ec2-user name/password combo online ไม่เจอ basic hax0rology
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System now yours system updates, package installation whole deal Without AWS environment somewhat less exciting แต่มี kernel, systemd custom packages install without paying cloud hosting appealing testbed
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Default: small subset Amazon tools under /opt/aws install additional stuff aws-apitools-ec2, aws-apitools-elb etc works play/tweak within limitations
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Is this good?
Interesting question Enterprise Linux dominated by Red Hat, SUSE (CAD/supercomputing) Ubuntu close third mix other enterprise flavors mostly based on Red Hat
Big players: strict ABI (no breakage like Debian), 10 years support, longer Amazon promises LTS ~decade support wealth supporting tools manage environment easily make more vendor dependent (discuss separate article) Companies years legacy apps/infrastructure on RHEL/SLES change not easy/immediate/possible
Amazon Linux 2 based on RHEL helps native system AWS environment free long game premise interesting Chicken and egg problem What's more expensive: port everything new OS 6 years OR pay premium enterprise support existing Linux same period? Times 23,000 servers
AWS nothing to lose - no one picks up OS still customers running cycles cloud paying price includes licensing overheads people embrace system = tighter customer lock-in
Good for users? Real question Amazon knows must offer differentiating factor vs established enterprise players otherwise apart string changes no benefit Hence modern kernel 4.9 lightyears ahead existing enterprise crop but unsuitable production use 5-6 years then testing/trialing comfortable
Second joker: performance if Amazon optimize Linux squeeze more juice processor than RHEL/others might sway performance-itchy customers large environments every cent/percentage speed difference means bottom line
But then ...
Reading FAQ: LTS image ONLY 5 years BREAK kernel-space ABI may prove tricky Amazon aiming different customers than classic enterprise tier We will see
สรุป (Conclusion)
Relatively benign easy introduction new OS blends familiar/new timid package Perhaps goal: radical offering scare everyone Amazon Linux 2 appealing concept gives users what Red Hat never quite did (yet) - Fedora-like bleeding-edge tech with stability/long-term support mainstay enterprise offering แต่ pull Debian/Ubuntu stunt breaking ABI cubicle those enjoying la vida loco
Lived/breathed large-scale HPC world many years piqued see how evolve Performance, stability, ease of use primary concerns Hook remote VM into EC2 hive? Another experiment see if scaling/deployment works well distributed networks Either way even nothing comes out Amazon Linux 2 nice start possibly great adventure Or another offspring fragmented family we call Linux Time will tell Off you go. Cloud away.
Cheers.
