tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post8738048901394772918..comments2023-11-01T18:25:49.063+01:00Comments on VMware Front Experience: A myth busted and an FAQ: ESXi is *not* based on Linux! But what is it?Andreas Peetzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-91223138594236714462023-09-19T00:37:35.766+02:002023-09-19T00:37:35.766+02:00My mate made a kit car, it had front brakes from a...My mate made a kit car, it had front brakes from a Porsche 914 in it... does that mean it is actually a Porsche after all?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-9723848916361930332023-07-20T17:11:56.361+02:002023-07-20T17:11:56.361+02:00Till date, it explains pretty much. Right to basic...Till date, it explains pretty much. Right to basics.Anandhttps://www.hitaary.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-26130279084788327952016-12-02T18:08:47.104+01:002016-12-02T18:08:47.104+01:00I wasn't at all insinuating that all open sour...I wasn't at all insinuating that all open source software was based on Linux. I was simply stripping down the argument to borrowed code (open source) vs. non-borrowed code.<br /><br />I'm not saying it's illegal, or that you shouldn't trust them. I was simply stating they didn't build anything from the "ground up."<br /><br />That being said, I'm not real sure why I was making that point, and apologize if I came off as combative.Tony the Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08567916367965842332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-71273746810924538812016-11-23T16:38:13.913+01:002016-11-23T16:38:13.913+01:00What a marvellous, well put together article, than...What a marvellous, well put together article, thank you! (The comments section is interesting to read as well.) Aside from debating any finer nuances, this overall understanding of some of the core architecture and even how it differs from ESX/COS has been extremely helpful in approaching ESXi and VMWare for the first time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-42456073584022930472016-07-12T07:54:58.639+02:002016-07-12T07:54:58.639+02:00Hi Tim,
the Linux kernel is a pretty universal mu...Hi Tim,<br /><br />the Linux kernel is a pretty universal multi-purpose Operating System kernel, whereas the VMkernel was developed as a very lightweight specialized Hypervisor-only kernel that has unique features like the VMM (Virtual Machine Monitor), the VMFS file system, VMotion (Live Migration) code etc.<br /><br />This is why it would have made more sense to develop the VMkernel from scratch instead of stripping down a Linux kernel.<br /><br />But maybe you are right. In the end it's about trust or distrust. I personally do not have any reason to distrust VMware. And although you and me are not able to inspect the full VMkernel source code I'm sure that other third parties have been able to do this, e.g. in the ongoing GPL lawsuit against VMware.<br /><br />- AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-87968720068811666272016-07-11T20:12:35.761+02:002016-07-11T20:12:35.761+02:00Few points here: Unless we can see the full sourc...Few points here: Unless we can see the full source code of the VMKernel then we cannot say for sure if it is based on the Linux kernal or not. Dogmatically stating "it isn't" without having seen the source code and comparing it not "proof" that it isn't.<br /><br />Personally I do suspect that it is a rebadged stripped down Linux or BSD kernel for one reason: Both BSD and Linux are very stable efficient kernels with open (do one degree or another) code. Why go to the effort of reinventing the wheel when the world and his wife embeds particularly the Linux kernel into many devices. It just seems logistically easier to do so. Of course, I haven't seen the code either so I cannot state it IS, but my suspicion still lies in it being derived from the Linux kernel or the BSD kernel.<br /><br />The only issue of course is the closed nature of the VMKernel... if it IS based on Linux then the code should be released too, I am not so sure about BSD however because that is not released under the GPL, but the BSD License.<br /><br />Personally, it doesn't matter one way or another to me but it would be interesting to KNOW with proof one way or another.<br />TimGildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645275303430053187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-65090687850097651542016-07-06T17:46:36.273+02:002016-07-06T17:46:36.273+02:00Hi Tony,
VMware does not keep it secret that it h...Hi Tony,<br /><br />VMware does not keep it secret that it has "borrowed" (I'd say re-used) a lot of GPL'ed Open Source Code, and - to comply with the GPL terms - they have also published all this code.<br /><br />You seem to mistakenly believe that all Open Source software is somehow Linux based or belongs to Linux, only because it is *also* used in Linux. This is plain false. Almost all of the Open Source applications used in ESXi exist independently of Linux and are also used in other Unix-like derivates (like FreeBSD and even commercial Unix OSs).<br /><br />A well documented exception to this is ESXi's compatibility layer to Linux kernel device drivers, but I also explained that already in my post.<br /><br />So, honestly, I just don't get your point.<br /><br />AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-22137022757158507142016-07-06T17:35:22.200+02:002016-07-06T17:35:22.200+02:00The author seems to make the case that VMware didn...The author seems to make the case that VMware didn't base this on Linux, and thus VMware built something from the ground up.<br /><br />Due to lack of info, you're able to semantically argue your point; however, ESXi is very obviously and so heavily based on a Unix-style OS, that you'd be hard-pressed to prove that there isn't direct bit-for-bit code all over the VMkernel.<br /><br />This code originated somewhere *outside* of VMware's developers' minds, and therefore should be considered borrowed.Tony the Brockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08567916367965842332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-60681765512581160672016-06-28T09:34:23.934+02:002016-06-28T09:34:23.934+02:00Solaris allows running native Linux binaries. So d...<a href="http://phys.org/news/2004-08-solaris-os-feature-sun-linux.html" rel="nofollow">Solaris</a> allows running native Linux binaries. So does <a href="https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/linuxemu.html" rel="nofollow">FreeBSD</a>. Heck, even <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux" rel="nofollow">Windows 10</a> allows this now!<br /><br />Are they all derived from Linux?<br /><br />Or do you - as a zoologist - still have a lot to learn about Operating Systems?<br />Andreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-63070067676666795712016-06-27T23:40:45.747+02:002016-06-27T23:40:45.747+02:00You can directly program in c code and access most...You can directly program in c code and access most lower level functions, then compile and run the code directly in ESXi. From my point of view, if it has a duck beak and hair, it is a platypus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-35970358541132253712016-04-28T07:37:07.064+02:002016-04-28T07:37:07.064+02:00I like your "vehicle analogy" and would ...I like your "vehicle analogy" and would say that the ESXi truck does not share the engine (= kernel) with the Linux truck, but only some of the engine's interfaces / control mechanisms. Indeed it does share some parts that almost every truck has, but it also has some very unique parts that only the ESXi truck has (like this gadget to transfer goods from one ESXi truck to another while both are driving - VMotion :-))<br /><br />While you might say that both Linux and ESXi are trucks I'd still stay that the ESXi truck is not derived from (or based on) the Linux truck.Andreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-16513617783770932522016-04-28T02:34:45.394+02:002016-04-28T02:34:45.394+02:00Well, I think this is more about philosophy, or ev...Well, I think this is more about philosophy, or even logic. <br />If you call operating system a means of transportation, then you have linux (truck), windows (motorbike), OSX (bike), UNIX (passenger car)...etc... <br />Then in trucks you have brands like Mercendes - Ubuntu, CentOS - Volvo, etc...<br />So if someone will build a truck using same philosophy and rules to transport other trucks then what would you call it ? I say truck.<br />Especially when it uses some common parts (GPL etc) as other trucks to make it work. And those parts are not used in other means of transportation like motorbikes (Windows).<br /><br />So simply put for me linux is a category and vmware is in it. <br /><br />If you build OS that is communicating with firmware/hardware in a new way that make common parts used in other linux systems unusable in it. That is totally different you can call it a new category - and not linux.<br /><br />But that's just me. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-53923841465966970622016-02-10T14:21:36.972+01:002016-02-10T14:21:36.972+01:00This is the Open Source Code used in the VMkernel ...This is the Open Source Code used in the VMkernel and published by VMware. So what?Andreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-29911903350986767492016-02-10T12:54:44.185+01:002016-02-10T12:54:44.185+01:00What about this?
https://git.sfconservancy.org/?p...What about this?<br /><br />https://git.sfconservancy.org/?p=vmkdrivers;a=summaryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-31078032688101578362015-03-11T08:09:59.607+01:002015-03-11T08:09:59.607+01:00Hi pabouk,
thank you for your comment!
It is a f...Hi pabouk,<br /><br />thank you for your comment!<br /><br />It is a fact (and VMware does not deny) that the VMkernel uses GPL'ed driver code from the Linux kernel.<br /><br />What is argued in front of a court now is whether this makes the VMkernel itself (and ESXi as a whole) subject to the GPL.<br /><br />AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-65620031450852363542015-03-11T04:56:08.510+01:002015-03-11T04:56:08.510+01:00Finally we will probably know more about whether V...Finally we will probably know more about whether VMKernel is based on Linux source code or not!<br /><br />Software Freedom Conservacy is funding a lawsuit in this matter against VMware. See:<br />https://sfconservancy.org/news/2015/mar/05/vmware-lawsuit/<br />https://sfconservancy.org/linux-compliance/vmware-lawsuit-faq.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-77328916761567732422014-09-27T14:37:00.390+02:002014-09-27T14:37:00.390+02:00Hi Anonymous
uname is a link to the busybox shell...Hi Anonymous<br /><br />uname is a link to the busybox shell that ESXi uses. The term "GNU/Linux" that it outputs here is hard coded in the busybox source code. VMware should have changed the busybox source code so that it displays something else, but they didn't.<br />However, this is in no way a proof that the VMkernel is based on the Linux kernel.<br /><br />AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-29636927302970212172014-09-27T14:31:28.709+02:002014-09-27T14:31:28.709+02:00Running on ESXi 5.5 I ran "uname -a" for...Running on ESXi 5.5 I ran "uname -a" form ssh<br /><br />This is console output :<br />VMkernel x.x.x.x 5.5.0 #1 SMP Release build-2068190 Aug 22 2014 19:00:51 x86_64 GNU/Linux<br /><br />Why does GNU/Linux appear here ?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-70871180980692327352014-08-29T02:35:11.466+02:002014-08-29T02:35:11.466+02:00I really wanted to argue with you when I first rea...I really wanted to argue with you when I first read your post... but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't. You are correct in stating that what defines an OS as being "linux" is the kernel. Everything else (at least for the linux OS - definitely doesn't hold true for windows or OS X) is additional programs that do not define the OS. This is how android can still be linux even though the user interface is totally different - it uses the linux kernel.<br /><br />As I thought about what defined the linux kernel, I came to one conclusion that it is the GPL opensource code within it. VMWare has not released or acknowledged using any of the linux code. Unless VMWare is doing something illegal, the VMKernel must have been re-written from the ground up. Just because it uses the same specs as the linux kernel does not make it linux. That said, it wouldn't be the first time a company used GPL linux code within a proprietary system (remember linksys/cisco?).<br /><br />All in all, good article. Thanks!Jonathanhttp://jmccc.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-57004898000409740362014-08-09T12:10:48.866+02:002014-08-09T12:10:48.866+02:00Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Unfortunately yo...Thanks for sharing your opinion!<br /><br />Unfortunately you do not add anything new to the discussion, but just state your personal impressions.<br />The fact that you are doing this anonymously doesn't make it better.<br /><br />I welcome you back if you have any reliable source or proof of your claims to share.<br /><br />AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-58755972260226359312014-08-09T11:07:40.581+02:002014-08-09T11:07:40.581+02:00Sorry. I am still not convinced, that the ESX / ES...Sorry. I am still not convinced, that the ESX / ESXi / "VMkernel" is not based on Linux.<br />I still somehow got the impression, that VMware took a Linux Kernel and stripped it down to the bare minimum they needed.<br /><br />And Andreas Peetz, you never clearly stated, that VMware has indeed written the Kernel from scratch. ANd your wording sounds like just dancing around a clear statement:<br /><br />Regarding Linux:<br />"...not built upon the Linux kernel" <br />...because it is not using the full kernel.<br /><br />Regarding UNIX:<br />"An operating system may only be called a "UNIX" if it fully implements the Single UNIX specification of the Open Group and has passed the associated certification process."<br />...about the same! It does NOT implement ALL UNIX requirements and therefore may not be called UNIX.<br /><br />So all your explanations just did the opposite for me. They just proved my impression, that VMware just took Linux and stripped it down. So not using the complete Kernel, ESX(i) is not built UPON Linux and not a CERTIFIABLE UNIX neither.<br /><br />That is the impression I've got!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-33377752856409730282014-07-21T16:08:56.716+02:002014-07-21T16:08:56.716+02:00Ok, I probably made a shortcut in my reading ;-)
...Ok, I probably made a shortcut in my reading ;-)<br /><br />Rereading your article I think wikipedia's article may need some clarifications !!<br /><br />As I do not have the knowledge, I suggest you help them out a bit ;-)<br /><br />RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-55954883850897693922014-07-21T15:03:45.326+02:002014-07-21T15:03:45.326+02:00Hi Anonymous,
No, you do not find this sentence (...Hi Anonymous,<br /><br />No, you do not find this sentence (or a similar statement) there!<br /><br />This Wikipedia article describes the classic ESX architecture in pretty much the same way than I do in my post. It also clearly distinguishes between the Linux kernel of the service console (that is also used to boot classic ESX) and the "VMkernel" that is then loaded and takes over control.<br /><br />AndreasAndreas Peetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918778845056237847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-33530176566546743052014-07-21T14:22:11.336+02:002014-07-21T14:22:11.336+02:00Hi Andrea,
In this article : http://en.wikipedia....Hi Andrea,<br /><br />In this article : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware_ESX#Linux_dependencies<br /><br />They say that it was initially based on Linux but then modified. <br /><br />Could you enlight us regarding this topic.<br /><br />RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6059874241017858476.post-80678565116563029982014-07-04T13:44:09.723+02:002014-07-04T13:44:09.723+02:00And this could not have been caused by a CentOS ru...And this could not have been caused by a CentOS running on ESX? Sebastian M.noreply@blogger.com