Linux works on Sun server partitions
A Linux kernel programmer has got Linux running on a logical domain, Sun Microsystems' term for an operating system partition on its newer UltraSparc-based servers.
"I just recently finished writing preliminary support for Linux to run as a guest under Sun LDoms," said programmer David Miller in a blog posting Wednesday.
Sun servers can be sliced into smaller pieces in a variety of ways. First came hardware partitions, which electrically isolated groups of processors so separate operating systems could run on each. Next came containers, which are independent slices of a single instance of Sun's Solaris operating system. Sun's newest partitioning technology, the intermediate-level logical domains (LDoms), lets as many as 32 operating systems run atop a single UltraSparc T1 processor.
The software is still raw, though.
"Things are in a bit of a rough state, but you can play around with installing a basic Linux guest with Solaris running the control node. There is a lot of missing functionality, and several major problems to resolve," Miller said.
Sun is trying to encourage the development of Linux on its newer Sparc-based servers, but Solaris remains the company's primary operating system focus.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
