[PLUG] Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) - Standards Group

[Jay Allen]

Hi there,

     Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) is a set of technical specifications for 
implementing a Linux based platform for telecommunications.  The group 
gathers requirements from industry and other interested people, then 
publishes the standards.  Many of these requirements have broader appeal 
(like high resolution timers), but they happened to be specified by this 
telco-centric group.   The implementation of these recommendations is up 
to the Linux distributors and other integrators.   So there is the 
specification, and the products that use it.  SuSE, RedHat, Montavista 
and others, all have 1)claimed to support these features  2) marketed 
"CGL" complaint versions.

    When the group was started, our overall goal was to make it easier 
for telecom integrators to use Linux in products.  Also, we had basic 
goals around promoting Linux in the telecom industry.   From my personal 
experience, its been a fantastic success!  When I did marketing and 
sales at IBM, we went from educating our customers about Linux, to 
helping them build and deploy products on Linux/BladeCenter.  All in 
less than three years!    Look at some of the public press about Linux 
from Cisco, Lucent, Nokia, Nortel... these guys love Linux now.  

    The home for the standards group is at our vary own local Open 
Source Development Labs (Linus' current employer):
    http://www.osdl.org/lab_activities/carrier_grade_linux


Jay Allen
   F2 Incorporated