Ubuntu 11.04 release improves cloud functionality and servers

Tomorrow, Canonical’s Ubuntu 11.04 will be available for the Enterprise. The latest release of the Linux operating system (OS) boasts improved cloud features, including the addition of OpenStack ‘Cactus’ as a technology preview available for download through Ubuntu software repositories. A one hour free trial of Ubuntu 11.04 is available on Amazon EC2 on April 28, 2011 (accessed through Ubuntu.com).

Ubuntu 11.04 server changes

• Server provisioning using Cobbler and mcollective
• PowerNap 2.0 enables 14% reduction in power use
• New Linux Kernel, 2.6.30, which includes:
  – AppArmor support in Kernel
  – Intel’s Intelligent Power Sharing (IPS) support
  – filesystem improvements to btrfs, Ext4 and XFS
  – driver updates and hardware support updates
• Updated libvirt API with bug fixes and feature updates
• Default dhcpd server updated from dhcp3 to isc-dhcp (version 4)
• OW2 certified J2EE stack in Ubuntu based on Jonas + Oracle JDK + Postgres.

Ubuntu 11.04 enterprise desktop changes
Ubuntu 11.04 offers users a choice of the new Unity interface or the option to retain the “classic” Ubuntu interface. Unity will be the interface of Ubuntu for all users in the next long term support (LTS) release in April 2012, but beta users gave Unity mixed reviews.

If you’re planning to implement the new Ubuntu in your Linux data center, let us know. We’d love to hear about your experience.