Linaro
| Type | Not-for-profit engineering organization |
|---|---|
| VAT ID No. | 990027324 |
| Registration No. | 07180318 |
| Founded | June 3, 2010 |
| Headquarters |
|
| Focus(es) | Open-source software for the ARM architecture |
| Members | 25 |
| Website | linaro.org |
Linaro is a not-for-profit engineering organization that works on consolidating and optimizing open-source software for the ARM architecture, including the GCC toolchain, the Linux kernel, ARM power management, graphics and multimedia interfaces. It was announced at Computex in June 2010 by ARM, Freescale Semiconductor, IBM, Samsung, ST-Ericsson, and Texas Instruments in a joint press conference.[1] It also provides aligned engineering and investment in upstream open source projects, a monthly release of tools and software[2] and support to silicon companies in upstreaming their system-on-a-chip (SoC) support.
Linaro focuses on optimized open-source support of the ARM v7A architecture and ARM v8 Architecture, for example SoCs that contain ARM Cortex-A9, Cortex-A15, Cortex-A53 and Cortex-A57 processor(s). Linaro engineering works with upstream projects on a set of requirements that are determined by the Technical Steering Committee (TSC) and posted in a public roadmap.[3] At the end of each month there is a release of tools and software that acts as a staging tree for code that will be pushed upstream. Linaro works on software that is close to the silicon such as kernel, multimedia, power management, graphics and security. Linaro aims to provide stable, optimized and tested tools and code for multiple software distributions to use and hence reduce low-level fragmentation and improve the optimization of embedded Linux software.[4]
Activities
Linaro produces ARM tools, Linux kernels and builds of key Linux distributions (including Android and Ubuntu) on member SoCs.
Linaro maintains an automated testing system called LAVA (Linaro Automated Validation Architecture) that Linaro developed.[5] LAVA aims at improving automated testing of the open source components that are used in the major Linux-based software platforms and to increase the confidence in the quality of enablement of the member's platforms.
The Linaro Enterprise Group (LEG) focuses on accelerating Linux development for ARM servers.[6] The Enterprise Group is made up of the following companies: AMD, AppliedMicro, ARM, Calxeda, Canonical, Cavium, Facebook, HiSilicon, HP, Marvell, Red Hat, Samsung, ST Ericsson and Texas Instruments. The team's mission is to bring competing companies together to work on common solutions to problems and enable OEM's, commercial Linux providers and System on Chip (SOC) vendors to collaborate in a neutral environment on the development and optimization of the core software needed by the rapidly emerging market for low-power hyperscale servers.
The Linaro Networking Group (LNG) is a coalition of technology companies whose mission is to deliver an enhanced core Linux platform for networking equipment. Its founding members include AppliedMicro, ARM, Enea, Freescale, LSI, MontaVista, Nokia Siemens Networks and Texas Instruments (TI).[7] With ARM-based SoCs part of the transformation occurring in cloud and mobile infrastructure applications such as switching, routing, base-stations and security, LNG’s members collaborate on fundamental software platforms to enable rapid deployment of new services across a range of converged infrastructure platforms.
History
In 2010 ARM joined with Freescale Semiconductor, IBM, Samsung, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments (TI) in forming Linaro as a not for profit open source engineering company, to enhance open source innovation for the next wave of always-connected, always-on computing.[8]
Two new members joined Linaro in October 2012. LG Electronics[9] and HiSilicon[10] joined and will contribute resources and work together with the engineers from other Linaro members. Both companies will join the Technical Steering Committee (TSC), which directs the shared Linaro engineering team of over 100 engineers.
Milestones
March 2010 – Company founded
- Membership agreements initiated
- Engineering begins
June 2010 – Company launch
- Website and wiki opened
- Engineering organization ramps
- Open engineering
November 2010 – First release
- Linaro's 10.11 release is announced at TechCon
May 2011 - Second Release
- Linaro's 11.05 release and monthly releases announced
- Linaro Partner Program announced
August 2011
- First independent Linaro Connect held
January 2012
- Demo Friday begins to be held at each Linaro Connect
October 2012
- LG Electronics joins Linaro
- HiSilicon joins Linaro
November 2012
- Linaro Enterprise Group (LEG) announced
February 2013
- Linaro Networking Group (LNG) announced
Release schedule
It was announced in June 2010 at Computex that Linaro would follow a six-month engineering cycle that would culminate in a release of tools and software that represents an integrated build of software worked on during the cycle.[1] Linaro version 10.11 was released on November 10, 2010. In May 2011 Linaro began a monthly engineering cycle in place of the previous six month cycle.
Platforms
Linaro runs and continuously tests its output on member platforms. For the ARMv7A code, these include TI's OMAP 3 and OMAP 4, Samsung's Exynos, and ST-Ericsson's NovaThor U8500. For development on platforms prior to silicon availability, e.g. big.LITTLE development starting at the end of 2011 and ARMv8 work begun in 2012, Linaro uses ARM Fast Models and then the ARM Versatile Express platform, when the necessary hardware tiles are available.
Products
| Initial release | 10 November 2010[11] |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 13.11 / 28 November 2013 |
| Platform | ARMv7-A |
| License | EPL (default) and other licences |
There are three types of software download available from Linaro:
- At the end of each monthly cycle Linaro release an integrated build including all the software worked on during the cycle. These images are available from Linaro.org/Downloads.
- There are monthly versions of upstream software, such as GCC or QEMU. These are downloads from places such as launchpad.net/gcc-linaro.
- Linaro maintains public staging trees of upstream code they are working on. For example the kernel and u-boot trees are kept on git.linaro.org.
License
All code developed within Linaro working groups is open source and therefore available under standard Open Source Initiative (OSI) license terms. For more details see Linaro Membership Rules and Linaro Articles of Association.[12]
Core OS
Linaro is Linux-based and works with the open source community by providing aligned upstream engineering investment.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Daily Tech 5 June 2010". Dailytech.com. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Kowal, Kris (2010-06-04). "ARS Technica 3 June 2010". Arstechnica.com. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Linaro Limited. "Engineering: how Linaro is making open source development easier". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ "9 June 2010". Lwn.net. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Linaro Limited (2011-05-27). "Linaro completes first year with demonstrations of Linaro Evaluation Builds for Android and Ubuntu and introduction of new partner program". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Linaro Limited (2012-11-01). "Industry leaders-collaborate to accelerate software ecosystem for ARM servers and join Linaro". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
- ↑ Linaro Limited (2013-02-20). "Networking Leaders Collaborate to Maximize Choice, Performance and Power Efficiency". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
- ↑ "3 June 2010". Geek.com. 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Linaro Limited (2012-10-26). "LG Electronics joins Linaro". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
- ↑ Linaro Limited (2012-10-29). "HiSilicon joins Linaro as Core member". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
- ↑ Bennett, Jamie (2010-11-10). "Linaro 10.11 Final released". Retrieved 2013-12-02.
- ↑ Linaro Limited. "Linaro presentations and documents for download". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ Linaro Limited. "Linaro FAQs". Linaro.org. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
External links
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