EdgeX Foundry’s First Dev Kit Runs Ubuntu on an Artik Board

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October 24, 2018

The Linux Foundation’s EdgeX Foundry project for developing open source edge computing middleware has released its first developer kit. The Ubuntu-based kit is built around an octa-core Samsung Artik 710 Starter Kit teamed with a GrovePi+ I/O board. Future kits will include an Artik 530 kit, and eventually, a Raspberry Pi/GrovePi+ combination.

At the recent IoT Solutions World Congress, the EdgeX Foundry project also announced nine new members, including Intel, and debuted a Smart Building Automation Use Case Community Demo. The demo showed off the platform’s ability to bring together heterogeneous solution components, including different vendors, connectivity standards, operating systems, and hardware types.

EdgeX Foundry was announced in 2017, with a goal of developing a standardized, open source interoperability framework for IoT edge computing. In August, the project released a v2 ”California” version of the middleware, which will be succeeded by a “Delhi” release in November. Delhi will provide EdgeX’s first management features, as well as improved security features such as access control and security bootstrapping. It will also offer C and Golang-based Device Service SDKs and a reference GUI.

Based largely on technology created by Dell, EdgeX Foundry is creating and certifying an ecosystem of interoperable, plug-and-play components to create an open source EdgeX stack for IoT edge computing. The cross-platform middleware will mediate between multiple sensor network messaging protocols as well as multiple cloud and analytics platforms.

Dell is one of three Platinum members alongside Analog Devices and Samsung. With the new additions, the membership has reached 70. The new members are Basking Automation, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT), DATA AHEAD, CertusNet, Intel Corp., Redis Labs, the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG) /Embedded Lab, Windmill Enterprise, and ZEDEDA. Previous members include AMD, Canonical, Cloud Foundry, Linaro, Mocana, NetFoundry, and VMware.

EdgeX developer kits

The Artik 710 based EdgeX developer kit is initially available as a community-supported product. Developers independently purchase the kit from Samsung and download the upcoming EdgeX Delhi software from the EdgeX repository on GitHub. Informal, community-based tech support is available via forums like the EdgeX Rocket Chat.

This initial kit, as well as future kits, will also soon be available as part of a commercial track that offers professional support. The commercial kits are designed primarily for EdgeX members but are available to anyone. Commercial options will include “kits based on supported versions of the EdgeX framework itself (neutral to any plug-in value add), kits based on specific IoT platforms, and microservice plug-ins for value-add such as analytics, data orchestration and security,” says the project.

Samsung’s Artik 710 and Artik 530, which will form the basis of an upcoming EdgeX kit, switched their BSPs from Fedora to Ubuntu in Oct. 2017. The Artik 710 module features a 1.4GHz, octa-core, -A53 SoC with a Mali T400 GPU while the Artik 530 has a 1.2GHz, quad-core, -A9 SoC. Both include hardware security elements.

The 49x36mm modules integrate 1GB DDR3 RAM, 4GB eMMC flash, and an Ethernet PHY. They also include dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n (WiFi 4), Bluetooth 4.2, and Zigbee/Thread (802.15.4).

The Artik 710 Developer Kit is a double board set. The Interposer Board provides the Artik 710 plus Gigabit Ethernet, micro-HDMI, and micro-USB OTG ports. There’s also an LVDS interface and antenna connectors. The Platform Board sits under the Interposer board and provides a USB 2.0 host port, SD slot, audio jack, JTAG, 5V DC input, and MIPI-CSI and -DSI connections.

The EdgeX version of the Artik 710 kit also includes the optional Artik Interface II Board, which connects the bundled Seeed GrovePi+ I/O board. The GrovePi+ Starter Kit also provides a dozen Grove sensors and LEDs, plus a backlit LCD, buzzer, relay, and button.

The GrovePi+ Starter Kit is also part of Samsung’s GrovePi+ Starter Kit for Eagleye 530 board, which will form the basis of the upcoming Artik 530 kit. Unlike the Artik 710 kit, the Artik 530 equipped Eagleye 530 is a single board with a Raspberry Pi like layout, footprint, and 40-pin GPIO interface. The Eagleye 530 is further equipped with GbE and HDMI ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, and micro-USB OTG and power ports. There’s also an SD slot, audio jack, and MIPI-CSI camera interface. Unlike the Artik 710 kit, the Eagleye 530 does not require the Interface II Board to hook up the bundled GrovePi+ board.

The GrovePi+ board will also be available in a future EdgeX kit that runs on the GrovePi+ Starter Kit for Raspberry Pi. Other development kits are also under consideration. Even if Intel had not joined the project, one of them was likely to provide an x86 chip.

“Intel’s involvement in EdgeX Foundry will help drive scale and accessibility of solutions for both our customers and businesses of all sizes,” stated Stacey Shulman, Intel’s chief innovation officer for Retail Solutions.

Linus Torvalds Talks About Coming Back to Work on Linux

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ZDNet

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October 24, 2018

While in Edinburgh, I caught up with Linus Torvalds. He confided his thoughts about returning to Linux, the Code of Conduct, and some software, BPF, which is fundamentally changing how the Linux kernel and user space work together.

Linus Torvalds quietly met with Linux’s top 40 or so developers at the Maintainers’ Summit, held in concert with Open Source Summit Europe in Scotland. Afterward, we spoke about his return to Linux, the adoption of the Linux Code of Conduct (CoC), and how Berkeley Packet Filter (BPF) is changing Linux.

Torvalds stepped away from managing the Linux kernel because he needed to, as he explained it, “change some of my behavior, which had hurt and possibly drove away some people from kernel development.” He wanted to “take time off and get some assistance on how to understand people’s emotions and respond appropriately.”

So, what has he done since then?

Torvalds said, “I expect it to be a continuing process, but for now I have an email filter in place (that might be expanded upon or modified as needed or as I come up with more esoteric swearing — the current filter is really pretty basic). And I have been talking weekly with a professional, although again right now my travel is messing with that schedule.”

RSS Feed Readers: Getting News the Open Source Way

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October 24, 2018

It’s easy to get news on the Internet these days. In fact, it’s too easy to get news from the Internet to the point that it’s also to easy to get the wrong news. Some have considered RSS feeds obsolete and boring but when it comes to getting news straight from the horse’s mouth, nothing still beats this direct and largely open method. Last time we looked at Wallabag for saving your articles. This time we’re going to take a look at some open source RSS feed readers that give you those articles in the first place.

When it comes to replacing the dearly departed Google Reader and its substitute Feedly with an open source solution, Tiny Tiny RSS is one of the first that always comes out at the top. It prides itself for being, well, tiny and simple to use. Any user just needs a web browser, be it on desktop or mobile.

How to Set Up Your S3 Bucket with HTTPS in an Hour

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The New Stack

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October 24, 2018

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has great resources for issuing and using SSL certificates, but the process of migrating existing resources to HTTPS can be complex — and it can also require many intermediate steps.

But as this tutorial shows, you can get your S3 bucket set up in just an hour or two.

Why is this necessary, anyway?

Reason 1: Google is Forcing the Issue

The big driver for this need is Google, which is phasing support for HTTP connections out of Google Chrome.

Currently, Chrome warns users when they’re accessing a site HTTP, but doesn’t prevent it altogether….

To get started, you’ll need an SSL certificate. On anything but AWS, the best option is Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates, which issues free certificates to all.

Linux Apps on Chrome OS: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

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IT World

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October 24, 2018

Linux apps can expand your Chromebook’s capabilities and open up all sorts of interesting options — but first, you have to know where to begin.

If you think you’d stand to benefit from using a Linux app on your Chrome OS device — or if you just want to explore and see what’s out there — the first step is to see if your Chromebook supports Linux apps in the first place.

Linux app support rolled out to Chrome OS’s main stable channel with Chrome OS 69 in September, but certain hardware and software requirements are attached — which means not all devices are eligible. The simplest way to see if your device has Linux app support is to open up the Chrome OS settings (by typing chrome://settings into the address bar of a browser window) and then type Linux into the search box at the top.

If you see a section appear with the label “Linux (Beta),” you’re good to go. If not, your device isn’t supported, and you’ll have to upgrade to a newer or more powerful model in order to use Linux software.

Linux Kernel 4.19 – Long Term Support, USB Type C, and WiFi 6

By

Paul Brown

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October 23, 2018

This was a rather special release due to the fact that, at about half way through the process, Linus Torvalds left the helm of Linux kernel development to take a rare break. However, Greg Kroah-Hartman took over until the release was ready and is now handing the reins back to Torvalds.

Another interesting fact about this iteration is that 4.19 will be a Long Term Support (LTS) kernel. That is, it will receive updates and patches to keep it safe and maintained for at least a couple of years. The last LTS kernel (which is still supported) was 4.14, released in November 2017.

On the purely technical side, among many other things, 4.19 is getting a new USB Type C display mode driver. This means exactly what it says on the box: soon you will be able to use the USB Type C on your machine to stream video to a display.

Also, the kernel at last gets a built-in GPS subsystem. Obviously, Linux has supported GPS devices for years, but this support was pretty non-standard and dependent on external and ad hoc modules that varied from device to device. The GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) subsystem puts an end to that. According to the Phoronix article on the matter, GNSS abstracts the underlying hardware interfaces and will have a front end in user space that will allow programs to read the data in standardized way and format. And, once more, developers have had to deal with the Spectre bug. This time, it was to add mitigations for affected IBM POWER CPUs.

Other things to look forward to in Linux kernel 4.19:

A new queuing discipline for the network packet scheduler. Dubbed CAKE (for Common Applications Kept Enhanced), it aims to speed up home network routers and links. By shaping data transmissions over the network, it helps reduce the problem of buffering and latency that will slow down your downloads, make your video-stream stutter or get you kicked off CS:GO.
A brand new (and, for now, experimental) read only file system called EROFS (for Enhanced Read-Only File System). It is designed to be lightweight and modern in its design and is created by Huawei for situations where a high-performance read-only file system is needed. This is useful in firmwares for mobile devices or for Live CDs.
Preliminary support for the upcoming WiFi 6 (aka 802.11 ax) protocol. WiFi 6 widens the band for network transmissions and will be substantially faster than current WiFi networks, as a wider band means less congestion. Less congestion will also mean data can be transmitted more reliably. That said, there are still only a few 802.11ax-enabled devices out there, but when they come, Linux will be ready!

As usual, there’s much more to learn about kernel 4.19 on the Linux Kernel Mailing List. You can also visit the articles on Phoronix or check out the Kernel Newbies report.

Learn more about Linux in the Introduction to Open Source Development, Git, and Linux (LFD201) training course from The Linux Foundation and get started on your open source journey.

The Linux Foundation Awards 31 Open Source Training Scholarships

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The Linux Foundation

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October 23, 2018

The Linux Foundation training (LiFT) program provides advanced open source training to existing and aspiring IT professionals from around the world who might not have the means for specialized training.

Since 2011, the Linux Foundation has awarded 106 training scholarships worth over $220,000. In 2018, we awarded 31 scholarships, our most ever. Scholarship recipients receive a Linux Foundation training course and certification exam at no cost. This year, The Linux Foundation awarded scholarships to 31 of the more than 900 applicants who vied to be selected in one of the nine categories offered. Two applicants were selected to receive a scholarship in each category with the exception of ‘Open Source Newbies’, in which 15 applicants were selected.

“With the LiFT scholarship program, we strive to select a cohort of individuals that represent the future of software development and those who will utilize this opportunity to give back to not only the broader open source community, but also their local communities,” said Linux Foundation Executive Director Jim Zemlin. “Scholarship programs such as LiFT showcase the unlimited opportunities a single person can unlock for themselves and other aspiring developers when given access to do so.”

Read the inspiring stories of this year’s recipients at The Linux Foundation.

Celebrating 15 Years of the Xen Project and Our Future

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The Linux Foundation

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October 23, 2018

In the 1990s, Xen was a part of a research project to build a public computing infrastructure on the Internet led by Ian Pratt and Keir Fraser at The University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. The Xen Project is now one of the most popular open source hypervisors and amasses more than 10 million users, and this October marks our 15th anniversary.

From its beginnings, Xen technology focused on building a modular and flexible architecture, a high degree of customizability, and security. This security mindset from the outset led to inclusion of non-core security technologies, which eventually allowed the Xen Project to excel outside of the data center and be a trusted source for security and embedded vendors (ex. Qubes, Bromium, Bitdefender, Star Labs, Zentific, Dornerworks, Bosch, BAE systems), and also a leading hypervisor contender for the automotive space.

As the Xen Project looks to a future of virtualization everywhere, we reflect back on some of our major achievements over the last 15 years. To celebrate, we’ve created an infographic that captures some of our key milestones — share it on social.

Pivotal Cloud Foundry Architecture

By

Datadog Blog

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October 23, 2018

Pivotal Cloud Foundry (PCF) is a multi-cloud platform for the deployment, management, and continuous delivery of applications, containers, and functions. PCF is a distribution of the open source Cloud Foundry developed and maintained by Pivotal Software, Inc. PCF is aimed at enterprise users and offers additional features and services—from Pivotal and from other third parties—for installing and operating Cloud Foundry as well as to expand its capabilities and make it easier to use.

Pivotal Cloud Foundry abstracts away the process of setting up and managing an application runtime environment so that developers can focus solely on their applications and associated data. Running a single command—cf push—will create a scalable environment for your application in seconds, which might otherwise take hours to spin up manually. PCF allows developers to deploy and deliver software quickly, without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure.

In this post, we’ll explore each of the technologies that make up a typical Pivotal Cloud Foundry cluster and how they work together. If you’re already familiar with PCF architecture, feel free to continue on to part two to dive right into PCF’s key performance metrics.

What MMORPGs Can Teach Us About Leveling Up a Heroic Developer Team

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OpenSource.com

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October 23, 2018

For the better part of a decade, I have been leading guilds in massively multiplayer role-playing games (MMORPGs). Currently, I lead a guild in Guild Wars 2, and before that, I led progression raid teams in World of Warcraft, while also maintaining a career as a software engineer. As I made the transition into software development, it became clear that the skills I gained in building successful raid groups translated well to building successful tech teams.

In this article, I’ll share how you can build, improve, and maintain your own progression software and/or systems teams. I’ll cover assembling our team, leading the team, optimizing for success, continuously improving, and keeping morale high.

Diversify your team

While values are important to share, the same skills, experience, and roles are not. Ten tanks might be able to get a boss down, eventually, but it is certainly more effective to have diversity. You need people who are skilled and trained in their specific roles to work together, with everyone focusing on what they do best.