As Linux World rockets into its second day, MontaVista celebrates the occasion with a trio of press releases. The company announced that its Hard Hat Linux 2.0 will feature support for Intel’s X-Scale micro architecture (details), introduced a new high-availability framework for Hard Hat (details), and showed off Hard Hat Graphics, a multimedia add-on product for Hard Hat Linux designed to meet the needs of embedded Linux developers and designers (details).

The Open Network Management Software team releases its latest update — more of a mini update, really. There’s been quite a bit happening with the project, which, we suppose, hasn’t left these folks with much time to write a full-fledged report. This letter gives the “50,000 foot view.” Also relevant in the world of OpenNMS are the availability of a Quick Start Guide and Install Guide. Both are in draft form, but quite helpful. All items posted at Linux Weekly News.

LINUXWORLD EXPO BOOTH #1079, SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2001 — SGI Federal, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SGI (NYSE: SGI), the leading provider of high-performance computing
and visualization solutions for technical and creative users, has teamed up with
Linux cluster computing expert Linux NetworX to win a bid to build three Parallel
Capacity Resource (PCR) Linux cluster computing systems totaling 472 Pentium
4 processors for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Accelerated Strategic
Computing Initiative (ASCI) ongoing computing element. With a theoretical peak
performance of 857 gigaFLOP/s, the largest of the three systems with 252 Pentium
4 processors, named PCR P4A, will be one the fastest Linux clusters ever built.

Linux clustering, an alternative to traditional supercomputing, is a method of 
linking multiple computers together to form a unified and very powerful system. 
By taking advantage of standard computer components, Linux clusters can match 
the performance of supercomputers for a fraction of the cost. 

In its latest effort to boost parallel capacity computing power for ASCI's ongoing 
computing element, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will have two 
of the three Linux clusters working on the project, while a third will be used 
as a joint development cluster with Linux NetworX and SGI Federal for open source 
projects.

"The clustering expertise and management tools delivered by Linux NetworX along 
with SGI Federal's project management background and support infrastructure created 
a very powerful and cost-effective solution to meet our requirements," said Dr. 
Mark Seager, LLNL's Asst. Dept. Head for TeraScale Systems. "As LLNL continues 
to add to parallel capacity resources cluster management becomes a more critical 
issue, which is why we required the ICE Boxä management tool from Linux NetworX." 

ASCI is a ten-year program to reach 100-trillion calculations per second by 2005 
that will enable scientists at the national-security laboratory to maintain the 
safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile by simulating - in three 
dimensions - the aging and operation of nuclear weapons.
"SGI's experience in delivering high-performance computing solutions has played 
an important role over the years in supporting DOE's ASCI Program to ensure the 
continued safety, reliability and performance of America's nuclear stockpile," 
said Randy Stefano, vice president, professional services, SGI. "Partnered with 
Linux NetworX and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, we are set to embark 
on another great engineering milestone by helping to build one of the world's 
fastest Linux clusters while demonstrating the benefits of open-source Linux 
for affordable high-performance computing."      

Linux NetworX designed and built the world's first commercial Linux cluster in 
1997, and has developed cluster management tools to make systems easier to manage. 
In the request for proposal, LLNL required a specific Linux NetworX cluster management 
tool, called ICE Boxä, which is being previewed for the first time at LinuxWorld 
Expo booth #1079. 

"We're excited to be teaming up with SGI Federal to deliver this high-powered 
Linux cluster to ASCI's ongoing computing element at LLNL," said Glen Lowry, 
Linux NetworX President and CEO. "Empowering cluster management tools are proving 
to be an important factor in the wider adoption of Linux clustering into existing 
and new markets."

As a result of this combined win, SGI Federal and Linux NetworX established a 
joint vendor relationship where the two companies will team up to win large cluster 
bids requiring the expertise and cluster management tools of Linux NetworX, and 
the support resources of SGI Federal. 
For specific system details, visit www.linuxnetworx.com.


About Linux NetworX

Linux NetworX (www.linuxnetworx.com) brings its powerful and easy-to-manage cluster 
technology to those demanding high performance and high availability systems. 
Linux NetworX provides solutions for organizations involved in oil and gas exploration, 
aeronautical and chemical modeling, biotechnology research, graphics rendering 
and visual effects, Web serving, ISPs, ASPs, and other technological research 
fields. Through its innovative Evolocity hardware, ICE cluster management tools 
and professional service and support, Linux NetworX provides end-to-end clustering 
solutions. To date, the company has built some of the largest cluster systems 
in the world, and boasts numerous Fortune 500 customers.

About SGI

SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is a technology solutions provider 
with a broad range of high-performance computing, advanced graphics and consulting 
services that enable its technical and creative customers to maintain a competitive 
advantage in their core businesses. Whether being used to design and build safer 
cars and airplanes, discover new medications and oil reserves, help us understand 
and better predict the weather, or entertain us with thrilling movie special 
effects, SGI? systems and expertise are empowering a world of innovation and 
discovery. The company, which is located on the Web at www.sgi.com, is headquartered 
in Mountain View, Calif., and has offices worldwide.

Linux Cluster Overview:

Each node within the cluster contains QsNet ELAN3 by Quadrics Supercomputer World, 
2 GB of RDRAM memory per node, 81 GB Disk Space. OSCAR V1.1 and ClusterWorX and 
ICE Box will also be used to help LLNL manage and maintain the clusters. Below 
is the breakdown of the three Linux cluster system specs.

PCR (Parallel Computing Resource) P4A
· 126 dual nodes with 252 Pentium 4 Xeon processors with 1.7 GHz
· OSCAR V1.1 and ClusterWorX from Linux NetworX management software
· ICE Box intelligent hardware management tool from Linux NetworX

Second System: PCR P4B Production Cluster
· 86 dual nodes with 172 Pentium 4 Xeon processors with 1.7 GHz
· OSCAR V1.1 and ClusterWorX from Linux NetworX management software
· ICE Box intelligent hardware management tool from Linux NetworX

Third System: PCR Development Cluster
*This cluster will be used for joint development of open source projects between 
Linux NetworX, LLNL, and SGI FEDERAL (specifically Parallel File System, and 
LinuxBIOS)
· 24 dual nodes with 48 Pentium 4 Xeon processors with 1.7 GHz
· OSCAR V1.1 and ClusterWorX from Linux NetworX management software
· ICE Box intelligent hardware management tool from Linux NetworX

# # #

SGI and the SGI logo are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Intel is a registered 
trademark of Intel Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. 
All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. 
 
Contact:
Brad Rutledge           
Linux NetworX           
801-562-1010 ext. 218

mobile 801-652-4120

Posted at PR Newswire: “The GNOME Foundation today
announced the early access release of the Gnome 2.0 Accessibility Framework.
This framework paves the way for a new generation of applications that
integrate with assistive technologies — enabling users with disabilities to
easily access the GNOME desktop.”

From a Mandrake Linux advisory posted at Linux Weekly News: “A security hole was found in the earlier Linux 2.4 kernels dealing with
iptables RELATED connection tracking. The iptables ip_conntrack_ftp
module, which is used for stateful inspection of FTP traffic,
does not validate parameters passed to it in an FTP PORT command. Due
to this flaw, carefully constructed PORT commands could open arbitrary
holes in the firewall. This hole has been fixed, as well as a number
of other bugs for the 2.4 kernel shipped with Mandrake Linux 8.0.”

From a missive on TechTV: “I don’t run Linux. Why? Because I’m a lazy sucker with limited computer skills and low geek self-esteem.
I’m the worst kind of Windows user. I’m the guy who’s read all the bad press on Microsoft, felt firsthand
the bug-ridden frustration of Windows 98, and witnessed Steve Ballmer beating a competing software
developer about the face and neck with a 3.5-inch floppy (OK, not the last one). Yet I continue to
patronize Windows for the same reason that Sir Edmund Hillary climbed that big hill: “Because it’s there.”

Basically, I don’t feel I deserve Linux. I see open source as a club. Not necessarily an exclusive club, but one that expects a certain level of
passion and expertise from its members. Web developers, systems administrators, programmers, engineers, chat room moderators —
these people are members of the Linux club.”

Posted at CodeWeavers: “CodeWeavers, Inc., a leading Windows-to-Linux software developer and
consultancy, announced today the release of CrossOver Plugin, the first
Windows-To-Linux adapter for Windows browser plugins and email viewers.
The product, unveiled at LinuxWorld Conference and Expo 2001 in San
Francisco, enables users to access popular Windows files and plug-ins in
Linux, and gives them a new level of convenience and productivity when
working in the Linux environment.”

Alan Cox releases Linux kernel 2.4.9-ac3. Read on for changelog, links.

ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/alan/linux-2.4/

                                    Intermediate diffs are available from
                                           http://www.bzimage.org

                   *       Ok this seems to be stable. The changes in ac3 are actually
                   *       all queued fixes from before the merge
                   *
                   *       The bits outstanding are the vm changes which I want to take
                   *       very slowly, and the min/max thing which needs to be dealt with.

                   2.4.9-ac3
                   o       Fix config glitch in drivers/video/Config.in    (Steven Cole)
                   o       Kaweth endian fixes                             (Brad Hards)
                   o       Update the MPT fusion drivers                   (Steve Ralston)
                   o       Possible floppy probe fix                       (Paul Gortmaker)
                   o       Add the KT266 agp to the table                  (Kris Kersey)
                   o       Start convering ia32 and x86_64 mtrr code       (Dave Jones)
                   o       Account ramdisk in out of memory code           (Russell King)
                   o       Possible fix for cardbus allocation failures    (Andreas Bombe)
                   o       Clean up other cases of const initdata          (Dave Jones)
                   o       Update the keyboard rate code to be more        (Dave Miller)
                           flexible (needed for sparc)
                   o       Configure.help fixes                            (Steven Cole)
                   o       Pegasus USB driver fixes                        (Petko Manolov)
                   o       Fix i810 audio pops on speed changes            (Scott Herod)
                   o       GPIO driver for the ITE board                   (Hai-Pao Fan)
                   o       Philips Nino port update                (Steven Hill, Pavel Machek)

                   2.4.9-ac2
                   o       Last small bits of the PPC merge                (Paul Mackerras)
                   o       Fix compile bugs in airport driver              (David Gibson)
                   o       ITE8172 ide updates                             (Steve L)
                   o       Add i2c drivers for the ITE board               (Hai-Pao Fan)
                   o       AC97 register naming fix                        (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       TI 3912 serial driver                   (Harald Koerfgen, Jim Pick,
                                                                            Steven Hill)
                   o       ITE general updates                             (P Popov)
                   o       Remove double init of SGI streamable device     (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Update SGI indy drivers                         (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Qtronix keyboard driver updates                 (P Popov)
                   o       Add tx3192 frame buffer support                 (Steven Hill)
                   o       MIPS frame buffer updates                       (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Move vino.h into driver directory               (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Ocelot updates                  (Jun Sun, G Lonnon, S Kranz, Steve J)
                   o       DDB5 updates                                    (Jun Sun)
                   o       MIPS jazz update                                (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       SGI wd33c93 update                              (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Baget updates                                   (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       SNI updates                                     (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Alchemy Au1000 support                          (P Popov)
                   o       MIPS eval board updates         (Ralf Baechle, Carsten Langgaard)
                   o       Update Decstation serial support                (Maciej W. Rozycki)
                   o       NEC Vrc5477 audio driver                        (Steve L)
                   o       General MIPS32 updates          (Jun Sun, Ralf Baechle, Matt Porter,
                                                            Kevin Kissell, Carsten Langgaard,
                                                            Jan-Benedict Glaw)
                   o       MIPS scsi updates                               (Ralf Baechle)
                   o       Notifier signal oops fix                (Benjamin Herrenschmidt)

                   2.4.9-ac1
                   o       Merge the fat and iso changes from 2.4.9
                   o       Merge the sunrpc changes from 2.4.9
                   o       Merge (hopefully correctly) the nfs changes
                   o       Switch to the 2.4.9 emu10k1 driver
                   o       Merge vfs directory type changes
                   o       Merge other oddments
                           - This leaves min/max and the vm/buffer changes
                             both of which are pretty dubious anyway
                   o       lock_kiovec page unwind fix                     (Velizar B)
                   o       do_swap_page recheck pte before failing         (Linus, Jeremy Linton)
                   o       do_swap_page doesn't mkwrite when deleting      (Linus)
                           | From 2.4.9 with extra comments etc            (Hugh Dickins)

The Register reports: “The FBI has been let of the hook in its court case against mobster Nicodemo Scarfo.
US District Judge Nicholas Politan has now ruled that the Bureau will not have to
reveal precisely how it managed to log evidence that Mr Scarfo was involved in
illegal gambling and loan sharking.

Mr Scarfo’s lawyers claim that the FBI bugged him without possession of a bugging
warrant and so the evidence it gathered is inadmissible in court since it was
obtained illegally.”

Network World Fusion reports “IBM was set to announce Monday that it has
partnered with a small technology developer to
offer customers using its WebSphere Portal
Server an application that ties data in back-end
servers to related words on a Web site, a
feature similar to Microsoft’s controversial Smart
Tags.

IBM has teamed with Atomica of Burlingame,
Calif., to distribute an application called Answer
Delivery, which can be used to turn every word
on a Web site or in a Windows-based
application into a Web link.”