Why Linux is important to Networking

Linux in Networking

Linux plays an important and fundamental role in the networking sector. We all know that it’s becoming more and more apparent that most network operating systems are based on some variation of Linux. Now for competition and business purposes different vendors use different technologies. But all the technologies are based on Linux operating system with the trend being to give the user more and more access into system internals.

In this modern era of networking technologies, we can’t ignore the proliferation of Linux-based projects such as OpenStack, Docker, and Kubernetes and the impact they are having in the IT space. To understand these technologies or projects fully, the core concept of Linux is a must. And with that having the ability to effectively troubleshoot basic Linux networking constructs is quickly becoming a must-have for IT networking professionals.

Command line use in networking is fundamental. Most of the Linux based distribution have their own distribution for server management. There are no GUI in those distributions, because it is used by networking professionals and they have vast knowledge about Linux. So the distributions are packaged with Command Line Interface (CLI) to interact with the user and machine. So, to understand these distributions, knowledge about Linux is very needed. Because Only Linux and Unix can provide real command line power to the user.  

Having the ability to access the native Linux operating system gives a great flexibility and opens the door to many new possibilities. The advantages of using and implementing Linux operating system in networking sector is given below:

• Tools and applications that were once reserved for the server world become available.
• Packet analysis can be done on box with tools like TCPDUMP.
• Network switches can be managed more effectively from a policy level with automation and orchestration tools like Puppet and Chef. 

there are actually many robust network features inside of Linux system. Many of the top open source projects find ways to leverage these features in interesting, and sometimes complex ways. Having an understanding of the inherent networking features in Linux is a must if you want to understand how they can be used together.

Let's see the brief description of the Linux-based projects those are used more vastly in networking sector.

•  Kubernetes: Container cluster manager from Google
• OpenStack: Software platform for infrastructure as a service cloud platform
• Open Daylight: Linux Foundation’s java based project to accelerate the adoption of SDNs and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)
• Docker: Software container program
• Open vSwitch (OVS): Distributed virtual multi layer switch to provide a switching stack inside virtualization environments.

OVS is particularly interesting because it offers a richer set of network features than the basic capabilities in the Linux kernel. If OVS is even moderately successful, it could be an excellent precursor of the shape of things to come in networking.

Now let's dive into the core to understand these Linux based projects. First comes the Docker. Docker is the most popular and vastly used technology in the networking sector. Docker is able to deliver container network isolation by leveraging network namespaces along with basic Linux interfaces and bridging. Network engineers looking to understand these open source projects should make sure they understand the Linux networking primitives that these tools leverage.

There are other projects such as Open vSwitch (OVS) that seek to extend Linux networking functionality. While OVS isn’t native to Linux, but astonishingly it does have its own Linux kernel module and is used extensively with open source projects such as OpenStack. OVS is a prime example of how a Linux host can be extended to provide more than basic level of network attachment. It’s also a good example of the direction of the things are heading and the skillset that will be required to effectively work and troubleshoot Linux host networking.

The ability to access the native Linux shell enables us to install tools and application once reserved for Linux servers. On the Linux server side, the days of simple host networking are quickly evaporating as more of the network logic moves down into the Linux host.

Its longevity, maturity and security make it one of the most trusted OSes available today, meaning it is ideal for commercial network devices as well as enterprises that want to use it and its peripherals to customize their own network and data center infrastructure.

Once you get comfortable with the basics, start focusing on individual pieces of technology. The brilliant part of Linux is that there’s a multitude of "how to" articles on the internet that can walk you through just about anything you’re looking to do. The key here is to get hands-on experience that you can continue to build on.

The deeper you dive into any technology the more likely you are to see Linux. For example, many of the new technologies associated with DevOps, such as containers, infrastructure, and SDN controllers, are built on Linux. Having a solid understanding of Linux as it relates to both basic operations and networking is a skill worth having. 

That in turn makes Linux skills highly sought after by IT hiring managers and network professionals. That's all for today. If any point I've missed to share, please let me know by your valuable comments. Next time, I'll come up with another interesting topic. Till then, Stay Home, Stay Safe. PEACE !!