Storage Networking , Part 1 eBook: A storage network is any network that's designed to transport block-level storage protocols. But understanding the ins and outs of networked storage takes you deep into several of protocols. This guide covers SANs, Fibre Channels, Disk Arrays, Fabric, and IP Storage. » Storage Networking 2, Configuration and Planning eBook: Picking up where Part 1 left off, Part 2 of our look at storage networking examines configurations for SAN-attached servers and disk arrays, and also includes a look at the future of IP storage. » Storage Management Costs in the Enterprise: A Comparison of Mid-Range Array Solutions Whitepaper: Many factors contribute to the ownership cost for enterprise storage. These include (but are not limited to): physical capacity relative to physical space requirements, performance capacity for data transfer and system reaction time, software maintenance and updates, expandability and flexibility, and much more. » Storage Is Changing Fast  Be Ready or Be Left Behind PDF: The storage landscape is headed for dramatic change, thanks to new technologies like Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), pNFS, object-based storage and SAS that will affect everything from NAS and SANs to disk drives. Get the knowledge you need to make the most of your storage environment, now and in the future. » HP StorageWorks EVA4400 Demo: Dont settle for an expensive and complex array that lacks functionality. The HP StorageWorks EVA4400 delivers virtual storage with enterprise class functionality at an affordable price. »

Is the Linux pie large enough for vendors to focus on a very specific segment? Apparently so, if Elfstone Linux is any indication. Elfstone Linux is a specialized distribution designed for programmers, engineers, and network administrators. As such, Elfstone Linux succeeds--albeit with some noticeable limitations that should keep Elfstone Linux within its target audience.

Elfstone Linux is designed solely as a server operating system. That means that no unnecessary software is included in the distribution: no KDE, no GNOME, no gewgaws that could possibly impair performance or get in the way of ultimate system performance. The creators of Elfstone Linux describe it as the most UNIX-like of the commercial Linux distributions, and based on our scanning of the installed directories, we can't argue with that assessment. As Linux moves into the enterprise, there's a great virtue in a Linux distribution that closely hews to UNIX conventions (Slackware Linux is renowned for this capability), and this capability certainly distinguishes Elfstone Linux.

In fact, Elfstone Linux is so server-oriented that it's not designed to co-exist with another operating system on a machine: when you install it, you install it to take over a machine's entire hard drive. No choices for partitioning or dual booting here: your box goes straight into Elfstone Linux. The assumption is that your system will not be going down any time soon: when you boot an Elfstone Linux system, your entire hardware configuration is scanned to make sure that no new components like RAID arrays were installed. This auto-sensing wouldn't make sense for a consumer distribution that might be booted daily, but makes sense for a Linux server situation where reboots are much less frequent. (It's also not very appropriate for situations where you want a standalone, non-networked Linux box: it takes forever to boot a non-networked Elfstone Linux box, and in the end Elfstone Linux ended up repeatedly crashing on us when booted without a network connection.) The hardware support extends to USB support, and Elfstone Linux did indeed detect a USB device attached to a test system.

We reviewed the Sabre beta release of Elfstone Linux and used it both as a Web server and as a desktop system for creating applications. Elfstone Linux is based on Linux 2.2.6 and includes XFree86, the GNU gcc compiler, Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0, GIMP, Netscape Navigator 4.6, and other assorted X Window and OSF/Motif utilities not included as part of the core XFree86 release. It also includes RPM as a tool for adding new packages.

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