Azure Linux by Microsoft: Now Available for All Users
Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Linux, an open-source container host OS for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). Azure Linux is designed to simplify the deployment and management of container workloads using Microsoft’s tools. It originated from Microsoft’s CBL-Mariner project, created to provide a consistent platform for the various workloads running on Azure. Azure Linux is optimized for Azure, operates as a container host for AKS, and supports both x86 and Arm architectures.
With a small footprint and enhanced security measures, Azure Linux offers reliability, performance, and security for cloud-to-edge deployments. The decision to develop their own Linux distribution was driven by Microsoft’s desire to tailor the OS to their needs and avoid any negative associations from adapting existing distributions. Microsoft has also made Kubernetes Apps, a collection of third-party open-source offerings for AKS, generally available in the Azure Marketplace. These apps undergo thorough vetting, certification, and vulnerability scanning to ensure secure deployments.
