Network Programmability and Automation, 2nd Edition

Chapter 3. Linux

This chapter aims to help you become familiar with the basics of Linux, an operating system that is becoming increasingly common in networking circles. You might wonder why we’ve included a chapter about Linux in this book. After all, what in the world does Linux, a Unix-like operating system, have to do with network automation and programmability?

Examining Linux in a Network Automation Context

In looking at Linux from a network automation perspective, we feel this content is important for several reasons.

First, several modern network operating systems (NOSs) are based on Linux, although some use a custom CLI that means they don’t look or act like Linux. Others, however, do expose the Linux internals and/or use a Linux shell such as bash.

Second, some new companies and organizations are bringing to market full Linux distributions that are targeted at network equipment. For example, the OpenCompute Project (OCP) uses Open Network Linux (ONL) as a base upon which to build Linux-powered NOSs (Big Switch, now part of Arista, built Switch Light on ONL, and the DENT Project built dentOS on ONL as well). Cumulus Networks (now part of NVIDIA) is another example, offering its Debian-based Cumulus Linux as a NOS for supported hardware platforms. SONiC—an acronym that stands for Software for Open Networking in the Cloud—is yet another example, supported by organizations like Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA, Broadcom, Dell, and others. As a network engineer, you’re increasingly ...