Frequently Asked Questions

What is OSDL?

OSDL is a non-profit resource lab for open source developers that provides equipment and infrastructure to large-scale Linux enabling technology projects to support enterprise and telecom applications.

What is the long-term goal of OSDL?

OSDL is a catalyst for the evolution of Linux; with the lab's support, we want to expand the capability of Linux in the data center.

Where is the lab located?

The lab is located outside of Portland, Oregon. A second lab is in Tokyo, Japan.

Where does the money come from?

OSDL is funded by a variety of sponsors, which are listed in the "Sponsors" section of our web site.

What is the role of your Board of Directors?

OSDL is a non-profit organization funded by major companies. The Board of Directors sets the policies and priorities that govern the lab operations, but the Lab Director makes the final decisions on which projects to support and also handles the day-to-day operation of the lab.

Is OSDL hiring? If so, where would an interested person go to apply?

Current job listings and instructions on how to apply are available on our website under Jobs@OSDLab.

Does OSDL sponsor projects?

OSDL does not offer financial support, but does offer access to equipment and other infrastructure support for projects.

What licenses does OSDL support?

Projects accepted by OSDL can be covered under any valid open source license currently outlined on http://www.opensource.org/licenses/.

Why don't you work on BSD?

For a variety of reasons, Linux has achieved far broader acceptance in the marketplace and is the open source operating system that has the greatest potential for acceptance in the enterprise.

Some of the sponsoring companies are already involved in hosting sites such as SourceForge. Why is OSDL different?

SourceForge has a different mission than OSDL. SourceForge hosts projects from the early stages of the development process, while OSDL provides the testing and analysis resources required as projects move toward completion. Also, OSDL limits its focus to telecom and enterprise-level programming and testing.

Who does OSDL serve, the Linux community or the corporate world?

OSDL is a non-profit lab governed by an independent infrastructure to support and accelerate open source community projects. We are the first major resource focused on enabling Linux for the enterprise, but the services we provide are for the open source community.

What service does OSDL provides to the open source community?

The lab provides developers in the open source community with access to a physical data center development infrastructure, a neutral site for common development, and access to enterprise-level hardware.

What general criteria does OSDL use in selecting projects?

Projects facilitated by the lab will be selected for their potential to bring scalability, hardening and additional functionality to Linux in the enterprise. The criteria are outlined in the Propose a Project section of the web site.

Can I submit my small Linux project to OSDL?

Projects can be submitted for consideration via the web as long as they fit the profile outlined in the "Propose a Project" section. OSDL supports projects that are conducting enabling work for large-scale enterprise and telecom usage. Projects that are accepted by OSDL must be in one of these categories, and must require use of the large scale equipment that we provide.

How can I participate in a project at OSDL?

www.osdl.org includes information as to which projects are in the lab and where they are hosted so you can contact project coordinators to find ways to get involved.

Is there an online inventory of what equipment is being used for testing?

Available inventory of equipment at the lab is listed on our web site under Host information.

What software are you using for the website?

We are using a system called Eidetic built from MySQL, Template-Toolkit, and OpenInteract.

Will OSDL support projects that run on platforms other than IA-32 and IA-64?

OSDL evaluates hardware requirements as part of its project acceptance process. If an approved project requires specific hardware, OSDL will attempt to make it available.

If I can't come into the lab, how do I get to the computers?

To keep systems secure from break-in, we use OpenSSH to allow access to lab computers. There are SSH terminal clients for Linux, all UNIXes as well as for Windows and MacOS. If you are running Linux, you can also use PPP over SSH (per the VPN HOWTO) to get a secure network connection directly to your computer(s).

What if my question is not answered?

The staff of OSDL wants to provide you with as much information as possible, addressing any questions you may have. Please submit your question to webmaster@osdlab.org and we will either place it into the FAQ section or respond directly.