| Microsoft released new technology called Azure Sphere on Monday. The system can drive smart home appliances, connected toys and other digital devices through microprocessors. As part of Azure Sphere, Microsoft developed its own custom version of Linux . As a free and open-source operating system, Linux was once considered by Microsoft to be the biggest threat to Windows. |
"In 43 years, this is the first time we've announced a custom Linux kernel," Microsoft President Brad Smith said at the launch in San Francisco.
According to Microsoft's estimates, most new digital products will be equipped with processors, which presents a problem: In 2016, unsecured cameras and other appliances were exploited by malicious people in a massive information security attack that led to major website Downtime for hours. Years later, people are still buying smart devices, but the information security capabilities of the devices have not been enhanced.
To this end, Azure Sphere takes a comprehensive approach, using hardware, software and cloud computing to solve this problem.
First, Microsoft came up with a more powerful microprocessor design and would give it to chipmakers for free.
Second, Microsoft developed the Azure Stack system. This Linux-based system will run on the aforementioned chip. Smith said that although Microsoft is a "Windows company," a full version of Windows is too bulky and unwieldy for such applications.
Third, the chip-plus-OS combination will be integrated with the Azure Sphere cloud security service, allowing devices to get the latest security patches for 10 years or more.
Smith said the first hardware based on Azure Sphere will be available later in 2018, with Microsoft to announce more details later.
It is worth noting here that Microsoft is developing its own Linux system . It sounds weird. However, Microsoft's strategy has been shifting for some time.
When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the first thing he did was declare that "Microsoft loves Linux." Since then, Microsoft has provided strong support for Linux on the Azure platform and allows developers to integrate Linux into Windows 10 copies. In 2015, Microsoft developed a Linux-based technology as part of an open-source package.
However, this is the first time Microsoft has developed its own version of Linux and used it as the basis for a product. It also shows that anything is possible.