ArticlesOpenSolaris was Sun Microsystems’ attempt to bring the power of its Solaris operating system to the open-source community. So, like any other open-source operating system, its source code is publicly accessible and can be used freely and changed by anyone.
Solaris is not open source, but OpenSolaris is. So, what makes OpenSolaris special? When we talk about ‘Open’, what do we mean? What is the key difference between OpenSolaris and Solaris? And why was OpenSolaris ultimately discontinued despite its promising start?
In this article, we will discuss the specifications of OpenSolaris, its increased popularity, discontinuation, and what lies ahead for critical Solaris applications.
Solaris is an open-source operating system designed specifically for SPARC processors and x-86 based systems, built upon the Solaris kernel. Launched by Sun Microsystems in 2005, this operating system aims to encourage community development and drive innovation in the Solaris ecosystem.
The project aimed to open up the Solaris ecosystem in a way no major commercial software company had done before. It promoted innovation, attracted a wider developer community, and made Solaris technology accessible to a wider audience.
The majority of Solaris was open-sourced under the OpenSolaris project, but some components were legally restricted. So not all of the Solaris source code is available in OpenSolaris.
Many people want to know what “open” development parts of OpenSolaris” mean. On the open-source side, the licenses and legal details can be a bit complex – but the key point is that you can always view the source code.
You may not need to worry about this if you’re only using OpenSolaris. However, if you are a developer or an experienced system administrator, getting access to the code could be really helpful. As for the open development side, this is something that should interest everyone.
| Aspect | Solaris | OpenSolaris |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | A commercial, closed-source operating system | An open-source operating system, community-driven |
| Cost | Requires a paid license to use | Free to use and modify, with no cost involved |
| Source Code Access | Proprietary (source code not available to the public) | Source code is publicly available for modification and distribution |
| Relationship to Solaris | A commercial product sold by Oracle | Initially derived from Solaris |
In 2004, Sun Microsystems initiated pilot collaborations with a small community and eventually involved external contributors.
By 2005, Sun released the Solaris code under the CDDL license. These steps laid the blueprint for creating a governed open-source OS project overseen by the OpenSolaris Governing Board (OGB).
With this open structure, third-party developers, universities, and organizations were able to develop their own custom distributions in compliance with license requirements.
OpenSolaris integrated a mix of future-ready technologies and user-friendly tools, making it innovative for developers and enterprise-grade professionals alike. Below are some of the standout features:
ZFS was revolutionary in how it redefined data storage and management. Key features included:
This diagnostic tool allowed users to gain real-time insights into system behavior. Whether diagnosing performance bottlenecks or debugging code, DTrace gave us a level of visibility that is hard to find on other platforms.
Zones were lightweight and efficient virtualization alternatives that simplified resource isolation for applications. This approach simplified deployment on workloads, minimizing the hardware footprint.
OpenSolaris introduced IPS for seamless software management. It simplified package installation, upgrades, and dependency resolution.
Designed for modern computing, GNOME complemented Solaris’s renowned CDE interface. It delivered better usability for workstation environments.
A lot of different drivers for network connections, storage devices, and GPUs could be used with OpenSolaris. Which, in turn, made sure that it would work in a variety of system environments.
The first public version, OpenSolaris 2008.05, featured GNOME and Time Slider (similar to macOS’ Time Machine).
OpenSolaris 2008.11 continued to build momentum – thanks to ZFS improvements & IPS packaging.
OpenSolaris 2009.06 featured broader hardware compatibility, advanced IPS interactions, and virtualization with VirtualBox integrations.
OpenSolaris had a LiveDVD option for users or testers. It provided the ability to boot into a fully functional OS environment without installation.
Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010. Unlike Sun, Oracle’s focus was commercially oriented toward proprietary tech advancements rather than open-source initiatives.
They discontinued OpenSolaris to focus on Solaris’ proprietary commercial editions. This decision led to significant dissatisfaction among its developer community, pushing many to create forks of OpenSolaris.
The void left behind by OpenSolaris gave rise to new ambitious projects aiming to sustain its ethos and technological contributions.
Many companies depend on Solaris applications to execute business-critical workloads. However, the underlying hardware is outdated, which is the real problem with Solaris applications.
With time, aging hardware becomes less reliable and more susceptible to downtime. Spare parts are harder to source. Hardware experts are becoming harder to find every year.
In addition, aging hardware incurs significant maintenance costs. Not only that, but older infrastructure can become prone to cyberattacks.
All of these obstacles create operational headaches for decision makers and can prevent business growth.
Moving beyond outdated hardware should remain the top priority for businesses continuing with legacy Solaris environments for mission-critical tasks.
Charon-SSP by Stromasys emerges as a game-changing solution here. It allows the decoupling of mission-critical OS and applications from aging SPARC hardware.
The best part is that it doesn’t involve any code changes. Your application will remain intact, ensuring business continuity without sacrificing familiar processes.
Stromasy can offer you absolute peace of mind if your organization is still running Solaris applications. Extend the life of your applications and make your business future-ready. For more info…
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