[GLLUG] Linux on Power8

[Karanbir Singh]

On 23/06/16 13:16, dennis--- via GLLUG wrote:
> Can anyone comment about running a Linux desktop environment such as
> Debian or Ubuntu on the Power 8 architecture? Supposedly there's a
> Debian port, but I'd like to know of any possible pitfalls from
> someone who has actually tried it before splashing out a few grand on
> a board.

CentOS Linux 7 works well on the Power8 LE and their openpower boards
that tyan and friends currently ship out. There is an EPEL port to the
platform and most of the tools just work at this point.

The opencompute projects' openpower kit is also well supported out of
the box ( although I dont have one of those myself, but we've had lots
of good feedback from the rackspace and google folks using it ).

note that this is all Power8LE. There is a dev board, that you could
pretend is a desktop formfactor - and there was some talk of a desktop
power8 machine but not something I've seen. By and large, this platform
is heading into the DC and therefore costs, form factor, storage and
operating environ etc are all setup for that.

If you are just looking for an Intel replacement, at this point Arm
might be a more worthwhile effort ? different set of challenges compared
with x86 and Power8le, but far more accessible should you be so inclined.

-- 
Karanbir Singh
+44-207-0999389 | http://www.karan.org/ | twitter.com/kbsingh
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