Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud

    Microsoft Rolls Out Linux Support Services on Azure

    By
    Pedro Hernandez
    -
    July 15, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      Linux support for Azure

      A day after Microsoft bid farewell to Windows Server 2003, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant floated new Azure support options that the industry would have considered unthinkable just a few years ago.

      To help pave the way for a smoother cloud computing experience for customers running Linux on Azure, the company kicked off new support services for a handful of the most popular Linux distros on July 15. It’s not only a departure from an Azure technical support angle, but also from Microsoft’s own Windows OS-centric past.

      In October, while outlining his company’s plans to bolster its hyperscale cloud capabilities during a press event in San Francisco, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had a message for open-source boosters. “We are also a cloud that supports any OS on any container technology, so we support both Linux and Windows Server,” he said. “Microsoft loves Linux,” he added.

      Now, the company is building on that sentiment by helping customers resolve Linux issues sooner and with fewer support calls.

      “Azure customer support for Linux and other open-source technologies has traditionally been focused on determining whether customer problems were with the Azure platform or not,” Guy Bowerman, senior program manager of Azure Compute Runtime for Microsoft, said in a statement. “If, for example, you were having trouble installing CoreOS on Azure VM [virtual machine], or experiencing a performance problem with your MySQL application on Azure; after verifying that the Azure platform was not the issue, you would be directed to work with your Linux or OSS [open-source software] providers to find a solution.”

      After today, Microsoft will provide limited support services for six major Linux distributions, namely Ubuntu, CentOS (OpenLogic), Oracle Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, OpenSUSE and CoreOS. Technical support personnel will help users with the installation, configuration, networking and performance tuning of those supported operating systems.

      To tackle more complex problems, customers will need to look elsewhere. “For advanced troubleshooting and performance tuning, you should contact the vendor of the Supported Linux Distribution directly,” Bowerman said. “If help is needed to isolate the root cause, you or the vendor can initiate a troubleshooting session with Microsoft.”

      Beyond Linux, Microsoft is also providing support to some popular third-party technologies and software platforms. In terms of coding languages, that includes PHP, Java and Python. Also covered are the Apache and Tomcat Web servers, the MySQL database and the WordPress content management system (CMS). Support services are limited to the English language and U.S. business hours, said Bowerman.

      Microsoft’s support staff is trained to help users of those third-party solutions solve installation or configuration issues and performance shortfalls, along with deployment and runtime errors. Those users seeking design guidance and development assistance will be directed to community support or forums, he cautioned.

      Bowerman also hinted that the current list of supported third-party technologies isn’t set in stone. “Our list of supported Linux distros and [third-party] technologies are also subject to change over time, as we’ll periodically re-evaluate demand,” he said.

      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to eWEEK and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×