Updated SUSE ALP Prototype Focuses On Confidential Computing

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Updated SUSE ALP Prototype Focuses On Confidential Computing

SUSE announced today the release of "Piz Bernina", its latest quarterly update to the SUSE Adaptable Linux Platform that is working to establish the next-generation SUSE/openSUSE computing platform...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/SUSE-ALP-Piz-Bernina

[kylew77]

I read the page about ALP and wanted to be informed before I commented but it just sounded like a lot of buzz words at the top along with FDE, no real changes to the Linux kernel to make it more hardened against attacks. Nothing like HardenedBSD or OpenBSD.

[RahulSundaram]

I read the page about ALP and wanted to be informed before I commented but it just sounded like a lot of buzz words at the top along with FDE, no real changes to the Linux kernel to make it more hardened against attacks. Nothing like HardenedBSD or OpenBSD.

Your confusion appears to be equating confidential computing with kernel hardening. They aren't related. Confidential computing at a high level about protecting application secrets. The key thing here that SUSE appears to be advertising is integration with NeuVector along with FDE via TPM. It is likely aiming compliance with some standards to sell to sectors that require it.

[Eumaios]

These features seem not intended for Tumbleweed or the desktop, at least not soon. The SUSE blog adds:

SUSEs newly published ALP “Piz Bernina” consists of two separate prototypes which are momentarily close to each other, but will in the future deviate according to different use-cases and as more services are added:

• the server-oriented version (codename “Bedrock”)
• the cloud-native oriented version (codename “Micro”)

[CommunityMember]

These features seem not intended for Tumbleweed or the desktop, at least not soon.

SUSE ALP is a platform for running containers (sort of the equivalent of Fedora CoreOS / RHCOS).

[Estranged1906]

The more I read the more confused I get.

* Will there be an upgrade path from Leap to ALP? Or do you have to do a complete reinstall? Is there still any point in setting up a fresh Leap install?
* What is the relation between ALP and MicroOS? They sound the same to me, with containers and all other new shiny things. Or is ALP not immutable?
* Is ALP going to target workstations as well or just servers and the "cloud"? If yes, will they support KDE Plasma?
* Why the need for a new installer ("D-Installer")? What does it add or remove from the current Yast-based installer?
* Will Yast still be part of ALP?

I guess I'll stick to Tumbleweed + KDE, can't go wrong with that and it won't go away as it's upstream to all the other (open)SUSE distributions.

[CochainComplex]

This could be well combined with some Raptor Workstation if it would support ppc