Cisco Turns Routers Into Linux App Servers

symbolset writes "InternetNews is reporting that Cisco's new Application eXtension Platform turns several models of Cisco switches into Linux application servers. With certified libraries in C, Java and Perl, developers will be able to use a downloadable SDK to build their apps. The AXP server is just another module in a Cisco switch running Cisco's own derivation of a modern Linux distro (Kernel 2.6.x) specifically hardened to run on that particular hardware. Modules will include up to 1.4-GHz Intel Pentiums with 2 GB RAM and a 160 GB hard drive."

Re:Cue the beowulf cluster jokes

[Anonymous Coward]

Imagine a baowulf cluster of these...

The network is the computer

[bar-agent]

I didn't expect them to take the phrase "the network is the computer" quite so literally.

Sir, they're hacking our network

[Cousarr]

"Well, figure out where it's coming from"
"It's coming from the network sir"
"Of course it is, now where is it?"
"No, sir. The network is hacking itself. It's coming from one of the switches"

First it was printers that could run applications. Pop a tunneling app on the printer and remote in and now you're hacking them from their printer. Now switches can run apps too. Sure, a lot of problems related to this could be avoided by proper network administration but it's just one more thing to worry about if the network admin gets the order from management to turn those switches into servers because there's not enough room in the budget for more servers.

Re:Mono?

[symbolset]

It would seem that Mono could be a runtime for apps also. Anybody know why that might not work?

Jesus, why don't you just run Vista on it if you want to fit your Microsoft crud into everything. Yeah... Vista -- in your router! Two gigs of RAM, a 1.2 GHz processor, plenty of storage! Vista oughta run just fine, eh?

"It looks like you're issuing a dynamic IP address. [cancel] [allow]?"