Microsoft surprises with its first server Linux distribution: Azure Linux 4.0

Key Points:

• Microsoft has officially released Azure Linux 4.0, its first full general-purpose Linux distribution, marking a significant shift as the company embraces Linux as a core part of its cloud platform.
• Azure Linux 4.0 is based on Fedora, is open source on GitHub, and optimized specifically for Azure, providing a consistent, minimal environment primarily for server and cloud workloads, with no plans for a graphical desktop experience.
• The Linux distribution is split into two editions: Azure Linux 4.0 for virtual machines and Azure Container Linux (ACL), a hardened, immutable container host derived from Flatcar Container Linux for container workloads in Azure Kubernetes Service.
• Microsoft commits to a two-year support lifecycle with stable kernel versions, monthly security updates, and options for automatic or manual patch management, emphasizing supply chain security and rapid response to vulnerabilities.
• This move reflects Microsoft's deep integration with Linux, as over two-thirds of Azure customer cores run Linux, and major services like Microsoft 365, GitHub, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT rely on Linux and Kubernetes, positioning Microsoft as a Linux-based company outside the desktop.