"Sitting inside of every networking device is an
operating system. In the case of Alcatel-Lucent, that operating
system is the Alcatel-Lucent Operating System (AOS), which today is
getting a significant new upgrade -- even though it could be one of
the last AOS releases before the company moves it to Linux.
"The new AOS version 6.3.4 integrates network access control
(NAC) directly into the operating system, a move that comes as
intelligence is becoming increasingly part of the network fabric,
rather than an add-on.
"The update -- as well as new revelations about Alcatel-Lucent
(NYSE:ALU)'s plans to embrace Linux -- also comes amid the
continuing evolution of networking operating systems in general,
with Juniper, Cisco and others ramping up their own respective
efforts."
