Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Azure now supports OpenBSD 6.1. Redmond worked in collaboration with network security vendor Esdenera to bring support for the OS to the Azure platform.
For those of you unfamiliar with OpenBSD, it’s a project which produces a free, multiplatform 4.4BSD-based UNIX-like operating system. The University of California, Berkeley, developed the OS and released version 6.1 on April 11th, 2017.
Here is what OpenBSD 6.1 offers:
- “OpenBSD is thought of as the most secure UNIX-like operating system by many security professionals, as a result of the never-ending comprehensive source code audit.
- OpenBSD is a full-featured UNIX-like operating system available in source and binary form at no charge.
- Integrates cutting-edge security technology suitable for building firewalls and private network services in a distributed environment.
- Benefits from strong ongoing development in many areas, offering opportunities to work with emerging technologies and an international community of developers and end users.”
Meanwhile, Esdenera brings its firewall product Esdenera Firewall 3 to the Azure Marketplace. Esdenera built the next-gen firewall for cloud-centric networks that connect people, things, applications, and services.
Bringing OpenBSD 6.1 to Microsoft Azure
Of course, Microsoft guides users through the process of bringing OpenBSD 6.1 to Microsoft Azure. Redmond provides a guidance sheet, navigating users through the procedure.
Users of Microsoft Azure who wish to get OpenBSD should have:
- An Azure subscription: If you have an MSDN subscription, see Monthly Azure credit for Visual Studio subscribers. Otherwise, learn how to create a free trial account.
- Azure CLI 2.0: To get the latest Azure CLI 2.0, click here.
- The OpenBSD operating system installed in a .vhd file: Users must install the operating system to a virtual hard disk. To do so, they can use a virtualization solution such as Hyper-V. For more instructions, see here.
