Introduction

Cisco NX-OS is the network operating system (OS) that powers Cisco Nexus switches across thousands of customer environments. It was the first data center network operating system to be built with Linux. While Cisco NX-OS has always been powered by Linux, under the hood, it hasn't, till recently, exposed many of the Linux capabilities to end-users.

With the latest release of Cisco NX-OS, termed Open NX-OS, on the Cisco Nexus 9000 and Nexus 3000 Series switches, Cisco has exposed the full power of the underlying Linux operating system for end-users to utilize. In addition, Cisco has built numerous extensions that make it possible to access these capabilities with the appropriate level of security and protection desired by the specific user.

This chapter will explore the Linux underpinnings of Open NX-OS.