FreeBSD 8.0

FreeBSD is an advanced operating system for modern server, desktop, and embedded computer platforms. FreeBSD's code base has undergone over thirty years of continuous development, improvement, and optimization. It is developed and maintained by a large team of individuals. FreeBSD provides advanced networking, impressive security features, and world class performance and is used by some of the world's busiest web sites and most pervasive embedded networking and storage devices.

The FreeBSD Project has announced the release of FreeBSD Version 8.0. This next major release branch of FreeBSD delivers a large number of new technologies into the hands of an ever-increasing number of users. Key release focuses include wireless networking, virtualization, and storage technology.

802.11 wireless networking has been overhauled to add Virtual Access Points (VAP) support, which allows multiple wireless networks to be hosted from a single access point. Draft 802.11 mesh networking support allows FreeBSD-based devices to dynamically link together to create a larger wireless network. Also added are TDMA extensions to 802.11, targeted at long-haul WiFi networks.

FreeBSD 8.0's network stack also offers multiprocessing optimizations: a revised link layer subsystem, per-CPU flow cache, multiqueue transmit support, and significant UDP and TCP protocol scalability improvements. Zero-copy buffer extensions to BPF improve high volume packet capture performance.

In FreeBSD 8.0, virtual machine administrators in FreeBSD's ground-breaking lightweight "Jails" can now create their own nested jails. FreeBSD now supports host and guest modes in VirtualBox, and can run as a 32-bit Xen DomU guest.

The Network File System (NFS) implementation has been enhanced with GSSAPI encryption, and also experimental NFSv4 client and server support. In addition to ZFS moving from experimental to production status, FreeBSD 8.0 introduces GPT boot support.

Other notable updates in FreeBSD Version 8.0 include:

• Experimental MIPS support based on a contribution from Juniper Networks.
• Countless SMP scalability improvements significantly aid performance on 16-core systems.
• File system scalability improvements as a result of reimplemented VFS locking.
• Improved exploit mitigation for buffer overflows and kernel NULL pointer vulnerabilities.
• The extensible kernel security framework (MAC Framework) is now available out-of-the-box.
• A ground-up rewrite of the USB stack improving performance, device support, and adding USB target mode.

"FreeBSD 8.0's wireless network stack is the industry leader, and makes FreeBSD the platform of choice for a future generation of networking products," said FreeBSD Core Team member Robert Watson. "Enterprise consumers will appreciate 8.0's improved virtualization, storage, and multiprocessor scalability."