Gearlinux. A modern, embedded Linux distribution you can trust.
Gearlinux is our firmware tree named after our company, Gearlinx™. It is grounded in over two decades of Linux development starting with uClinux in 1998.
Gearlinx™ uses Open-Source Software (OSS) whenever possible and integrates it seamlessly with a complete system. Gearlinx™ is a respected open-source citizen, with some employees contributing back to the community for over 25 years. Gearlinx' active involvement in the community ensures that licensing and compliance is managed and in keeping with all requirements. Gearlinx™ takes the stress out of working with open-source so that customers can be confident that the solution is sound, robust, and legal.
Gearlinx™ reviews any updates, all key packages, and monitors security issues to ensure the Gearlinux platform is secure and up to date. Customers are backed up by our knowledge and prompt responses to all publicly announced security vulnerabilities. Software licensing and versions are catalogued and stored with every software build.
Gearlinx™ employs regular rolling release updates for its supported platforms ensuring bug fixes, security updates and new features are available, often before a customer request is received. This commitment ensures that the Gearlinux platform is always relevant and moving with the industry trends, keeping customers relevant and well supported.
Gearlinux Firmware
The basic operation of Gearlinux firmware is to provide a resource friendly yet powerful operating system along with a set of tools that can drive all elements of the physical device. Our Gearlinux software implementation is based on Linux and is its own unique and powerful distribution. Gearlinux firmware runs on all our Gearlinx™ NR Series and Duckfone™ hardware products and is an immutable image.
Gearlinx™ projects typically combine the following 3 core software IP components for its source code:
- Customer proprietary code that usually remain Customer Intellectual Property.
- Open-source components, such as the Linux Kernel/GPLv2, that remain open-source
- Gearlinx™ standard proprietary components, such as certain applications, hardware configuration and configuration schema and management
Most Gearlinux configuration is handled via our cloud offering. A local configuration can also be handled with a structured HTTPS interface using “web” technologies or we could propose an SSH command line interface. Using HTTP does allow for a cleaner firmware upgrade option for average casual users.
Gearlinx™ makes substantial use of hundreds of open-source applications, many we have influenced over a few decades of engineering passion. While our firmware is continuously evolving, we currently use tools like busybox, openvpn, and wireguard, to name a few.
Cloud Management and Reporting
Gearlinx core competency revolves around its native “always connected” cloud solution. Devices typically “call home” where our cloud offering provides a central location with features including:
- Cloud portal for device management, location management, and provisioning
- Manage and report on device warranty information, serial numbers, subscription status
- Push new configurations or settings to single or groups of devices
- Upgrade firmware and stay ahead of security challenges
- Reporting and device metrics ie uplink, status, addresses, data usage, etc.
- Get technical support
Technical Debt Hinders Digital Transformation
Technical debt stems from aging code as well as new software written in a fast and careless way. As you might expect, quicker is cheaper, however relying on older or deficient software that needs updating -- is known as incurring technical debt, meaning there is a gap between what the software needs to be and what it really delivers. The result is poor software quality laden with bugs, breaks, security vulnerabilities, with the only way to add new features is by backwards porting to the old kernel.
Technical debt is the No. 3 pain point for large organizations as they aim to carry out digital transformation. Systems saddled with this debt are also the same systems of high importance to the organization. Companies must keep updating them to keep them running and operational. However, the more debt you incur in a solution, the harder it is to keep it running and/or add capabilities. Most insidiously, the presence of technical tends to spawn more technical debt, which becomes a bigger challenge over time.
Technical debt is the enemy of efficiency. It takes the focus away from strategic initiatives and forces a company to spend its resources, time, and energy on maintaining legacy systems rather than on innovation. Therefore, as companies try to innovate and stay ahead of the competition, they encounter the classic innovator’s dilemma: Should they construct a brand-new product with modern microservices and API-centric architecture that requires massive investments, or should they continue to invest in a cash cow slowing down the company’s agility?
Unlike most manufacturers, Gearlinx™ does not shy away from our commitment to stay aligned with the latest kernel releases and staying focused on a long-term strategy. The benefits are often ignored because they are “long term”. The advantages to staying aligned is undeniable security best practice, agility, stability, compatibility, and speed to revenue. Gearlinux is a strategic investment for the business that will help unlock customer value and keep your business ahead of the competition.