Apple Shuts Down Open Source ZFS Project
A notice posted today on Apple's ZFS open source project page indicates that the project has been terminated.
Apple's continued interest in ZFS was indicated by inclusion of the technology in its early product description pages for Snow Leopard Server, although the information was subsequently removed from Apple's site and support for ZFS was not included in either Snow Leopard or Snow Leopard Server upon release.
Several sources later indicated that the lack of ZFS support in Snow Leopard was due to licensing issues with Sun, leaving the future of ZFS uncertain, although Sun's pending acquisition by Oracle left open the possibility that the issue could be revisited in the future.
The apparent cessation of Apple's support for the ZFS open source project, however, suggests that the company may have given up hope of achieving satisfactory licensing terms for the technology and redirected its resources elsewhere.
Apple yesterday also posted a new job listing for a file system engineer. While the description includes duties related to "maintenance of existing file systems", it also specifies work in the "design, implementation and support of future file system technologies", suggesting that the company may be expanding its in-house team to develop its own file system technologies rather than pursuing ZFS.
The ZFS project has been discontinued. The mailing list and repository will also be removed shortly.
ZFS is an advanced file system developed by Sun that had been ported to Mac OS X and released as an open source project on Apple's Mac OS Forge collaboration site in 2007. ZFS had been rumored to become the default file system for Mac OS X Leopard, but ultimately appeared with only limited read-only capabilities.Apple's continued interest in ZFS was indicated by inclusion of the technology in its early product description pages for Snow Leopard Server, although the information was subsequently removed from Apple's site and support for ZFS was not included in either Snow Leopard or Snow Leopard Server upon release.
Several sources later indicated that the lack of ZFS support in Snow Leopard was due to licensing issues with Sun, leaving the future of ZFS uncertain, although Sun's pending acquisition by Oracle left open the possibility that the issue could be revisited in the future.
The apparent cessation of Apple's support for the ZFS open source project, however, suggests that the company may have given up hope of achieving satisfactory licensing terms for the technology and redirected its resources elsewhere.
Apple yesterday also posted a new job listing for a file system engineer. While the description includes duties related to "maintenance of existing file systems", it also specifies work in the "design, implementation and support of future file system technologies", suggesting that the company may be expanding its in-house team to develop its own file system technologies rather than pursuing ZFS.
Top Rated Comments
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30 months ago
So, goodbye ZFS support:
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/10/23/zfs
I say, oh well. It sounds great, but if Apple's working on their own file system for the future I'm willing to bet it will be just as good, if not better. It might take longer, but hopefully it will be worth it.
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/10/23/zfs
I say, oh well. It sounds great, but if Apple's working on their own file system for the future I'm willing to bet it will be just as good, if not better. It might take longer, but hopefully it will be worth it.
30 months ago
At first this sounds bad, but then it seems like Apple is working on their own next-generation file system.
One would presume, this being Apple, that they're going to make sure it has all the advantages of ZFS plus a few more goodies. This might take longer but I'm betting it will be worth it.
Could be the biggest feature of 10.7. :)
One would presume, this being Apple, that they're going to make sure it has all the advantages of ZFS plus a few more goodies. This might take longer but I'm betting it will be worth it.
Could be the biggest feature of 10.7. :)
30 months ago
I'd rather have Apple custom developer their own Filesystem.
ZFS is nice but many of the features it offers are for Enterprise. Apple need only support the really good features and keep their FS light and for speed and functional for their area of computer (consumer, small biz)
ZFS is nice but many of the features it offers are for Enterprise. Apple need only support the really good features and keep their FS light and for speed and functional for their area of computer (consumer, small biz)
30 months ago
This is interesting. This at first seems like a major step back. Though if Apple develops anything close to ZFS we could see another lawsuit.
30 months ago
I've been dreaming of ZFS for some time, and compared to all of the other features originally promised with Snow Leopard, ZFS was the most interesting from what it could promise to an user.
I hope that this isn't really the end, as I do think HFS+ should be end of life, and putting more lipstick on it is a clunky solution. Apple has had a way of dragging legacy people kicking and screaming into the future, but letting people languish under HFS while ZFS is out there? It's like Microsoft.
I hope that this isn't really the end, as I do think HFS+ should be end of life, and putting more lipstick on it is a clunky solution. Apple has had a way of dragging legacy people kicking and screaming into the future, but letting people languish under HFS while ZFS is out there? It's like Microsoft.
30 months ago
i remember that MS had to junk ZFS being included VISTA;
Anyone know if they have it yet-and does it make any real difference in making it a reliable stable system?
also if this is open source-why would SUN be of any concern ?
Anyone know if they have it yet-and does it make any real difference in making it a reliable stable system?
also if this is open source-why would SUN be of any concern ?
30 months ago
This is sad, but if Apple can create something even better, please do!
I really hope so. AFS? MFS? XFS?
Could be the biggest feature of 10.7. :)
I really hope so. AFS? MFS? XFS?
30 months ago
i remember that MS had to junk ZFS being included VISTA;
Anyone know if they have it yet-and does it make any real difference in making it a reliable stable system?
Uhm... I'm not aware of any plans MSFT had of ZFS ever being included with Windows by default. You might be mistaking it for the WinFS project which still would have used NTFS on the bottom while providing a more user-centric view of their data.
And no, Windows is still using good ol' NTFS.
30 months ago
I've been dreaming of ZFS for some time, and compared to all of the other features originally promised with Snow Leopard, ZFS was the most interesting from what it could promise to an user.
Well, you can look forward to Microsoft's 128-bit filesystem.... ;)
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