A 2023 Year-End Review

Kelly Choi

Dec 29, 2023 — 3 min read

As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s time to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had in the community.

This year has been marked by significant achievements, collaborative efforts, and a huge commitment from our members to advancing open source technology.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate some of our many accomplishments and highlight the importance of working together.

Key Achievements from the 4.18 Release

The Xen Project 4.18 release was a testament to our community’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of performance and security. Numerous improvements were made to elevate the user experience and ensure the utmost reliability of our hypervisor. Read the full article on the header link.

Xen Summit 2023

Our Members from all over the world, gathered together for the annual Xen Project Summit to discuss the latest developments in the Xen ecosystem, as well as network their peers. This was an opportunity for Xen developers to get together face-to-face, hash out architectural designs, as well as address any community development issues.

Documentation Survey

Earlier this year, I sent out a documentation survey to the community to listen to the strengths and frustrations within the community. I successfully received a wide range of input and suggestions regarding this topic. I am also glad to share that these comments have been fully taken on board and will be implemented into our new documentation strategy in the following year.

What our Advisory Board Members said

“AMD looks forward to embracing the further improvements in this latest version of the Xen hypervisor,” said Kris Chaplin, senior manager, Technical Marketing, AMD.
“Our ongoing collaboration with the Xen Project is an important aspect of Arm’s commitment to the open source software community, including the addition of the Xen Hypervisor in the SOAFEE open source reference implementation,” said Andrew Wafaa, fellow and senior director of software communities, Arm.
“The consulting work on MISRA-C compliance we are doing with the Xen community is very promising,” stated Abramo Bagnara, CTO at BUGSENG.
“EPAM continues to invest in the development of the Xen hypervisor for safety applications in mixed-criticality systems. The 4.18 release marks a decade since we first presented a concept of the Xen hypervisor in the automotive domain at the Xen Developer Summit 2013. Today, Xen continues to be the best option for embedded virtualization platforms,” said Alex Agizim, CTO of Automotive & Embedded Systems at EPAM Systems, Inc.
“The various security improvements, especially around MISRA-C, are helping Xen deliver the secure virtualization technology that the industry needs today,” commented Olivier Lambert, CEO of Vates.
“XenServer is a cost-effective enterprise-grade hypervisor used for both desktop and server virtualization workloads. XenServer inherits its security and performance from the Xen Project hypervisor,” said Jacus de Beer, general manager, XenServer BU, Cloud Software Group.

Importance of Open Source:

Innovation Through Diversity: Open source thrives on diversity, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The Xen Project community is a shining example of how innovation flourishes when people with different perspectives collaborate towards a common goal.
Community-Led Development: The success of the Xen Project lies in its community-led development model. Our contributors, ranging from seasoned developers to passionate enthusiasts, play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the project. This approach ensures that the Xen Project remains agile, responsive, and in tune with the needs of its users.
Transparency and Trust: Open source is built on the principles of transparency and trust. By sharing our code, insights, and experiences, we foster an environment where trust, collaboration, and innovation are shared.

Conclusion:

As we wrap up an eventful year, I’d like to extend my gratitude to every member of the Xen Project community. Your contributions, dedication, and collaborative spirit have been the driving force behind our success. Looking ahead, we are excited about the possibilities that 2024 holds for us. Look out for upcoming information about the Xen Project Summit and our new documentation goals.

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Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.