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Zero-OS Compute System

Zero-OS is a minimalist operating system built on the Linux kernel, designed specifically for distributed computing environments. It eliminates unnecessary complexity while focusing on essential system functions.

Core Architectural Principles​

Zero-OS is designed around three fundamental principles:

  1. Autonomy: The system operates without requiring remote or local administrative maintenance, which is essential for a globally distributed grid architecture.

  2. Simplicity: The OS implements only essential components, reducing complexity and enabling deployment with minimal resource requirements.

  3. Stateless Design: Zero-OS instances maintain no persistent local state, with state information stored within the grid itself, ensuring system stability despite node failures.

System Architecture​

Core Components​

Zero-OS implements a minimalist architecture supporting only essential primitives:

  1. Compute Capacity Management: Allocates computing resources through lightweight virtualization
  2. Storage Capacity Management: Implements file deduplication and distributed storage mechanisms
  3. Network Capacity Orchestration: Provides secure overlay networking with cryptographic verification

Compatibility Layer​

  • Docker container support
  • Virtual Machine (VM) compatibility
  • Linux workload support
  • Integrated distributed storage and network primitives
  • Smart contract integration for IT resource allocation

Technical Implementation​

The distributed architecture generates compute capacity through several key components:

  • ZKube: Specialized Kubernetes deployment optimized for distributed environments
  • Zero VM: Container/VM runtime environment providing isolated execution environments
  • CoreX: Optional process management system for secure remote access to Zero VM instances

Security Architecture​

Zero-OS incorporates security at every level:

  • File Integrity Verification: Cryptographic fingerprinting verifies application integrity before launch
  • Reduced Attack Surface:
    • No shell or server interface exposed in the operating system
    • End-to-end encrypted network communication between nodes
    • Network/compute isolation architecture separating compute/storage from network services
  • Container Isolation: Enhanced security through dedicated virtual machines for container execution
  • Autonomous Operation: Reduction of attack vectors by eliminating human error potential

Deployment Process​

Zero-OS implements a network boot architecture that delivers the OS to nodes over the internet:

  1. Hardware deployment at the desired location
  2. Resource farm configuration via grid explorer interface
  3. Bootloader configuration via USB media or network boot
  4. Network initialization and power-on
  5. Automatic OS component retrieval from the network

This enables a stateless architecture where the OS runs without installation on local storage, enhancing security and deployment efficiency.

Current Implementation Status​

The core Zero-OS compute technology has been in production for multiple years:

  • Zero-OS Core: Production implementation
  • Zero-Images Architecture: Production implementation
  • Zero-Install Architecture: Production implementation
  • Smart Contract for IT: Available for OEM (general availability in ZOS v4 release, H2 2025)
  • Deterministic Deployment: Available for OEM (general availability in ZOS v4 release, H2 2025)