As previously noted in this space, the Google Mini isn’t exactly a model of openness. I’d always assumed that it ran a version of Linux as its operating system, but was never quite sure.
That is, until today. Google issued a security alert and a subsequent patch to address XSS vulnerabilities. As I followed the patching procedure, I noted the following messages output by the Mini:
Current status: Uploading File Completed: 100% ** Unpacking downloaded file ** ** Installing from the archive ** ** Installing patch ** Installing: google-enterprise-mini-patch-3.4.14-10.i386.rpm ... Done Installing extra rpms. These may cause this server to stop. Please follow the instructions: Once the upgrade is complete, the System version will be patched Done >> Continue
[Emphasis mine]
So not only does it run Linux, but it appears to run a RedHat variant. Interesting…