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What is the Civil Infrastructure Platform?
The Civil Infrastructure Platform (“CIP”) is a collaborative, open-source project hosted by the Linux Foundation. CIP project members work together to develop a base layer – a set of industrial-grade core open source software components, tools and methods to create Linux-based embedded systems that meet the safety, reliability and other requirements of modern societal infrastructure.

End-users of this critical code include systems for electric power generation and energy distribution, oil and gas, water and wastewater, healthcare, communications, transportation, and community management. These systems deliver essential services, provide shelter, and support social interactions and economic development. They are society’s lifelines, and CIP aims to contribute to and support these important pillars of modern society.

To achieve these goals in a long-term sustainable way, the CIP project cooperates closely with the Debian LTS effort, which aims to extend the lifetime of all Debian stable releases to more than 5 years. CIP’s support will maximize interoperability, security and LTS for open source software for embedded systems within Debian.

Why is CIP Important?
CIP offers civil infrastructure systems the opportunity to scale and move efficiently by re-using foundational software in large, civil infrastructure systems. Currently, civil infrastructure systems are built from the ground up, with little reuse of existing software building blocks. Modern civil infrastructure is built on longrunning systems that cannot be updated frequently. CIP has taken this into account and offers Super Long Term Support, meaning the CIP base layer of industrial grade open source software components, tools and methods enables long-term management of these infrastructure systems.

The CIP project intends to create reusable building blocks that meet the safety, reliability and other requirements of industrial and civil infrastructure. By establishing this base layer, CIP aims to:

  • Speed up implementation of civil infrastructure systems;
  • Build upon existing open source foundations and expertise without reinventing non-domain specific technology;
  • Establish de facto standards by providing a base layer reference implementation;
  • Contribute to and influence upstream projects regarding industrial needs;
  • Motivate suppliers to actively support this platform / provide an implementation; and
  • Promote long term stability and maintainability of the base layer of code.
  • Reduce development and maintenance cost by sharing effort among community members
  • Constantly keep updating base layer with latest fixes from upstream and keep it up to date

What are the member benefits?
Open source projects are no longer nice to have, but the way businesses and communities build software. They need a neutral, independent organization to manage the infrastructure and sustain their communities over the long term. By joining CIP, members are part of this movement in a very intrinsic and valuable way. Such benefits include:

  • reduce maintenance cost by sharing maintenance and test efforts, 
  • bringing in own hardware as reference boards, 
  • create trust in software platform because it is backed by several companies investing in CIP

Members can take advantage of networking opportunities, marketing support, and thought leadership opportunities. Additionally, when you join CIP, you also join the Linux Foundation, the organization of choice for building sustainable open source ecosystems. 

How can I write code for the CIP code base?
Anyone can submit contributions to the project. We anticipate that the Technical Steering Committee will publish information on technical contributions shortly.

Who is expected to be an end-user of the CIP code?
Any technical systems responsible for supervision, control, and management of infrastructure supporting human activities, including, for example, electric power generation and energy distribution, oil and gas, water and wastewater, healthcare, communications, transportation, and community management. These systems deliver essential services, provide shelter, and support social interactions and economic development. They are society’s lifelines.

Does the project have a geographic focus?
It is desired that the base layer of code developed by the project will be utilized globally.

What is the license for the project?
In the case of contributions to the Linux Kernel, such contributions will be made under GPL Version 2.0. For contributions to the project not involving the Linux Kernel, contributions will be made under the Apache License, Version 2.0.

Can my organization join?
Any organization can join this project.  If your organization is NOT a member of The Linux Foundation, you need to join The Linux Foundation first.

Who are the founding members?
Early supporters of CIP include Codethink, Hitachi, Plat’Home, Siemens and Toshiba.