Verizon joins Google, China Mobile at the Linux table

Verizon Terremark is making its biggest commitment yet to open-source cloud computing.

Today, the company announced it’s joining the Linux Foundation, an organization focused on promoting the growth of Linux, as a Gold member. The news comes several months after the launch of Verizon Cloud, its revamped cloud computing platform.

As a member of the Linux Foundation, Verizon says it will ramp up its development of open cloud and virtualization solutions. It’s a smart move for Verizon, which only recently started focusing on cloud computing with its $1.4 billion acquisition of Terremark back in 2012. Other Linux Foundation Gold members include Google, Cisco, Citrix, and China Mobile.

“Linux, open cloud, and open virtualization technologies support innovation in the market, and the Linux Foundation offers a neutral venue where we can help advance this work,” said Verizon Terremark’s Kevin Clarke, its director of cloud platform engineering, in a statement on the news.

“We have long been committed to providing our clients flexibility, control and performance and open source technologies support that philosophy. This is a great opportunity for us to embrace the shared development process and bring additional value to the community.”

Last year, Verizon Terremark also invested in the Xen Project and Cloudstack, two open-source cloud projects.