Red Hat releases Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.1 beta

. . . keeping an eye on the penguin

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Aug. 03, 2007

If it seems like it was only months ago that Red Hat launched its new major operating system, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, that's because it wasn't quite five months ago. Unlike Microsoft, which is still playing coy about when it will replace Vista Service Pack 1, Red Hat has just announced the beta to its next upgrade: RHEL 5.1.

RHEL 5 was a major step forward in enterprise Linux. There have not been any substantial complaints about the newly released RHEL. While its virtualization tools were more Spartan than some reviewers liked, it was popularly seen as a successful major upgrade from RHEL 4.

In this beta release, Red Hat is addressing those virtualization concerns. This version now fully supports Intel's Itanium 2 platform, an important high-end server architecture. Red Hat is also working on a variety of other performance improvements for virtualization management and virtualized guest operating systems.

The new RHEL will also be using the newer 2.6.18-36.el5 Linux kernel.

These changes are being made across the entire RHEL hardware architecture family: x86,
AMD64/Intel 64, Itanium processor family, and IBM's POWER, S/390 and System z. Both the server and desktops will be upgraded to RHEL 5.1.

While Red Hat has not signed any technology deals with Microsoft, despite the two companies dancing around each other, RHEL 5.1 will also come with Windows interoperability improvements. These include better AD (Active Directory) support from Windows-friendly improvements to Kerberos authentication and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). This edition will also come with a new version of the Samba Windows-compatible file and print server.

This version also includes improvements to the popular ext3 file system. Red Hat claims that ext3 can now support file systems with up to 16TB of data. Red Hat also states that it has made improvements in its 64-bit native clustered GFS (Global File System). The system also has improved support for autofs file-system load balancing.

Of course, you're not going to find terabytes of data on even the most well-equipped stand-alone server. So, for better connectivity with SANs (storage area networks), Red Hat has improved its InfiniBand support. RHEL 5.1 will also include a technology preview of the iSCSI target device support.

The improvements aren’t all for enterprise servers, though. The new RHEL 5.1 also includes desktop improvements. These include porting the new Devicescape wireless stack, which first appeared in the Linux 2.6.22 kernel, to the new Red Hat. In theory, this should make Linux-powered laptops far more likely to work automatically with their built-in Wi-Fi devices.

The desktop improvements will also include better ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) and a preview of a new Firewire stack.

Users who want to give the new RHEL beta a try must download the ISOs from the RHN (Red Hat Network). RHEL 5 requires users to enter an Installation Number that guides the Installer to include the correct components. A listing of Installment Numbers for the beta editions are listed below.

In the final release, the Installation Number will be associated with your RHN subscription entitlement. Users who plan to install multiple systems using a Kickstart file can embed an Installation Number in that Kickstart file.

The following installation numbers should be used for the beta: For more details on the beta, would-be users should carefully check the RHEL 5.1 release notes. Red Hat expects the beta period to last until Sept. 4.

Server:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (Server including virtualization):
2515dd4e215225dd

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform:
49af89414d147589

Client:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop:
660266e267419c67

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop + Workstation Option:
da3122afdb7edd23

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop + Workstation + Multi OS Option
(Virtualization):
7fcc43557e9bbc42

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop + Multi OS Option (Virtualization):
fed67649ff918c77

—Steven J. Vaughan Nichols

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Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.