Enterprise Linux Release Notes

(Release 5 )

Introduction

This document covers following topics regarding Enterprise Linux 5

New GPG Key
Changes from upstream release
New packages added
Kernel and Driver Updates
Technology Preview Features
Unbreakable Linux Support
up2date

New GPG Key

A new gpg key is used to sign Enterprise Linux 5 packages. This key is shipped as part of isos and will be installed in /etc/pki/rpm-gpg directory.This gpg key is also available at http://oss.oracle.com/el5/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle. Enterprise Release 4 gpg key (RPM-GPG-KEY-EL4) will also be installed in /etc/pki/rpm-gpg directory.

Changes from Upstream Release

The following rpms are modified from the upstream RPMS. All changes are trademark and look/feel related unless otherwise noted below under the specific RPM.

anaconda

Path of the Distribution changed from RedHat to Enterprise on the install CDs.

basesystem

booty

bug-buddy

cryptsetup-luks

efax

firstboot

gnome-desktop

gnome-session

gpm

gstreamer

gstreamer-plugins-base

httpd

initscripts

jpackage-utils

kdeadmin

kdebase

kernel

GPG key releated changes

kexec-tool

libvirt

libxml2

libxslt

microcode_ctl

Updated firmware from Intel

module-init-tools

openssl

piranha

pirut

postgesql

redhat-artwork

redhat-rpm-config

rhgb

rhpl

rpm

sblim

setroubleshoot

squirrelmail

stunnel

sysreport

system-config-cluster

system-config-date

system-config-httpd

system-config-kickstart

system-config-network

system-config-nfs

system-config-printer

system-config-samba

system-config-securitylevel

system-config-services

system-config-soundcard

system-config-users

tog-pegasus

tux

wireshark

ocfs2 related fix.

xorg-x11-server

zsh

Following packages are removed

redhat-logos

Replaced by oracle-logos

redhat-release

Replaced by enterprise-release

redhat-release-notes-5Server

Replaced by enterprise-release-notes-5Server

rhn-setup

Replaced by up2date

rhn-setup-gnome

Replaced by up2date-gnome

rhn-client-tools

Replaced by up2date

rhnsd

Replaced by up2date

rhn-check

Replaced by up2date

yum-rhn-plugin

fonts-chinese

Following documentation packages are removed

Deployment_Guide

Virtualization

Global_File_System

Cluster_Administration

New Packages added

Enterprise Linux has following additional packages

ocfs2
ocfs2-tools
oracleasm
oracleasm-support

Kernel and Driver Updates

This section covers significant changes in kernel in this release.

Bug Fixes added by Oracle

Fix bonding primary=ethX so it picks correct network [IT 101532] [ORA 5136660]

Add entropy module option to e1000 [ORA 6045759]

Add entropy module option to bnx2 [ORA 6045759]

Enterprise Linux 5 ships two set of kernel packages. One with bug fixes added by Oracle and another one without any changes from upstream kernel. Default installation installs kernel whthout fixes added by Oracle. kernel with bug fixes added by Oracle needs to be manually installed. Following are the steps to install this kernel

1. mount Enterprise Linux 5 CD 1 or DVD

2. copy the rpms from <mount_pont>/Server/oracle_updated to your system

3. install the required kernel using the rpm command,
e.g. rpm -ihv kernel-2.6.18-8.0.0.4.1.el5.x86_64.rpm

Fixes/Additions from upstream distribution provider

kexec and kdump

             These replace netdump and kdump of Enterprise Linux 4

High resolution timers.

kernel-headers package - Replaces glibc-kernheaders package

libhugetlbfs

Generic RTC (RealTime Clock) subsystem

Device mapper multipath support

ACL support for NFSv3 and NFSv4

NFS: supports large reads and writes on the wire

Multilevel security implementation for SELinux

IPv4/IPv6: UFO (UDP Fragmentation Offload) Scatter-gather approach

Added nf_conntrack subsystem

IPV6:RFC 3484-compliant source address selection

IPV6:added support for Router Preference (RFC4191)

IPV6:added Router Reachability Probing (RFC4191)

IPV6:added support for Multiple Routing Tables and Policy Routing

Infiniband support

hardware crypto and fragmentation offload support

QoS (WME) support, "wireless spy support"

CCMP/TKIP support and WE-19 HostAP support

BCM43xx wireless driver

ZD1211 wireless driver

hardware-independent software MAC layer, "Soft MAC"

LEAP authentication type

DCCPv6

EDAC support

generic memory add/remove and supporting functions for memory hotplug

hot plug CPU support for physically adding new processors

new ioatdma driver for the Intel(R) I/OAT DMA engine

NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access) enhancements

Technology Preview Features

Following Technology Preview features are currently not supported under Enterprise Linux 5 , may not be functionally complete.

Stateless Linux

GFS2

FS-Cache ( local caching facility for remote file systems)

Compiz (OpenGL-based compositing window manager)

Enhancement for Ext3 ( file system capacity has been extended beyond 8TB to a maximum of 16TB for technology preview)

AIGLX

Frysk GUI

Systemtap

Dogtail

Installing to dm-multipath Devices

Installation / Boot for iSCSI software initiator (open-iscsi)

These features are not suitable for production use. However, these features are included to provide the feature with wider exposure.

Unbreakable Linux Support

Enterprise Linux offers an option to keep your operating system upto date with latest operating system patches using up2date. To be able to use this option you need to have Unbreakable Linux Support. For more information please visit http://linux.oracle.com

Note: Prior to using up2date, import the RPM-GPG-KEY for Enterprise Linux:

rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY

up2date

If updating a large number of rpms (e.g. > 1000), be sure to set the 'open files' limit to a higher value to avoid up2date failing with the following error (due to hitting the open files limit):

python: ./rpmio_internal.h:525: c2f: Assertion `fd && fd->magic == 0x04463138' failed.


Use this to increase the limit for the process (run as root):

# ulimit -n 4096 (default is 1024)