Oracle Enterprise Linux (OEL)  Release Notes

  (Release 5.3 )

Introduction

 This document covers the following topics regarding Oracle Enterprise  Linux 5.3 (OEL 5.3).

For the latest updates please refer to the online version of release notes available at:

http://oss.oracle.com/el5/docs/

NOTE:  Upgrade of Oracle Enterprise Linux from a beta release is not supported.  Further, in-place upgrade between major versions of  Oracle Enterprise Linux is not supported. Oracle does not recommend to upgrade from earlier major versions of Oracle Enterprise Linux though anaconda provides an option do to this upgrade.  A fresh installation is strongly recommended rather than a system upgrade between major versions.

Changes from Upstream Release

The following rpms are modified from the upstream . All changes are trademark and look/feel related unless otherwise noted below under the specific RPM.
Path of the Distribution changed from RedHat to Enterprise on the install CDs.
Additional kernel shipped with Oracle Enterprise Linux with fixes added by Oracle mentioned in kernel and driver update section. This kernel need to be installed manually.
ocfs2 related fix.

The following packages are removed

           Replaced by oracle-logos
           Replaced by enterprise-release
           Replaced by enterprise-release-notes-5Server
              Replaced by up2date               Replaced by up2date The following documentation packages are removed

New Packages added by Oracle

  Oracle Enterprise Linux  has these additional  packages

New Packages added in this release

       The following packages were added upstream for this release (5.3) which were not in the previous update release  (5.2)


Kernel  and Driver Updates

This section covers  significant changes in the kernel in this release.

 Bug Fixes  added  by Oracle


Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.3 ships with two sets of kernel packages. One with  bug fixes added by Oracle and another unmodified kernel.  The default installation installs the kernel without fixes added by Oracle.The  kernel with  bug fixes added by Oracle needs to be manually installed.  Following are the steps required  to install this kernel

1. mount Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.3 CD 1 or DVD

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

3. install the required  kernel using the rpm command,
             e.g. rpm -ihv kernel-2.6.18-128.0.0.0.1.el5.x86_64.rpm

Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.3 ships with two sets of ocfs2 packages  version 1.2 and version 1.4. ocfs2 1.2 is installed by default. ocfs2 1.4 are shipped in directory Server/oracle_updated and need to be installed manually.

Fixes/Additions from the upstream distribution provider

  • Dell Wireless 5700 Mobile Broadband CDMA/EVDO Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 5500 Mobile Broadband HSDPA Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 5505 Mobile Broadband HSDPA Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 5700 Mobile Broadband CDMA/EVDO ExpressCard
  • Dell Wireless 5510 Mobile Broadband HSDPA ExpressCard
  • Dell Wireless 5700 Mobile Broadband CDMA/EVDO Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 5700 Mobile Broadband CDMA/EVDO Mini-Card
  • Dell Wireless 5720
  • Dell Wireless HSDPA 5520
  • Dell Wireless HSDPA 5520
  • Dell Wireless 5520 Voda I Mobile Broadband (3G HSDPA) Mini-Card

      • dapl
      • compat-dapl
      • ibsim
      • ibutils
      • infiniband-diags
      • libcxgb3
      • libehca
      • libibcm
      • libibcommon
      • libibmad
      • libibumad
      • libibverbs
      • libipathverbs
      • libmlx4
      • libmthca
      • libnes
      • librmdacm
      • libsdp
      • mpi-selector
      • mpitests
      • mstflint
      • mvapich
      • mvapich2
      • ofed-docs
      • openib
      • openib-mstflint
      • openib-perftest
      • openib-tvflash
      • openmpi
      • opensm
      • perftest
      • qlvnictools
      • qperf
      • srptools
      • tvflash
Driver Updates


Network
  • bnx2  updated to version 1.7.9.
  • e1000e  updated to version 0.3.3.3-k2.
  • igb updated to version 1.2.45-k2 to support for 82576 based devices.
  • ixgbe updated to version 1.3.18-k4.
  • myri10ge  updated to version 1.3.2-1.269.
  • netxen  updated to version 3.4.18.
  • bnx2x  updated to version 1.45.23 to support  57711 hardware.
  • Added niu driver to support 10Gbps ethernet devices on Sun CP3220 systems.
  • Driver for ZyDas Wireless devices zd1211rw  updated to match the last non-mac80211 .
  • The following drivers were backported from Linux Kernel 2.6.25:
    • ipw2100 and ipw2200
    • bcm43xx
    • ieee80211 support component for wireless devices

  • The following drivers were backported from Linux Kernel 2.6.26:
  • ath5k for Antheros wireless devices
  • rt2x00 for Ralink wireless devices
  • rtl8180 and rtl8187 drivers for Realtek wireless devices
  • iwlwifi adding 802.11n support to iwl4965 wireless devices.
Storage
    • 3w-xxxx updated to version 1.26.03.
    • 3w-9xxx updated to version 2.26.08.
    • megaraid_sas updated to version 4.01-rh1.
    • qla2xxx  updated to support ISP84XX type cards.
    • ibmvscsi drivers for emulating virtual SCSI (vSCSI) devices updated to support virtualized tape devices.
    • lpfc  updated to version 8.2.0.33.2p.
    • cciss  updated to version 3.6.20-RH2.
General
    • Added support for Cintiq 20WSX and Intuos3 4x6 Wacom graphics tablets through linuxwacom drivers.
    • dm-multipath updated to have  inbox support for IBM DS4000.
    • ixgbe updated to support the 82598AT dual-port adapter and the 82598 CX4 adapter.
    • Added hp-ilo driver to support HP Integrated Lights Out (iLO) technology.
    • radeon_tp driver is now fully supported in this release which enables the ATI R500/R600 chipsets.
    • jsm updated to support Digi Neo PCI Express 4 HiProfile I/O adapters.
    • powernow_k8  included as a loadable module in this release.
    • ccid Updated to support USB Smartcard keyboards.
    • Added  uvcvideo drivers to support  USB video devices.


Technology Preview Features

The following Technology Preview features are currently not supported under  Oracle Enterprise Linux  5 and may not be functionally complete.


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

Unbreakable Linux Support

Oracle Enterprise Linux offers an option to keep your operating system up to 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 Oracle Enterprise Linux:

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

Known Issue

If updating from OEL 5 GA or RHEL 5 GA using up2date, you may encounter the following error:

Unresolvable chain of dependencies:
xen-3.0.3-64.el5                      requires xen-hypervisor-abi = 3.1

This happens because a kernel-xen package update is needed by the xen package, but 'kernel*' is part of the up2date pkgSkipList.  To get around this, add 'xen;xen-devel;' to the the pkgSkipList line in /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date and then run up2date.  You can update the xen and kernel-xen packages together later via 'up2date --force xen kernel-xen'.