Oracle Enterprise Linux (OEL) Release Notes
(Release 5.4 )
Introduction
This document covers the following topics regarding Oracle Enterprise
Linux 5.4 (OEL 5.4).
* Changes from upstream release
* New packages added by Oracle
* New packages added in this release
* Kernel and Driver Updates
* Technology Preview Features
* Known Issues
* Unbreakable Linux Support
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.
* anaconda
Path of the Distribution changed from RedHat to Enterprise on the
install CDs.
* anacron
* basesystem
* booty
* brltty
* bug-buddy
* clustermon
* conga
* crash
* cyrus-imapd
* eclipse
* efax
* filesystem
* firefox
* firstboot
* freeipmi
* gnbd-kmod
* gnome-desktop
* gnome-session
* gpm
* gstreamer
* gzip
* httpd
* initscripts
* iptraf
* java-1.6.0-openjdk
* jpackage-utils
* jsch
* kdeadmin
* kdeartwork
* kdebase
* kdelibs
* kernel
Additional kernel shipped with Oracle Enterprise Linux with fixes added by
Oracle mentioned in kernel and driver update section. This kernel must be
installed manually.
* kexec-tools
* libvirt
* libwvstreams
* libxml2
* libxslt
* memtest86+
* mkbootdisk
* mkinitrd
* nmap
* perl-XML-Simple
* piranha
* pirut
* procmail
* python-virtinst
* redhat-artwork
* redhat-lsb
* redhat-rpm-config
* rgmanager
* rhgb
* rhpl
* sblim
* setroubleshoot
* sgml-common
* sgpio
* sos
* specspo
* squirrelmail
* stunnel
* system-config-bind
* system-config-date
* system-config-httpd
* system-config-kickstart
* system-config-netboot
* system-config-network
* system-config-nfs
* system-config-printer
* system-config-samba
* system-config-services
* system-config-soundcard
* system-config-users
* systemtap
* subversion
* tftp
* tog-pegasus
* tux
* wireshark
ocfs2 related fix.
* xorg-x11-server
* xulrunner
The 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-client-tools
Replaced by up2date
* rhnsd
Replaced by up2date
* yum-rhn-plugin
The following documentation packages are removed
* Deployment_Guide
* Virtualization
* Global_File_System
* Cluster_Administration
New Packages added by Oracle
Oracle Enterprise Linux has these additional packages
* enterprise-release
* enterprise-release-notes
* ocfs2 (1.4)
* ocfs2-tools
* oracle-logos
* oracleasm
* oracleasm-support
* oracle-validated
* up2date
New Packages added in this release
The following packages were added upstream for this release (5.4) which were
not in the previous update release (5.3)
* blktrace
* celt051
* etherboot
* fcoe-utils
* fuse
* gcc44
* gnupg2
* hmaccalc
* iasl
* kvm
* libassuan
* libhbaapi
* libhbalinux
* libksba
* libpciaccess
* log4cpp
* pdksh
* perl
* pinentry
* pth
* qcairo
* qffmpeg
* qpixman
* qspice
* rds-tools
* xorg-x11-drv-qxl
* xorg-x11-xdm
Kernel and Driver Updates
This section covers significant changes in the kernel in this release.
Bug Fixes added by Oracle
* Check to see if hypervisor supports memory reservation change
[orabug 7556514]
* Add entropy support to igb [orabug 7607479]
* Convert ENETUNREACH to ENOTCONN [orabug 7689332]
* Add xen pv/bonding netconsole support [orabug 6993043]
* Shrink zone patch [orabug 6086839]
* Fix aacraid not to reset during kexec [orabug 8516042]
* Fix failure of file creation from hpux client [orabug 7579314]
Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.4 ships with two sets of kernel packages. One with
bug fixes added by Oracle [kernel-2.6.18-164.0.0.0.1.el5] and another
unmodified kernel [kernel-2.6.18-164.el5]. 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 5.4 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-2.6.18-164.0.0.0.1.el5.x86_64.rpm
Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.4 ships with ocfs2 packages version 1.4. ocfs2 1.2
is not shipped with OEL 5.4.
Fixes/Additions from the upstream distribution provider
* A new tunable parameter /proc/sys/vm/max_writeback_pages has been added
to the kernel, allowing system administrators to change the maximum
number of modified pages kupdate writes to disk per iteration each time
it runs. It defaults to 1024 or 4MB so that a maximum of 1024 pages get
written out by each iteration of kupdate.
* A new option (CONFIG_TASK_IO_ACCOUNTING=y) has been added to kernel to
assist in monitoring IO statistics per process.
* The rd_blocksize option in kernel's ramdisk driver is removed.
* This release adds the kernel version details to oops and panic output.
* The serial_reg.h file is included in the kernel_headers rpm.
* Functionality has been added to sysrq-t to display backtrace information
about running processes.
* This update increases the maximum length of the kernel key field from the
arbitrary 32 character length set in previous kernels to 255 characters.
* This update addresses the security concern arising from non-root users
being able to create device nodes on filesystems exported using NFSD
(Network File System daemon).
* Added code to produce a signature file that GRUB performs a checksum
against during the boot process.
* Added code to change the DSA key from 512 bit to 1024 bit for module
signing.
* Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA) support in device-mapper-multipath
has been updated, adding explicit ALUA support for Clariion storage.
* Added support for raw devices. the initscripts packages is updated to
add functionality of raw devices.
* The -fwrapv variable added to GCC CFLAGS in order to define wrapping
behavior.
Driver Updates
The following portions of OpenFabrics Alliance Enterprise Distribution (OFED)
have been updated to the upstream version 1.4.1-rc3
* Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) headers
* Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) protocol
* Sockets Direct Protocol (SDP)
* SCSI RDMA Protocol (SRP)
* IP over InfiniBand (IPoIB)
Additionally, the following OFED drivers have been updated to the upstream
version 1.4.1-rc3:
* cxgb3 and iw_cxgb3 drivers for the Chelsio T3 Family of network devices
* mthca-based InfiniBand HCA (Host Channel Adapter)
* qlgc_vnic driver
Network
* igb driver updated to version 1.3.16-k2. This update also enables GRO
support for the igb driver.
* igbvf driver updated to provide Virtual Function support for Intel 82576
Gigabit Ethernet Controllers.
* ixgbe driver for Intel 10 Gigabit PBetaCI Express network devices updated
to version 2.0.8-k2. This update also enables GRO support for the ixgbe
driver.
* bnx2 driver updated to version 1.9.3
* tg3 driver updated to version 3.96.. This driver update adds support for
5785F and 50610M devices.
* cnic driver has been added, providing Internet Small Computer System
Interface (iSCSI) support for bnx2 network devices.
* bnx2x driver updated to version 1.48.105.
* bnx2i driver has been added, providing iSCSI support for bnx2x network
devices.
* cxgb3 driver updated to enable iSCSI TCP Offload Engines (TOE) and
Generic Receive Offload (GRO) support.
* Intel(r) I/O Acceleration Technology (Intel(r) I/OAT) updated to
version 2.6.24.
* forcedeth ethernet driver for NVIDIA nForce devices updated to
version 0.62.
* sky2 driver updated.
* enic driver updated to version 1.0.0.933.
* e1000e driver updated to the upstream version 1.0.2-k2.
* bonding driver updated to the latest upstream version. With this updated
driver, if IPv6 has been previously disabled (install ipv6 /bin/false
line in the /etc/modprobe.conf file) the bonding kernel module will fail
to load. The install ipv6 /bin/false line needs to be replaced with
options ipv6 "disable=1" for the module to load properly.
Storage
* bnx2 driver updated to support iSCSI .
* bnx2i version included in this release does not support IPv6
* md driver updated to provide support for bitmap merging.
* scsi driver includes the upstream scsi_dh_alua module which enables
explicit asymmetric logical unit access (ALUA) support with this release.
To utilize the scsi_dh_alua module when using dm-multipath, specify alua
as the hardware_handler type in multipah.conf.
* rdac_dev_list structure now includes md3000 and md3000i entries.
* resolved panic during iSCSI iBFT installations.
* cxgb3 driver updated to support iSCSI TOE devices ( cxgb3i driver
include doesnot support IPv6).
* new mpt2sas driver which supports the SAS-2 family of adapters from
LSI Logic.
* aacraid driver updated to version 1.1.5-2461.
* aic7xxx driver now features an increased maximum I/O size.
* cciss driver has been updated to include upstream fixes affecting memory
BAR discovery, the rebuild_lun_table and the MSA2012 scan thread.
* fnic driver updated to version 1.0.0.1039.
* ipr driver updated to support MSI-X interrupts.
* lpfc driver updated to version 8.2.0.48.
* MPT fusion driver updated to version 3.04.07rh v2.
* megaraid_sas driver updated to version 4.08-RH1.
* mvsas driver updated to version 0.5.4. This adds support for Marvell
RAID bus controllers MV64460, MV64461, and MV64462.
* qla2xxx driver updated to version 8.03.00.10.05.04-k, and now supports
Fibre Channel over Convergence Enhanced Ethernet adapters. qla24xx and
qla25xx firmwares included in the qla2xxx driver updated to
version 4.04.09.
* qla4xxx driver with improved driver fault recovery.
* new qlge driver to provide ethernet support for QLogic FCoE 10GB adapters.
General
* i5400 driver updated with added support for Error Detection And Correction
(EDAC).
* i2c driver for the iic-bus interface updated to support the AMD SB800
Family of products.
* i2c-piix4 driver updated to support the Broadcom HT1100 chipset.
* hpilo driver has been updated.
* dm9601 for Davicom Ethernet Adaptors updated.
Technology Preview Features
The following Technology Preview features are currently not supported under
Oracle Enterprise Linux 5 and may not be functionally complete.
* Emulex Tiger Shark converged network adapter driver.
* Systemtap Tracepoints.
* Gnu Compiler version 4.4.
* ext4
* glibc new MALLOC behaviour.
* samba3x and ctdb on the x86_64 platform.
* Clustering with KVM hypervisor.
* The fence_virsh fence agent
* Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) support for the Cluster Suite
and the redundant ring configuration of clusters
* USB passthough with the KVM hypervisor
* Logical Partition (LPAR) support for the cluster-suite
* xorg-x11-qxl-drv X11 video driver for the qemu QXL video accelerator
These features are not suitable for production use. However, these features are
included to provide the feature with wider exposure.
Known Issues
pirut and system-config-packages cannot be used to manage, install, and
uninstall software packages. Follow the steps describe below to resolve the
issue
* Mount the DVD iso of the desired update of Oracle Enterprise Linux
Release 5.
Use the following command for mounting the DVD media inserted in
/dev/cdrom
# mount -r -o loop -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /mnt
Use following command to mount iso image file
# mount -o loop <iso image file name> /mnt
* Create yum repository configuration file /etc/yum.repos.d/dvd.repo with
following contents
[dvd]
name=OEL5DVD
baseurl=file:///mnt/Server
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=file:///mnt/RPM-GPG-KEY file:///mnt/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle
* Clear and update the yum cache
# yum clean all
# yum update
* Run pirut/system-config-packages to manage software packages
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'.