Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 is released

[redman]

All details of the release of 6.2 can be found here.

And now the wait for SL6.2 begins

[AndrewSerk]

Just in time for Christmas!

[joutlan]

Awesomeness Thanks for the post Patrick!

[tux99]

This document contains more useful info:
http://www.redhat.com/f/pdf/RHEL_6_2_features_benefits.pdf

Some interesting bits (there is lots more in the document):

QUOTE

Enhancements in Reliability • There are a number of enhancements to improve reliability that have been co-developed with our partners, Intel and AMD. • The GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) compiler and glibc (GNU C Library) have been enhanced • The 32-bit library for AMD systems has been optimized to 32K memory alignment to avoid unnecessary cache validation. Enhancement to PCI-e 3.0 and USB 3.0 Enabling system manufacturers to develop new I/O devices faster • In Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 support for PCI-e 3.0 as well as USB 3.0, enables faster and wider busses with the limited number of devices currently available on the market. • Providing a stable, enterprise-ready support for PCI-e 3.0 and USB 3.0 provides system manufacturers and I/O developers a solid foundation for them to rapidly develop new I/O devices. Device Driver Support Key functionality supporting GbE and Infiniband solutions • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 includes support for many new 10 GbE Network adapters and Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) available from a large number of vendors, as well as support for dual-purposed Converged Network Adapters (CNAs). • Expanded support and utilities to simplify the configuration and deployment of Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) environments. • Added support for new Infiniband-based devices as well as SR-I/OV integration. • 3D support for integrated GPUs from Intel and AMD, as well as support for additional audio devices. KVM Updates Virtual CPU timeslice sharing for multiprocessor guests • Virtual CPU timeslice sharing for multiprocessor guests is a new feature in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2. Scheduler changes within the kernel now allow for virtual CPUs inside a guest to make more efficient use of the timeslice allocated to the guest, before processor time is yielded back to the host. This change is especially beneficial to large SMP systems that have traditionally experienced guest performance lag due to inherent lock holder preemption issues. In summary, this new feature eliminates resource consuming system overhead so that a guest can use more of the CPU resources assigned to them much more efficiently. • CPU resources allocated to a guest can be partially consumed due to pre-emption, especially in multi-socket systems. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 was enhanced to ensure a guest to minimize pre-emption and use as much of the CPU resources allocated to them before the guest hits its pre-determined CPU limits. • Guests will now use more of the CPU resources assigned to them which will increase the efficiency of the guest and the overall system by eliminating some resource-consuming system overhead. Linux Containers • Linux containers provide a flexible approach to application runtime containment on bare-metal without the need to fully virtualize the workload. This release provides application level containers to separate and control the application resource usage policies via cgroup and namespaces. This release introduces basic management of container life-cycle by allowing for creation, editing and deletion of containers via the libvirt API and the virt-manager GUI. • Linux Containers provides a means to run applications in a container, a deployment model familiar to UNIX administrators. Also provides container life-cycle management for these containerized applications through a graphical user interface (GUI) and user space utility (libvirt). • Linux Containers is in Technology Preview at this time. Desk top and Graphics • The X server has been re-based in this release. Updating the X server will increase system stability through the isolation of the system display drivers and will provide a better base for new features. Overall improved support for newer workstation optional hardware, multiple displays and new input devices. Improved Network Manager support for Wireless roaming • The Network Manager in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.2 has been enhanced to provide back ground scanning for wireless networks. • Improved roaming in enterprise WiFi networks while consuming less system resources. New CPU optimizations • Compilation and runtime performance optimizations matching the most recent CPUs. • Gcc, glibc, gdb, oprifile – include optimizations to support new chip set capabilities – Intel Westmere & Ivy Bridge, AMD Bulldozer & Piledriver.

[Code_Warrior]

Good news! Waiting for new version of SL.

[swirlythingy]

But no mention of support for Elantech touchpads!

I'm having to hijack my desktop computer's network cable to type this, because all wireless functionality has suddenly spontaneously disabled itself, and no amount of rebooting, power-cycling, service restarting, etc. will get it back again. I hope the mentioned improvements to NetworkManager and wpa-supplicant fix that one - wireless has just got more and more flaky lately, but this is the first time a power cycle hasn't cured it. And I've never seen the 'device not ready' message before!

On the plus side... I think I actually suffered from the very kernel panic mentioned here. Enabling intel_iommu was one of the things I did back when I was trying to unbreak my laptop's hibernation, and the panic happened just as I resumed it. I thought I might have done something nasty to the hardware, what with closing the lid in a university room, stashing the laptop in my rucksack, running down a cold street, then dashing down an escalator into an underground station and opening up while sitting in an overheated train!

[Crystal Cowboy]

CPU optimisations for Ivy Bridge? We-e-e-ell doggie!

I wonder if the Ivy Bridge GPU will be well-supported yet...

[joka]

As usual, among the free RHEL clones, Puias Linux was again the first one that has released its 6.2 version ( at 15th December).

But it is a bug surprise that CentOS 6.2 is officially released today (20th December), one week after CentOS 6.1!

Will SL6.2 be ready until Christmas?

[wearetheborg]

QUOTE (tux99)

Linux Containers • Linux containers provide a flexible approach to application runtime containment on bare-metal without the need to fully virtualize the workload. This release provides application level containers to separate and control the application resource usage policies via cgroup and namespaces. This release introduces basic management of container life-cycle by allowing for creation, editing and deletion of containers via the libvirt API and the virt-manager GUI. • Linux Containers provides a means to run applications in a container, a deployment model familiar to UNIX administrators. Also provides container life-cycle management for these containerized applications through a graphical user interface (GUI) and user space utility (libvirt). • Linux Containers is in Technology Preview at this time.

Thanks tux99

What is this Linux containers thing?
How does it differ from virtual os?
Can it be used for security purposes, eg running firefox in its own container?

[joutlan]

QUOTE (joka @ Dec 20 2011, 03:32 PM)

As usual, among the free RHEL clones, Puias Linux was again the first one that has released its 6.2 version ( at 15th December). But it is a bug surprise that CentOS 6.2 is officially released today (20th December), one week after CentOS 6.1! Will SL6.2 be ready until Christmas?

Yep, kinda makes me wonder but good for them

[januszm]

Anyone knows when 6.2 final will be released?

I'm planning to upgrade my cluster of 32 blade servers with SL 6.2. I was hoping to do it this week, but seems like I have to go for CentOS 6.2 instead (?)

[Hellboy]

SL has a different release strategy then Centos. Every minor release goes from, Alpha -> Beta -> RC -> stable. It was a big suprise that Centos release 6.2 that fast. Since version 6, Centos does not have a good trackrecord when it comes to release dates/schedules.

[AndrewSerk]

It usually takes a little more than 2 months from the TUV release date to the final SL. TUV 6.2 was released on 2011-12-06 so my guess is sometime in February for SL6.2.

There is always SL 6.1 till then or CentOS if you prefer.

[januszm]

Thanks, so I'll test SL 6.1 and CentOS 6.2 and choose which one is easier to handle with new Infiniband OFED distribution and Lustre 2.x

EDIT: ok I'll stick to SL 6.1 because Lustre kernel is compiled on 6.1 (gcc) and I'm getting errors when trying to load 6.2 compiled OFED infiniband modules on Lustre 6.1 compiled kernel (different gcc)

[sbergman]

QUOTE (Hellboy @ Dec 28 2011, 10:48 AM)

It was a big suprise that Centos release 6.2 that fast. Since version 6, Centos does not have a good trackrecord when it comes to release dates/schedules.

Historically, Centos has been faster than SL on releases. From 4.0 to 5.7, CentOS' average latency for releases was 37 days, compared to SL's 66. 6.0 and 6.1 were worrisome anomalies for the CentOS project, to be sure. 242 days for 6.0! But let's face it, 113 days for SL 6.0 is not exactly sterling. And 159 days for SL 5.6 certainly gives one pause for thought.

My understanding is that the Centos guys have been working hard on their new infrastructure, which automates much more of the process than before, and integrates a great deal of the QA. They're releasing errata packages mostly next-day, and sometimes same-day as the upstream provider. That 242 days may have been time very well spent.

Time will tell. But I suspect that CentOS has thrown down the gauntlet regarding timeliness of releases in the RHEL clone world.