Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 released

Red Hat has announced the release of version 4.8, the eighth major update to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 4 operating system, originally introduced in February of 2005. The release includes several new features, bug fixes and security patches.

Virtualisation performance and scaling have been improved with the addition of new and optimised device drivers. Virtual guest support has been increased from 16 to up to 256 disk devices, allowing for the development of much larger virtualised applications. Windows interoperability and file system support has also been improved with the inclusion of updated Samba support that does not require Windows Client Access Licenses (CALs).

The release also includes several performance, stability and reliability updates to autofs, three new "Kernel tunables" and enhancements to the Open Fabric Distribution Network (OFED) software stack. Device Mapper reporting has been enhanced and the GNU Compiler Collection has been updated to allow users to compile applications on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 with compatibility for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

According to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Errata Support Policy, RHEL releases receive technical support services, bug fixes, enhancements and security errata updates on a seven year product life-cycle. RHEL 2.1, for example, will no longer receive updates after the 31st of this month. RHEL 4 will be supported and receive updates until February 2012 and the current release, RHEL 5, will continue to receive support until March of 2014.

See also:

• What's new in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3, a report from The H.
• End of life for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1, a report from The H.

(crve)