Version: 7.5 Rating: 9 Date: 2018-10-12 Votes: 10 I installed Oracle as a desktop workstation and as an alternative to CentOS and RHEL. It is one of the best enterprise distros because it has binary compatibility with RHEL but the kernel is much newer, almost as new as in ubuntu. Individual RPM packages for Oracle Linux 7 Update 3 are available on the Oracle Linux yum server and the Unbreakable Linux Network. This is the first Oracle Linux 7 ISO to include UEK Release 4 (UEK R4). Oracle Linux is optimized for Oracle hardware and software and offers zero-downtime kernel updates with Ksplice and enterprise tracing and diagnostic capabilities with DTrace. Oracle Linux is free to download, free to distribute and free to use.
Oracle announced the release and general availability of the Oracle Enterprise Linux 7.6 operating system, a maintenance update synced with the upstream repositories of Red Hat's Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6.
Derived from the sources of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6, the Oracle Enterprise Linux 7 Update 6 release ships with Oracle's Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK) Release 5 version 4.14.35-1818.3.3 for both 64-bit (x86_64) and ARM architectures, and the Red Hat Compatible Kernel 3.10.0-957, which is only available for 64-bit systems.
'Existing applications in user space will continue to run unmodified on Oracle Linux 7 Update 6 with UEK Release 5 and no re-certifications are needed for applications already certified with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 or Oracle Linux 7,' said Avi Miller, Product Management Director, Oracle Linux, in the release announcement.
Here's what's new in Oracle Enterprise Linux 7 Update 6
Besides updated kernels, the Oracle Enterprise Linux 7 Update 6 release comes with numerous new features and improvements, including support for managing path, mount, and timer systemd unit files in the Pacemaker component, as well as the ability to track package installations and upgrades using audit events.
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This release also adds support for encrypting keys in a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM2) chip to the Clevis automated encryption framework, a feature that's only available for 64-bit systems, support for block and object storage layouts in parallel NFS (pNFS), and multi-queue I/O scheduling for SCSI (scsi-mq).
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A Technical Preview (TP) of DAX (Direct Access) for EXT4 and XFS file systems is also available in Oracle Enterprise Linux 7 Update 6 to enable direct persistent memory mapping from an application. For AArch64 (ARM64) systems, this release enables DTrace and ports the DTrace code in the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 5 repo.
Oracle has noted that they will continue to support the Btrfs file system in Oracle Enterprise Linux even though Red Hat deprecated Btrfs support in the Red Hat Compatible Kernel. You can download Oracle Enterprise Linux 7 Update 6for free right now through our Linux software portal or directly from Oracle.
I am studying Oracle Database 11g Express Edition on Oracle Linux 7.3. I am hoping to get certified someday.
These are my thoughts on the latest release of Oracle Linux 7.
Oracle Enterprise Linux was created out of a need for an enterprise-class operating system that would natively and specifically support Oracle software applications like Oracle Database, Oracle Middleware, Oracle OpenStack and Oracle Cloud. It also needed to be binary compatible with Red Hat Linux.
So why would anyone want to use it?
If Oracle Linux is binary compatible with Red Hat, why not just stick with a Red Hat subscription?
Oracle enterprise Linux has a number of extra features that a Red Hat Network subscription does not provide:
1). Ksplice provides a way of updating the kernel without a server downtime.
2). Dtrace provides a way of dynamically monitoring the performance and potential problems of a server running oracle Linux.
3). Two kernels: OEL ships with a red hat compatible kernel (RHCK) and a custom kernel called the Oracle Unbreakable Linux kernel(UEK.
4). support options. Oracle support network provides paid support that is nearly one fifth the cost of a professional subscription with Red Hat Network. This is because Oracle Support Network charges for support per server rather than per workstation. One sustaining support license lasts indefinitely rather per year and per workstation. Thus a Red Hat subscription that charges per year and per workstation is much more costly than Oracle's sustain and premier subscriptions.
5). Clustered file system
As a day-to-day user of the Oracle Linux 7, there are some good things and some things that I did not like.
First, Oracle's default set of applications (GNOME desktop, Libreoffice, firefox and standard text editors and terminal apps)is very good and very stable. The oel repository has a few nice package groups like scientific support, development tools and Legacy support for X window system. Perfect if you use your computer for work or research.
Oracle's default wallpaper and gdm splash are rather plain--basically a flat red picture of what looks like a bundle of fiberoptic Ethernet wires. The gdm boot screen features a flat red square with a smiling penguin wearing metal armor. Oracle comes with default support for wired connections. Wireless support is not supported out-of-the-box.
Oracle Linux provides packagekit in its base repository but it is not included in the minimal and liveCD iso images.
Why can't non-paying users get support for Ksplice and DTrace?
Finally, all updates are free but Ksplice and Dtrace are only available with the sustaining support and premium support plans. In my opinion, they are well suited to large server applications that do not want to experience large amounts of downtime because of a kernel update. DTrace is more of a system tool that allows for easy, efficient maintenance of a network (allowing for performance testing, prevention of network problems. And
Is it appropriate and for casual desktop users?
In two words: probably not.
Like Red Hat Server, Oracle Enterprise Linux, Ksplice and DTrace are tools designed for professional deployment. Home users may be unconcerned with kernel updating and dynamic network tracing and would likely not care about service contracts or custom kernels for Database products
.
On the other hand, OEL seems more stable than CentOS. The ol repositories do not provide an extras or untested repo (as do CentOS, PUIAS and Scientific/Fermi). Fewer unstable components for the OS result in a more stable system. Oracle releases are implemented within days of Red Hat's own releases. Patches and bug fixes are released within hours of the update release on Red Hat network Oracle provides patches, updates and faster than the update release schedule of CentOS, Scientific/Fermi Linux and Springdale (PUIAS).
I highly recommend this product over options provided by Red Hat, CentOS and other rebuilds of the Red Hat operating system. It provides the best platform to use for learning the Oracle database products. As a desktop system, it is stable and predictable with 10 years of support for each release (Oracle support licenses last as long as the life of your equipment). A great system for those who wish to use their computer for work and productivity.