Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has established itself as one of the most trusted and widely used options. Over the years, RHEL has undergone several versions, each introducing new features and enhancements. This comprehensive comparison outlines the key aspects and features of RHEL versions 5 to 9, offering a detailed overview to help you grasp the evolution of this esteemed operating system.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Version Comparison
| Aspect | RHEL 5 | RHEL 6 | RHEL 7 | RHEL 8 | RHEL 9 (Plow) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Initial | Mar 2007 | Nov 2010 | Jun 2014 | May 2019 | May 18, 2022 |
| Release End of Standard | Mar 2017 | Nov 2020 | Jun 2024 | May 2029 | TBD |
| Release Support (EUS) | Mar 2020 | Nov 2023 | Jun 2027 | May 2032 | TBD |
Key Features and Aspects
Now, let’s dive into the technical aspects and features that define each RHEL version:
| Feature/Aspect | RHEL 5 | RHEL 6 | RHEL 7 | RHEL 8 | RHEL 9 (TBD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Init System | SysV | SysV | systemd | systemd | systemd |
| Runlevels/Targets | Runlevels | Runlevels | Targets | Targets | Targets |
| Default Kernel | 2.6.x | 2.6.x | 3.10.x | 4.18.x | 5.4.x (TBD) |
| Python Version | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7, 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 (TBD) |
| Network Config | ifconfig | ifconfig | nmcli, nmtui | nmcli, nmtui | nmcli, nmtui |
| Firewall | iptables | iptables | firewalld | firewalld | firewalld |
| Package Management | YUM (v3) | YUM (v3) | YUM (v3), DNF | DNF | DNF |
| SELinux Modes | Enforcing, | Enforcing, | Enforcing, | Enforcing, | Enforcing, |
| Permissive | Permissive | Permissive | Permissive | Permissive | |
| File System Types | ext3, ext4 | ext4 | XFS, ext4 | XFS, ext4 | XFS, ext4 |
| System Logging | syslog | rsyslog | journald | journald | journald |
| Virtualization | Xen, KVM | KVM | KVM, RHEV | KVM, RHEV | KVM, RHEV |
| Containerization | None | None | Docker | Podman | Podman |
| Default Shell | Bash 3.x | Bash 4.x | Bash 4.x | Bash 4.x (TBD) | Bash 5.x (TBD) |
| Supported Architectures | x86, | x86, | x86_64 | x86_64, | x86_64, |
| x86_64 | x86_64 | ARM64 | ARM64 | ||
| Subscription Manager | RHN | RHN | RHSM | RHSM | RHSM |
| High Availability | Red Hat | Red Hat | Pacemaker | Pacemaker | Pacemaker |
| Cluster | Cluster | ||||
| Security Features | Basic Audit | Auditd | Auditd, SCAP | Auditd, SCAP, | Auditd, SCAP, |
| OpenSCAP | OpenSCAP | ||||
| Networking Stack | IPv4 | IPv4, IPv6 | IPv4, IPv6 | IPv4, IPv6 | IPv4, IPv6 |
| Performance Tools | Basic | Basic | Perf, Tuned | Perf, Tuned | Perf, Tuned |
| Cloud Integration | None | None | OpenStack | OpenStack, | OpenStack, |
| Ansible | Ansible | ||||
| Automation | None | None | Ansible | Ansible | Ansible |
These features and aspects highlight the evolution of RHEL, demonstrating how it has adapted to changing technology landscapes and customer requirements over the years.
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