- Oracle has announced the release of Oracle Linux 8.7 approximately 10 days after the release of some other enterprise-focused distros.
- Oracle Linux 8.7 comes with two kernel versions as previous versions: Red Hat Compatible Kernel and Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel.
- The new version of Oracle Linux delivers many package updates, new packages, security improvements, and bug fixes.
Oracle’s enterprise-focused Linux distribution, Oracle Linux, has received a new update for its 8 series. Oracle Linux 8.7 is now available for x86_64 systems as well as aarch64, approximately ten days after the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.7 and AlmaLinux 8.7.
Coming with two kernel versions
Like many other enterprise-focused CentOS alternatives, Oracle Linux 8.7 is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.7. That means it receives some of the changes in RHEL 8.7. It is shipped with two kernel versions: Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK) 4.18.0-425 and Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 7 (UEK R7) 5.15.0-3. In fresh installations, the UEK R7 kernel is automatically enabled. However, updating the Oracle Linux instances will not change the kernel version; admins should manually update it as well.
Oracle Linux 8.7 brings a size limitation feature for Rsyslog file with action.errorfile.maxsize option and includes the XMLStarlet package, allowing users to parse, transform, query, validate, and edit XML files. Rust Toolset is updated to 1.62.1, LLVM Toolset is updated to 14.0.0, and GCC Toolset is updated to 12.
Looking into the package updates for dynamic programming languages, and web and database servers, Ruby 3.1.2 is now available as a new module stream alongside Mercurial 6.2. On the file systems side, support for Btfrs and OCFS2 file systems is now removed from the Red Hat Compatible Kernel. A new utility to modify the readahead value for NFS mounts, nfsrahead, is added and the rpcctl command is updated to display information and remove objects in SunRPC sysfs files.
For high availability and clusters, Oracle Linux 8.7 introduces the changes below:
- pcs stonith update-scsi-devices allows updates to multipath SCSI devices without restarting the cluster
- Pacemaker clusters have UUIDs
- The multiple-active resource parameter now accepts a value of stop_unexpected
- Pacemaker allow-unhealthy-node resource meta-attribute added
- Pacemaker includes Access Control Lists (ACLs) for system groups
- Pacemaker –output-format=cmd option generates command line output to recreate fence devices and resources
The samba package in Oracle Linux is now rebased to the 4.16.1 version in this release. There are also some security-related improvements in Oracle Linux 8.7 such as,
- NSS no longer supports RSA keys shorter than 1023 bits
- SCAP Security Guide updated to 0.1.63
- STIG profile in Oracle Linux 8 is better aligned with DISA STIG
- scap-security-guide rules for mount options no longer fail if /tmp and /var/tmp partitions do not exist
- fapolicyd is updated to 1.1.3
- opencryptoki is updated to version 3.18.0
The open-vm-tools package is updated to 12.0.5 to deliver support for the Salt Minion tool. Additionally, Oracle Linux 8.7 now fully supports ESXi hypervisor and SEV-ES (Secure Encrypted Virtualization – Encrypted State). You can also check the extensive release notes for Oracle Linux 8.7 by following the link below:
Click here to see the full changelog for Oracle Linux 8.7
Download Oracle Linux 8.7
You can follow the link below to download the most suitable ISO file for your system to install Oracle Linux 8.7:
Click here to download Oracle 8.7 ISO
FAQ
What is the latest version of Oracle Linux?
The latest version in Oracle Linux 8 series is 8.7, and in the 9 series is 9.1.
How do you update Oracle Linux?
To update Oracle Linux, you can use the "yum" package manager. Before you begin, it is important to backup your important data, and also make sure your system is fully up-to-date by running "yum update". Then, open a terminal and run the command "sudo yum update" to begin the update process. This command will update the system and download and install the new packages. You can also use "yum update-minimal" command to update the system with only security updates and important bug fixes.
How do you upgrade Oracle Linux?
To upgrade Oracle Linux, you can use the "yum" package manager. Run the command "sudo yum upgrade" after making sure your system is fully updated with "sudo yum update". It's also recommended to review the release notes of the new version you are upgrading to, to know about any new features, and to ensure that any third-party software you are using is compatible with the new version. Remember to backup important data before upgrading.
Is Oracle Linux free?
Oracle Linux is available for free as an open-source operating system, but there are additional features and support options that may require a paid subscription. The basic version is free to download, install and use for both personal and commercial purposes.
Is Oracle Linux good for servers?
Oracle Linux is considered a good option for servers, as it is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which is known for its reliability and stability. Oracle Linux also offers many enterprise-grade features such as support for large-scale deployments, advanced security, and performance-enhancing technologies.
Is Oracle Linux the same as RHEL?
Oracle Linux is similar to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in many ways, as it is based on the same codebase and has many of the same features. While Oracle Linux and RHEL are similar, they are different distributions and are maintained by different companies.
Is Oracle Linux the same as CentOS?
Oracle Linux and CentOS are both based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but there are some key differences between the two. Oracle Linux is developed and maintained by Oracle Corporation, while CentOS is developed and maintained by a community of volunteers. Oracle Linux is also available as a commercial distribution, which means that it includes additional features such as support and certifications that are not available in the community edition of CentOS. Additionally, Oracle Linux provides its own set of software repositories and yum channels, and it uses a different package-naming convention.
Who uses Oracle Linux?
Oracle Linux is primarily used by businesses, organizations, and IT professionals, who need a stable, reliable, and enterprise-grade Linux distribution. Companies that have large-scale deployments and rely heavily on Oracle databases and other enterprise applications, often use Oracle Linux as it is optimized to run these types of software.
Does Oracle Linux have a GUI?
Yes, Oracle Linux does have a GUI (Graphical User Interface) available. The default desktop environment for Oracle Linux is GNOME, which is a popular and widely used open-source desktop environment. Oracle Linux also supports other GUI options such as KDE Plasma and Xfce, which can be installed as an alternative.
Does Oracle Linux have a package manager?
Yes, Oracle Linux has a package manager called yum, which stands for "Yellowdog Updater Modified." Yum is a command-line tool that allows users to easily install, update, and remove software packages on their systems.
Can Oracle Linux be installed on a virtual machine?
Yes, Oracle Linux can be installed on a virtual machine. A virtual machine (VM) allows you to run an operating system within another operating system. This means that you can install Oracle Linux on a virtual machine and run it on top of your current operating system, without the need to replace it or partition your hard drive. To install Oracle Linux on VMWare, you can refer to our article: How to install a Linux Distro on VMware Workstation