Red Hat Enterprise Linux ISV Resources

Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 6, the next major release of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform, was released on Nov 10, 2010. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 includes a number of significant improvements and associated changes to the platform.

Red Hat encourages our software partners to use the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 platform as the build, test and development platform for their applications By doing so, ISVs can maximize the end customer value by taking advantage of the entire 7-year life cycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (optionally up to 10 years). Plus, Red Hat's ABI Commitment ensures that third party ISV applications will work across all minor versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and in both physical and virtual environments.

Key Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Features and Benefits for ISVs

Featuring updated core technology, from the kernel to the application infrastructure to the development tool-chain, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 blurs the lines between physical, virtual and cloud computing to address shifts taking place in the modern IT environment.

Efficiency and scaling

  • New file system EXT4-16TB: XFS-100TB
  • Enhanced multi-core support with Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS)
  • Full support for RAS features, including Intel Machine Check Architecture

Unprecedented resource management

  • Allocates system resources by user or application using Cgroups (fine grained resource management)
  • Power management active state reducing power consumption across the system including I/O

Designed-in Security

  • Extensive SE Linux Policy library making security accessible
  • Standardize system security information with OpenScap
  • Enhanced centralized idenity control with SSSD/OpenLDAP
  • Enhanced VPN options with Openswan Ipsec that works with Cisco Ipsec

Integrated virtualization

  • All Red Hat Enterprise Linux features apply to Red Hat Enterprise Linux as a guest or host
  • SRIOV support for network virtualization higher throughput
  • Svirt powered by SE Linux protects guests from one another
  • Windows WHQL certified drivers enables virtualized windows systems
  • Control guest resources with Cgroups

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the best guest across hypervisors

  • Sport for Cisco's VN link - - move Cisco networking drivers and networking
  • Tickless kernel and other system improvements for predictable operations regardless of hypervisor
  • Hardware independent debugging tools such as SystemTap

Enterprise manageability

  • Workload Profiles installation options, including minimal install, to tailor OS to specific applications
  • ABRT enhanced error reporting enabling customers ease of reporting errors directly to RHT
  • Policy Kit allow administrators to assign users access to privileged operations
  • Microsoft Interoperability support Windows 2008R2 active directory
  • Smart Management Add-on provides manageability, monitoring and provisioning

Testing Your Application on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

Overview of Testing on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 testing process is the same as that for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

  1. If you have not done so already, register with Red Hat as an ISV partner
  2. Install the latest Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 release on a testing machine
  3. Install your application on your testing machine
  4. Should you like to file report any bug you find please use Red Hat's bug tracking system, bugzilla. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Testing Best Practices for ISVs contains more details and tips on testing on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

How to get more information about Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Red Hat maintains a comprehensive set of information specific to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 that you may find useful.

Click here to find Data Sheets, FAQ guides, reference architectures and feature comparisons to list just a few. Also of keen interest among our partners and customers alike is the section describing the Add-Ons for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Add-Ons to Red Hat Enterprise Linux allow you to tailor your application environment with workload extensions to suit your particular computing requirements. Read all about these Add-ons for Red Hat Enterprise Linux this includes hot topics such as:

Some of these Add-on include:

  • Add-On Options for Availability
  • Add-On Options for Scalability
  • Add-On Options for Management
  • Add-On Option for Lifecycle Management
  • Add-On Subscription Availability Matrix

Additional resources:

How to Contact Red Hat

  • The Red Hat Partner Alliances team has a mailing list to help with questions that you may have and to promote communication and collaboration between our software partners and Red Hat.
  • Contact the Partner Alliances team directly with your feedback or questions by emailing the team at isv-team-list@redhat.com.

If you are not already a Red Hat ISV partner, learn more about the program and its benefits.