Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Server Version comparison chart

  Version 3 Version 4 Version 5
  AS ES AS ES Advanced Platform base server
Server Architecture support
x86, AMD64, EM64T, Itanium2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IBM POWER Yes No Yes No Yes Yes
*Note: For IBM zSeries and S/390 information please refer to the mainfame page
Server Support limits as defined by Red Hat Enterprise Linux Product Subscription
Maximum physical CPUs/sockets [1] Unlimited 2 Unlimited 2 Unlimited 2
Maximum memory Unlimited 8GB Unlimited 16GB Unlimited Unlimited
Maximum virtualized guests/instances N/A N/A N/A N/A Unlimited 4
Storage virtualization (with Red Hat GFS and Cluster Suite) N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes No
Included Red Hat Network modules Update Module Update Module Update Module Update Module Update Module Update Module

Desktop Version comparison chart


  Version 3 Version 4 Version 5
  WS Desktop WS Desktop Desktop Desktop
with Workstation option		 Desktop
with Multi OS option
Desktop Architecture support
X86, AMD64, EM64T Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Itanium2 Yes No Yes No No No No
Desktop Support limits as defined by Red Hat Enterprise Linux Product Subscription
Maximum physical CPUs/sockets [1] 2 1 2 1 1 2 1
Maximum memory Unlimited 4GB Unlimited 4GB 4GB Unlimited 4GB
Maximum virtualized guests/instances N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4
Storage virtualization (with Red Hat GFS and Cluster Suite) N/A N/A N/A N/A No No No
Included Red Hat Network modules Update Module Update Module Update Module Update Module Update, Management, & Provisioning modules

Technology capabilities and limits (certified[/theoretical]) [3]


  Version 3 Version 4 Version 5
Maximum logical CPUs [4]
x86 16 32 32
Itanium2 8 64/512 64/1024
AMD64/EM64T 8 64/64 64/255
Power 8 64/128 64/128
zSeries 8 8 6/64
Maximum memory
X86 64GB [5] 64GB [5] 16GB [6]
Itanium2 128GB 256GB/1024TB 256GB/1024TB
AMD64/EM64T 128GB 128GB/1TB 256GB/1TB
Power 64GB 128GB/1TB 128GB/1TB
zSeries 64GB 64GB 64GB
Maximum filesize (Ext3) 2TB 2TB 2TB
Maximum filesystem size (Ext3) 2TB 8TB 8TB/16TB
Maximum filesize (GFS) 2TB 25TB/8EB 25TB/8EB
Maximum filesystem size (GFS) 2TB 25TB/8EB 25TB/8EB
Maximum x86 per-process virtual address space Approx 4GB Approx 4GB Approx 3GB [6]
Required minimums
X86 256MB 256MB 512MB
AMD64/EM64T 256MB 256MB 512MB
Itanium2 512MB 512MB 512MB
Power 512MB 512MB 4GB
Minimum diskspace 800MB 800MB 1GB
Kernel and OS features
Kernel foundation Linux 2.4.21 Linux 2.6.9 Linux 2.6.18
Compiler/toolchain GCC 3.2 GCC 3.4 GCC 4.1
Languages supported 10 15 19
NIAP/CC certified Yes - 3+ Yes - 4+  
Compatibility libraries V2.1 V2.1 and V3 V3 and V4
CoE compliant Yes Yes  
LSB compliant Yes - 1.3 Yes -3  
Client environment
Desktop GUI Gnome 2.2 Gnome 2.8 Gnome 2.16
Graphics XFree86 X.org X.org 7.1.1
OpenOffice V1.1 V1.1.2 V2.0.4
Ximian Evolution V1.4 V2.0 V2.8.0
Default browser Mozilla Firefox Firefox 1.5

Notes:

* Subscriptions are available for systems larger than 8 sockets, please contact your Red Hat sales representative for details.

[1] Red Hat defines physical CPUs equivalently to sockets, so a multi-core and/or hyperthreading CPU is counted as a single socket when determining which subscription to purchase

[3] Certified limits reflect the current state of system testing by Red Hat and its partners, and set the upper limit of support provided by any Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription if not otherwise limited explicitly by the subscription terms. Certified limits are subject to change as on-going testing completes.

[4] Red Hat defines a logical CPU as any schedulable entity. So every core/thread in a multi-core/thread processor is a logical CPU

[5] The "SMP" kernel supports a maximum of 16GB of main memory. Systems with more than 16GB of main memory use the "Hugemem" kernel. In certain workload scenarios it may be advantageous to use the "Hugemem" kernel on systems with more than 12GB of main memory.

[6] The x86 "Hugemem" kernel is not provided in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

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