Chapter 2. General Updates
Cross channel package dependency improvements
Yum has been enhanced to prompt the end user to search disabled package repositories on the system when a package dependency error occurs. This change will allow users to quickly resolve dependency errors by first checking all known channels for the missing package dependency.
To enable this functionality, execute
yum update yum subscription-manager prior to upgrading your machine to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.2.
Please see the System and Subscription Management chapter for further details on the implementation of this feature.
RELRO protection now properly applied when requested
Previously, binary files started by the system loader would, in some cases, lack the Relocation Read-Only (RELRO) protection even though this had been explicitly requested when the application was built. This was due to a miscommunication between the static linker and the system loader. The underlying source code of the linker has been adjusted to ensure that it makes it possible for the loader to apply the RELRO protection, thus restoring the security feature for applications. Applications and all dependent object files, archives, and libraries built with an alpha or beta version of binutils should be rebuilt to correct this defect. This update fixes the issue on the AMD64, Intel 64, 64-bit PowerPC, and 64-bit ARM architectures.
More diagnostic information and a renamed plug-in for sosreport
The sosreport tool has been enhanced to collect process-related information from various applications, including ptp, lastlog, and ethtool. As a part of this change, the
startup plug-in has been renamed to services in order to better communicate its function.
Enable virtio network device renaming
This update adds a new persistent naming scheme for the virtio driver, which enables virtio network device renaming. To enable this feature in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.2, add the
net.ifnames=1 kernel parameter while booting.
Support for DIF/DIX (T10 PI) on specified hardware
SCSI T10 DIF/DIX is fully supported in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.2, provided that the hardware vendor has qualified it and provides full support for the particular HBA and storage array configuration. DIF/DIX is not supported on other configurations, it is not supported for use on the boot device, and it is not supported on virtualized guests.
At the current time, the following vendors are known to provide this support.
FUJITSU supports DIF and DIX on:
- EMULEX 16G FC HBA:
- EMULEX LPe16000/LPe16002, 10.2.254.0 BIOS, 10.4.255.23 FW, with:
- FUJITSU ETERNUS DX100 S3, DX200 S3, DX500 S3, DX600 S3, DX8100 S3, DX8700 S3, DX8900 S3, DX200F, DX60 S3
- QLOGIC 16G FC HBA:
- QLOGIC QLE2670/QLE2672, 3.28 BIOS, 8.00.00 FW, with:
- FUJITSU ETERNUS DX100 S3, DX200 S3, DX500 S3, DX600 S3, DX8100 S3, DX8700 S3, DX8900 S3, DX200F, DX60 S3
Note that T10 DIX requires database or some other software that provides generation and verification of checksums on disk blocks. No currently supported Linux file systems have this capability.
EMC supports DIF on:
- EMULEX 8G FC HBA:
- LPe12000-E and LPe12002-E with firmware 2.01a10 or later, with:
- EMC VMAX3 Series with Enginuity 5977; EMC Symmetrix VMAX Series with Enginuity 5876.82.57 and later
- EMULEX 16G FC HBA:
- LPe16000B-E and LPe16002B-E with firmware 10.0.803.25 or later, with:
- EMC VMAX3 Series with Enginuity 5977; EMC Symmetrix VMAX Series with Enginuity 5876.82.57 and later
- QLOGIC 16G FC HBA:
- QLE2670-E-SP and QLE2672-E-SP, with:
- EMC VMAX3 Series with Enginuity 5977; EMC Symmetrix VMAX Series with Enginuity 5876.82.57 and later
Please refer to the hardware vendor's support information for the latest status.
Support for DIF/DIX remains in Tech Preview for other HBAs and storage arrays.
