What is major difference between RHEL 7, RHEL 8 and RHEL 9?

RHEL 7 and RHEL 9 are both major releases of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system. The major differences between RHEL 7 and RHEL 9 are as follows:

1. Kernel version: RHEL 7 uses a 3.10 kernel, while RHEL 9 uses a 5.x kernel. The newer kernel in RHEL 9 provides better performance, security, and support for new hardware.
2. Systemd version: RHEL 7 uses systemd version 219, while RHEL 9 uses systemd version 249. The newer version of systemd in RHEL 9 provides better integration with other system components and improved system management.
3. Security: RHEL 9 includes several security enhancements, such as support for Secure Boot, Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR), and Control Flow Integrity (CFI). These features provide additional protection against malware and other security threats.
4. Containerization: RHEL 9 includes improved support for containerization technologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes. This makes it easier to deploy and manage containerized applications in RHEL 9.
5. Performance: RHEL 9 includes several performance improvements, such as support for Intel Optane DC persistent memory, which provides faster access to data and reduces latency in applications.
6. Support: RHEL 7 will reach its end-of-life in 2024, while RHEL 9 is a long-term support release with support until 2032. This means that RHEL 9 will receive security updates and bug fixes for a longer period than RHEL 7.

What is major difference between RHEL 7 and RHEL 8?

There are several major differences between RHEL 7 and RHEL 8:

1. Package management: RHEL 8 introduces the new YUM-based package manager called DNF (Dandified YUM), which replaces the old YUM package manager used in RHEL 7. DNF offers improved performance, better dependency resolution, and enhanced security features.
2. Application Streams: RHEL 8 introduces the concept of Application Streams, which allows multiple versions of the same package to be installed and used on the same system. This makes it easier to manage and update applications without impacting the stability of the operating system.
3. System-wide crypto policies: RHEL 8 introduces a system-wide cryptographic policy that allows administrators to define and enforce security policies related to the use of cryptographic algorithms and protocols across the entire system.
4. System roles: RHEL 8 introduces the concept of system roles, which are pre-defined sets of packages and configurations that can be applied to a system to fulfill specific roles such as web server, database server, or file server. This makes it easier to set up and configure systems for specific purposes.
5. Stratis Storage: RHEL 8 includes Stratis, a new storage management tool that simplifies the process of creating and managing storage pools and volumes.
6. Kernel version: RHEL 8 uses a more recent version of the Linux kernel (4.18) compared to RHEL 7 (3.10). This provides better support for new hardware, improved performance, and new features.
7. Support: RHEL 8 has a longer support lifecycle than RHEL 7. RHEL 8 is a long-term support release with support until 2029, while RHEL 7 will reach its end-of-life in 2024.

Overall, RHEL 8 introduces several significant improvements over RHEL 7, including improved package management, support for multiple application versions, system-wide crypto policies, system roles, Stratis storage, a newer kernel version, and longer support lifecycle.

Rajesh Kumar

I’m Rajesh Kumar, a DevOps, SRE, DevSecOps, Cloud, and Platform Engineering expert passionate about sharing practical knowledge, real-world experiences, and industry best practices. I have worked at Cotocus and regularly write about technology, travel, investing, health, product reviews, and digital marketing through my various platforms.

I publish technical articles at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market insights at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at TrueReviewNow, and SEO and digital marketing strategies at Wizbrand.