[Lxc-users] LXC on RHEL/CenOS 5.5 Host?

[Cal Webster]

On Fri, 2011-01-14 at 09:58 -0800, Noah Campbell wrote:
> I was also looking at a similar configuration.
> 
> If you can upgrade your kernel, you have a shot.  http://lxc.sourceforge.net/index.php/about/kernel-namespaces/  gives the minimum kernel for a particular configuration.
> 
> -Noah

Thanks for the reply, Noah.

I cannot use kernels from the "upstream" source tree or those that are
based upon it because RHEL kernels don't track directly with the latest
kernel source. I'm hoping that either someone has ported LXC features
and tools to RHEL/CentOS 5 or patches exist for the RHEL/CentOS 5
kernels.

RHEL/CentOS kernels, as well as the software within the distro, cannot
necessarily be judged by their version numbers. As any RHEL maintainer
will tell you, Red Hat back-ports all security and bug fixes, and many
feature updates to the version that existed when the major version was
released. Very few applications, servers, or utilities are upgraded to
current version numbers. Instead, after an update minor revision numbers
are incremented and/or appended to the package name. 

For example, Red Hat just released its 6th maintenance update to RHEL 5
yesterday containing a pile of security updates, bug-fixes, and
enhancements to over 150 applications, including the kernel and gcc
tools and libs. While the version numbers bear no resemblance to the
latest kernel, tools and apps, all security security flaws, important
bugs have been resolved and some upstream features included.

With the release of RHEL 6, RHEL 5 has entered production phase 2. At
the end of production phase 3 in March 2014 security patches and bug
fixes will stop. So there are at least 3 more years of life. I'm sure
our organization will be required to support it even beyond that time,
though.

Regards,

Cal Webster