Feature Details of Red Hat Linux 7.x

Installation Program Enhancements

• Graphical Kickstart Configuration:
  A graphical interface for creating kickstart configurations, allowing custom, unattended installations to be created.
• New Security Features:
  Most network features are defaulted off during installation.
• Firewall Configuration:
  For added security, you can now configure a firewall as part of your system installation. Choose from two levels of security, as well as choosing which common system services should be allowed or disallowed by default.
• New Laptop Installation Class:
  Laptop users will be able to easily install and configure their machines.
• Disk Druid Improvements:
  Disk Druid now detects partition table inconsistencies, such as partitions that do not end on cylinder boundaries.
• X Configurator:
  Configuration of your X Window System during installation is more thorough. From choosing your monitor and its correct settings, to video card probing the installer includes improved test screens and better detection of video memory. A wide variety of 3DFX cards have been added to the list of card supporting accelerated 3D graphics.
• Language Selection:
  it is now possible to install in one language, but specify that the system will operate in another language after installation.

2.4 Kernel

• Large Memory:
  The 2.4 kernel supports up to 64GB of RAM
• Improved SMP:
  2.4 kernel is optimized for machines with up to 8 processors
• Filesystem Features:
  Rewritten VFS to use only single cache instead of dual caches, and enables large file support
• Increased Device Support:
  Better support for a wider variety of devices and improved USB support
• Networking Features:
  Better networking performance on multi-processor machines
• USB support:
  The 2.4 kernel provides Red Hat Linux with support for "hot-pluggable" or removable devices like CD-ROM drives, Zip drives, cameras, printers, scanners and many other peripherals.
• New & Updated Drivers:
  Many drivers are new to Red Hat Linux 7.1, or have been upgraded as a result of switching to a 2.4-based kernel. New drivers include:
  • Updated Adaptec AIC7XXX SCSI driver
  • IEEE1394 (FireWireTM) subsystem
  • Adaptec starfire quad ethernet
  • Aironet 802.11 WiFI ethernet
  • National Semiconductor DP83810 ethernet
  • ATM subsystem and various ATM drivers
  • DECnet subsystem
  • Cyclom 2X, DEFEA, and DEFPA FDDI
  • IPv6 support
  • NFS version 3
  • iptables, an improved firewall layer
  • Maestro3 sound
  • bcm5700
• TUX Web Server 2.0:
  One of the fastest Web servers in the world.

Heightened Security

• SSL support in more applications, including links, slrn, OpenLDAP and Pine 4.33
• Enhanced firewall capabilities with iptables

New Graphical Configuration Tools

• Apache Configuration Tool -- apacheconf:
  Helps manage virtual hosts in an intelligent fashion
• BIND Configuration Tool -- bindconf:
  Makes DNS configuration easier
• Printing Configuration Tool -- printconf:
  Supports over 500 printers
  Scalable architecture
  Upgrades old systems configured with printtool

Upgraded Core System Components

The following major system components have been upgraded in Red Hat Linux 7.1:

• gcc 2.96-RH
• glibc 2.2.2
• GNOME 1.2
• KDE 2.1
• XFree86 4.0.3
• Mozilla
• Netscape 4.76