Last quarter, November 27, 2024 saw the release of the AlmaLinux distribution under version 9.5, which incorporated a lot of changes. Recall that due to the obsolescence of CentOS, it was replaced by the development of the AlmaLinux community. This distribution is presented in several variations of ISO-images:
- boot image, 1 GB in size;
- minimum image, 2 GB;
- full image of 10 GB.
Live CDs are also available for downloading from the official site, which will allow you to perform basic tasks of working with the device under a different OS.
AlmaLinux 9.5 deployment and upgrade
For those who already have the AlmaLinux distribution installed, it is enough to perform a package upgrade on the device. In the process new packages will be downloaded and old ones will be removed:
For new users, it is necessary to download the distribution in a format you are comfortable with and place it on an external drive from which you can later boot.
Preparing for installation on Linux
To burn a new image with Linux, let's execute the commands:
After that you need to partition the media to be connected, for example, a flash drive:
Let's find it in the list of devices and partition our downloaded image onto it. Since it was downloaded via SSL protocol, we'll assume that the image is original and unmodified:
After that you can start from this device via BIOS and perform OS customization.
Preparing for installation on Windows
The process is identical to what happens on Linux, but different tools are used. First, you download the image from the official website. After that, the Rufus utility for partitioning the image is downloaded:
After that we will proceed to the installation with the following command:
In the menu, select the installation image to partition and the disk where it will be located:
You can then select the type of file system to deploy, as well as the name of the volume. The burning process shouldn't take too long, once finished you can also boot from BIOS/UEFI.
However, there is an easier way to test or bring up your outline on external resources. The Serverspace panel provides the distribution, it will take up to 1 minute to deploy!
In the control panel, select the platform and the servers tab, then customize the solution for you!
AlmaLinux 9.5 change history
In the new updates, you can notice changes on major items:
- Linux kernel updates: AlmaLinux 9.5 utilizes a kernel that provides improved performance and security, as well as support for new hardware.
- Improvements to the package management system: the DNF package management system has been modified to improve efficiency and usability.
- Enhanced hardware support: support for a variety of devices including network adapters, storage controllers, and other components has been added, extending the use of AlmaLinux in a variety of configurations.
- Security patches: the latest security patches are included to help protect your system from known vulnerabilities and threats.
- Synergy repository: a Synergy repository is available with additional packages and applications that are not included in the standard RHEL suite, providing users with additional features and tools.
RHEL 9.5 compatibility: AlmaLinux 9.5 is fully compatible with RHEL 9.5 at the ABI level, making it easy to switch between the two distributions without having to recompile applications. - Performance optimization: changes have been made to improve overall system performance, which can be especially important for servers and other highly loaded systems.