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New Linux Kernel Released

The developers behind Linux have released the latest version of the open source operating system kernel.

Version 2.6.28 has a number of prominent new features and is the first version of Linux to fully support the new EXT4 file system. EXT4 can support a file system of up to one exabyte, and a single file up to 16 terabytes (EXT3, the current file system mostly used by Linux, can only scale to a 16-terabytes-per-file-system size, and accommodate a maximum file size of only 2 terabytes).

EXT4 also allows for unlimited subdirectories, and checksums journal data for extra data integrity.

This version of Linux offers a new memory manager for graphical processing units. The kernel also adds support for disk shock protection and Ultra Wide Band wireless communications technologies, as well as additional support for solid state drives. A new minimal, or "dummy," mode has been added to the Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) module.

Linux shops can update an older 2.6 version of Linux by installing a 9.5MB patch, available here. The full list of changes is located here.

About the Author

Joab Jackson is the chief technology editor of Government Computing News (GCN.com).

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