Oracle Linux 9 Update 6 (9.6) is now officially available for both 64-bit Intel and AMD (x86_64) as well as 64-bit Arm (aarch64) platforms. The release features the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 8 (UEK 8) and Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK) options. UEK 8 represents the most recent iteration of Oracle's specialized Oracle Linux kernel, featuring advancements in memory management, improved file system support, networking enhancements, and tailored platform improvements. Oracle Linux 9.6 introduces advanced capabilities and enhancements in security, networking, container technologies, and the overall developer experience. A new Keylime tool for policy management has been introduced, alongside performance enhancements to cryptographic operations within the Nettle library, as well as the addition of further cryptographic primitives. The release additionally incorporates support for forward error correction in NetworkManager, an enhanced Maven module stream, and refined container capabilities.

Oracle Linux 9.6 Now Generally Available

The Oracle Linux team is pleased to announce the general availability of Oracle Linux 9.6 for 64-bit Intel and AMD (x86_64) and 64-bit Arm (aarch64) platforms. This release includes the following kernel options:

• Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 8 (UEK 8), 6.12.0-1.23.3.2 for the x86_64 and aarch64 platforms
• Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK), 5.14.0-570.12.1.0.1 for the x86_64 platform

Built for distributed and multicloud computing environments, Oracle Linux is highly secure and provides simplified management and optimized performance for demanding workloads at cloud scale. It delivers 100% application binary compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, helping to ensure applications run without disruption. Oracle Linux 9.6 maintains this compatibility with the corresponding Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 release.

Oracle Linux sources, binaries, ISOs, and errata are freely available and easily accessible from the  Oracle Linux yum server, without restrictions.

What's New in Oracle Linux 9.6

The  Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 8 (UEK 8)—the latest release of Oracle’s purpose-built Oracle Linux kernel—is included as the default kernel in Oracle Linux 9.6 ISO installations. UEK 8 delivers advancements in memory management, enhanced file system support, networking optimizations, and platform-specific improvements. Based on the latest upstream long-term stable kernel, UEK 8 features a wide range of enhancements from Oracle and the upstream Linux community.

Oracle Linux 9.6 also delivers new capabilities and enhancements spanning security, networking, container technologies, and the developer experience. It introduces a new Keylime policy management tool that integrates all management tasks for Keylime runtime and measured boot policies, helping to optimize the performance of policy generation. Additionally, Oracle Linux 9.6 brings performance improvements to certain cryptographic operations in the Nettle library, along with the introduction of additional cryptographic primitives, such as RSA-OAEP and SHAKE-128, for enhanced encryption and hashing capabilities. The SCAP Security Guide has been updated to align STIG profiles with the latest DISA policies, including synchronization of the Oracle Linux 9 STIG profile with the latest official DISA Oracle Linux 9 STIG.

With the Oracle Linux 9.6 release, NetworkManager introduces support for Forward Error Correction, which helps improve performance and reliability by reducing redundant data transmission and lowering network latency. Developer tooling in this release features an updated Maven module stream, which now enables Maven to run with OpenJDK 21, alongside updates to popular development tools including LLVM, Rust, Go, and Valgrind. In addition, container capabilities are further improved with updates to Podman, Buildah, Skopeo, crun, and runc through the Container Tools RPM meta-package.

For complete and detailed information on all the features, enhancements, and changes introduced in this release, please refer to the  Oracle Linux 9.6 Release Notes.

Oracle Linux 9.6 Now Generally Available
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