{ Abhilash Kumar Bhattaram : Follow on LinkedIn }
OEL 10 is released and here are my initial observations , more on the features as I explore it. To start with for any Linux user here is the official documentation
Oracle Linux 10 (OL10) isn’t just another iteration of an enterprise Linux distribution—it’s a carefully engineered platform designed for modern workloads, especially those deployed on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Built with performance, reliability, and cloud-readiness in mind, OL10 offers a level of integration and enterprise alignment that goes far beyond the capabilities of traditional Linux vendors. From zero-downtime patching and hardened security to native cloud support and post-quantum cryptography, OL10 delivers innovations that matter to CIOs, DevOps leaders, and database administrators alike. If your infrastructure depends on high uptime, compliance, and deep Oracle stack integration, OL10 is positioned to become your new default.
I/O Enhancements in Oracle Linux 10: Performance Where It Matters
Oracle Linux 10, with Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK) 8.1, introduces low-level enhancements that significantly boost I/O performance — especially for data-intensive workloads on Oracle databases and applications.
Key Improvements:
- Multi-Queue Block I/O (blk-mq) fully optimized for modern NVMe SSDs, allowing high IOPS with low CPU overhead
- Enhanced I/O scheduling algorithms (e.g., BFQ, Kyber) tuned for mixed workloads and latency-sensitive apps
- Improved Direct I/O and Asynchronous I/O (AIO) paths, reducing syscall overhead for Oracle DB, ASM, and Exadata nodes
- Refined NUMA-aware memory access to minimize cross-socket latency in high-core-count systems
- Better RDMA stack (via RoCE and InfiniBand), allowing sub-microsecond latency and direct memory access across nodes — critical for RAC and Exadata clusters
- Updated NFS, XFS, and Btrfs subsystems for improved metadata and parallel I/O handling
In practical terms: OL10 reduces context switches, improves cache locality, and accelerates both read-heavy and write-heavy workloads — at scale.
Whether you’re running transactional OLTP databases, data lakes, or hybrid workloads in OCI, these I/O gains translate to:
- Faster queries
- Lower CPU utilization
- Higher density per compute node
- Reduced I/O stalls during peak throughput
Zero-Downtime Patching with Ksplice: No Reboots, No Disruption
Perhaps the most transformative feature in Oracle Linux 10 is Ksplice, Oracle’s live patching technology that eliminates the need for reboots during critical kernel and library updates. While many enterprise Linux distributions now offer some form of live kernel patching, Oracle Linux stands alone in its ability to patch not only the kernel but also user-space libraries such as glibc and OpenSSL—without downtime. This is especially valuable in production environments where even scheduled maintenance windows are hard to come by. With Ksplice, your infrastructure remains compliant and secure while staying continuously online. This feature alone can drastically reduce planned downtime and the associated operational costs, positioning Oracle Linux 10 as a must-have for high-availability systems.
Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel 8.1: Performance Meets Purpose
At the heart of Oracle Linux 10 is the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK) 8.1, a performance-tuned kernel designed specifically for Oracle workloads. Unlike generic upstream kernels, UEK is developed in parallel with Oracle Database, Real Application Clusters (RAC), ASM, and Exadata infrastructure. This kernel is optimized for high-throughput, low-latency operations, with improved support for NUMA architectures, RDMA, and modern hardware. Enterprises running large memory systems, multi-core processors, or intensive I/O workloads will benefit from the fine-tuned enhancements in UEK. The result is a kernel that’s not only enterprise-grade but Oracle-grade—purpose-built for the most demanding mission-critical applications.
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