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Linode Linode custom kernel update issues

Discussion in 'Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting' started by eva2000, Aug 4, 2018.

  1. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Seems from Linode forums so folks are having issues with Linode's latest updated Linux Kernels Network issues with latest Kernel | Linode Questions. Linode uses custom 4.1x kernels and it updates when you reboot your server usually. So worth keeping an eye on that thread and whenever you reboot Linode server which auto updates the custom Linode kernel.

    Latest Linode kernels at Available Linux Kernels - Linode. Currently latest for 64bit OSes is 4.17.11-x86_64-linode111 and latest for auto rebooted server is listed as 4.17.8-x86_64-linode110

    You can also choose specific Linux Kernel by editing your Linode's config profile before rebooting server via Boot Settings


    edit-profile-config-kernel01-040818.png edit-profile-config-kernel02-040818.png


    Or you can switch back to Linux distributions default Linux Kernels too using guide at Run a Distribution-Supplied Kernel
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2018
  2. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    It is always advisable to use the distros own kernels on production systems, if you ask me. Much more thoroughly tested.
     
  3. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Yeah it's a tricky situation especially when you have performance and security bug fixes like newer Spectre security vulnerability fixes being quicker to release in Linux 4.15+ kernels than distro Kernels. Ideally, You'd have staging and production servers so staging gets first taste for software and kernel updates before deployment on production servers. One of the things I like about Linode. No need to keep staging servers around forever, just use Linode clone VPS feature to clone a production Linode VPS, and test updates of software etc on cloned copy to make sure it works before live production deployment.
     
  4. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Just sent a ticket to Linode and same suggestion use distro default Linux Kernel for stability

    I wrote
    Linode support reply
     
  5. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Looks like Linode has set new Linode VPS creation to default to Grub2 for CentOS distro default Kernels bypassing their Linode custom Kernels for now.

    out of the box = Grub2

    linode-centos7-grub2-default.png
     
  6. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Confirmed Linode now defaults to distro OS supplied Linux Kernels and not their own 4.1* kernels Docker won't start using the latest Linode kernel | Linode Questions

     
  7. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Linode forum has an L1TF security fix update with blog post to follow soon How is Linode handling L1TF/Foreshadow? | Linode Questions. However, there suggestion to update kernels isn't enough according to Intel here.

    Seems Linode has also fixed their custom kernel 4.1* issues as I tried and it worked, rebooted Linode VPS and showed the correct networking so that's good news :)

    You can check kernel version via uname -r command i.e. on Linode after reboot
    Code (Text):
    uname -r
    4.17.15-x86_64-linode115