Fedora 21 Now Available, Delivers the Flexibility of Fedora.next

Three distinct variants of Fedora 21 meet evolving user demands, from the desktop to the cloud. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) December 12, 2014 - DUBAI, UAE - The Fedora Project, a Red Hat, Inc., sponsored and community-driven open source collaboration, today announced the general availability of Fedora 21. This is the first Fedora release influenced by the Fedora.next initiative, which emphasizes increased modularity and flexibility from the Fedora operating system. As part of this effort, Fedora 21 offers three variants: Fedora 21 Cloud, Fedora 21 Server, and Fedora 21 Workstation.

While each variant aims to meet specific user demands, all are built from a common base set of packages that includes the same Linux kernel, RPM, yum, systemd, and Anaconda. This small, stable set of components allows for a solid foundation upon which to base the Fedora 21 variants.

Fedora 21 Cloud
Designed to handle the myriad of computing requirements across different cloud deployments, Fedora 21 Cloud provides images for use in private cloud environments, like OpenStack, and Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) for use on Amazon Web Services (AWS), as well as a base image to enable creation of Fedora containers. Key features of Fedora 21 Cloud include:

Modular Kernel Packaging for Cloud Compuing - To save space and reduce "bloat" in cloud computing deployments, the Fedora 21 Cloud kernel contains the minimum modules needed for running in a virtualized environment; coupled with other size reduction work, the Fedora 21 Cloud image is roughly 25 percent smaller than that of previous Fedora releases, enabling faster deployment and increasing available space for critical applications.

Fedora Atomic Host - Using tools and patterns made available through Project Atomic, Fedora 21 offers the first "Atomic" host for Fedora, which includes a minimal package set and an image composed with only the run-times and packages needed to serve as an optimized host for Linux containers. Fedora Atomic Host allows for "atomic" updates as a single unit, simplifying update management and providing the ability to roll-back updates if necessary. Fedora Atomic Host also includes Kubernetes for container orchestration and Cockpit for container management.

Fedora 21 Server
The Fedora 21 Server variant offers a common base platform for running featured application stacks (produced, tested, and distributed by the Fedora Server Working Group), providing a flexible foundation for Web servers, file servers, database servers, and even Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) deployments. Fedora 21 Server delivers:
• New Management Features - Fedora 21 Server introduces three new technologies to handle the management and installation of discrete infrastructure services.
◦ Rolekit provides a Role deployment and management toolkit that helps administrators to install and configure a specific server role.
◦ Cockpit is a Web-based user interface for configuring, managing, and monitoring servers, accessible remotely via a Web browser.
◦ OpenLMI delivers a remote management system built on top of Distributed Management Taskforce - Common Information Model (DMTF-CIM), offering scripting management functions across machines, capabilities querying and system event monitoring.
• Domain Controller - One of the roles offered through Rolekit, Fedora 21 Server packages freeIPA's integrated identity and authentication solution for Linux/UNIX networked environments; machines running Fedora 21 Server can now offer centralized authentication, authorization, and account information by storing user, group, host, and other object data necessary to manage network security.

Fedora 21 Workstation
Revitalizing the Linux desktop, Fedora Workstation provides a polished, targeted system designed to offer a smooth experience for general desktop use as well as software development, from independent Web developers to corporate coders. New features in Fedora 21 Workstation include:
• Streamlined Software Installation - The Software installer, a cornerstone component to Fedora 21 Workstation, allows users to quickly and easily locate their applications. It provides a responsive and fast user experience, going hand-in-hand with a greatly improved number of featured Fedora applications included with Fedora 21 Workstation.
• Wayland Support (Experimental) - Wayland, a powerful next-generation display server technology, is included in Fedora 21 Workstation as an experimental build, allowing developers to test and integrate their applications with Wayland's new capabilities.
• DevAssistant - A developer "helper," DevAssistant automates the setup process for a large number of language runtimes and integrated development environments (IDEs); DevAssistant also integrates with Fedora Software Collections, offering access to multiple versions of different languages without worrying about system software conflicts.

Fedora 21 redefines the very nature of the Fedora distribution, so users seeking to try all of the new capabilities for themselves or looking for additional information on all of the new features, enhancements and tweaks, please visit https://getfedora.org.

Supporting Quotes
Matthew Miller, Fedora Project Leader
"There is no place for monolithic technology in today's computing world - end users are seeking tailored yet flexible platforms to build their own custom solutions, be it a network server environment, a scale-out application, or a comfortable desktop environment serving as an interface to more complex systems. The Fedora community needed to keep pace with these demands while still delivering the cutting-edge Linux innovation for which we are known. With Fedora 21, we are able to address specific use cases across the desktop, the server room and the cloud, bringing to light new developer tools, enabling specific server roles, and providing a powerful, lightweight host for containerized applications."

About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat is the world's leading provider of open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to reliable and high-performing cloud, Linux, middleware, storage and virtualization technologies. Red Hat also offers award-winning support, training, and consulting services. As the connective hub in a global network of enterprises, partners, and open source communities, Red Hat helps create relevant, innovative technologies that liberate resources for growth and prepare customers for the future of IT. Learn more at http://www.redhat.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: risks related to delays or reductions in information technology spending; the effects of industry consolidation; the ability of the Company to compete effectively; the integration of acquisitions and the ability to market successfully acquired technologies and products; uncertainty and adverse results in litigation and related settlements; the inability to adequately protect Company intellectual property and the potential for infringement or breach of license claims of or relating to third party intellectual property; the ability to deliver and stimulate demand for new products and technological innovations on a timely basis; risks related to data and information security vulnerabilities; ineffective management of, and control over, the Company's growth and international operations; fluctuations in exchange rates; and changes in and a dependence on key personnel, as well as other factors contained in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (copies of which may be accessed through the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov), including those found therein under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations". In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic and political conditions, governmental and public policy changes and the impact of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Red Hat, and the Shadowman logo are trademarks of Red Hat, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.

###

space

Other Related Press Releases