Installing and Running Open Source Software Packages for RHEL5 on RHEL6

Products

• VMware Tanzu Greenplum

Issue/Introduction

Sometimes users want to install OSS (Open Source Software) packages designed for use with Greenplum Database. However, all of these software packages (.gppkg) names have OS string of 'rhel5' while most of the customers are actually using RHEL6 for their GPDB platform. This situation causes confusion over whether these all packages with 'rhel5' string in the name can be used with RHEL6.

Few example, the following are the OSS packages downloadable from Pivotal Networks:

- madlib-ossv1.9_pv1.9.5_gpdb4.3orca-rhel5-x86_64 
- pljava-ossv1.4.0_pv1.2_gpdb4.3orca-rhel5-x86_64
- plr-ossv8.3.0.15_pv2.1_gpdb4.3orca-rhel5-x86_64
 

 

Environment

OS: RHEL 5.x, 6.x

Resolution

It is OK to use the packages with 'rhel5' in the name - they run fine on rhel6 (they are binary compatible).

From https://access.redhat.com/solutions/5154
"Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 provides runtime compatibility support for applications built for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5"

For this reason, there will be no OSS package with 'rhel6' string in the name.

The OSS packages with 'rhel5' can be used for both RHEL5 & RHEL6.

Additional Information

+ Environment:

• Pivotal Greenplum Database (GPDB) 4.3.x
• Operating System- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.x and 6.x
• Others Third Party Open Source Software (OSS) Packages