We currently migrate to MediaWiki from our old installation, but not all content has been migrated yet. Take a look at the Wiki Team page for instructions how to help or browse through our new wiki at wiki.linux-vserver.org to find the information already migrated.

VServer Release FAQ

Q. What is a Stable vs. a Development Release?

A. Basically the stable (1.Xz) and development (1.Y.z) releases should be similar in functionality for Y = X+1, but the development releases will include features and enhancements not present in the stable branch. Once those features mature (and get well tested ;), they will be incorporated by the stable branch.

For example the first stable release (1.00) uses two systemcalls as the previous releases did. However, the vserver system calls have been changed in the first development release (1.1.0). Linus assigned the vserver project a single system call, so a System Call Switch (see Syscall Switch Info) has been implemented. Running a development release usually requires using recent (latest) tools from Enrico's util-vserver branch.

Q. How does the Versioning work?

A. Since version 1.00 the versioning is similar to the kernel versioning scheme. Even numbered releases (1.Xz with even X) are stable, reasonably well tested and expected not to change feature-wise. Odd numbered (1.Y.z with odd Y) releases are development releases. The last digit/number (z) is a subversion identifier. Experimental versions and Release Candidates might add a fourth identifier to that scheme.

Q. What features are supported in which branch/release?

A. The following matrix tries to give an overview (it might be outdated)

Feature 1.00 1.20 1.26 1.3.8 0.09 1.9.0
Legacy Kernel API YES YES YES part part part
Legacy Proc Filesystem YES YES YES part part part
Immutable Link Invert YES YES YES YES YES YES
Initpid and Fakeinit YES YES YES YES yes yes
Syscall Command Switch - YES YES YES YES YES
Syscall vkill commands - yes yes YES YES YES
Syscall rlimit commands - YES YES YES YES YES
Syscall iattr commands - - - YES YES YES
Syscall namespace commands - - - YES YES YES
Syscall context flags - - - - YES YES
Syscall context caps - - - - YES YES
Syscall scheduler tuning - - - - - YES
Next gen. Proc Filesystem - - - YES YES YES
Chroot Barrier Flag - - - YES YES YES
Proc Security Flags - - yes YES YES YES
Userspace Reboot Helper - yes yes YES YES YES
VRoot Device - YES YES YES - -
Advanced IP Selection - - - YES YES YES
Advanced uts_name config - - - YES YES YES
Fake Memory Display - - - - YES YES
Hard CPU limits - - - - - YES
Context File Tagging - - - - - YES
Network Context Support - - - - - YES
Socket Accounting - - - - - YES
Flag: Pause Context - - - - - YES
Flag: Hide proc/mounts - - - - - YES
CCap: Secure Mount - - - - - YES
CCap: Change host/domainname - - - - - YES
CCap: Modify rlimits - - - - - YES
 

Q. What about additional patches?

A. There are Context Quota & Context Limit as well as Memory Limits and a lot of minor feature/enhancement patches available from Herbert. Alex has made available patches for Red Hat kernels in the past. See the Documentation page for links.