RHBA-2009:1151 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Updated kernel packages that fix an issue with HugeTLBfs are now available
for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

Description

The kernel packages contain the Linux kernel, the core of any Linux
operating system.

These updated kernel packages fix the following bug:

• HugeTLBFS (Translation Look-Aside Buffer File System) allows much larger

page sizes than standard 4-kilobyte pages. The kernel's virtual memory
subsystem uses these pages to map between real and virtual memory address
spaces, and HugeTLBFS allows for significant performance increases for
memory-intensive applications under heavy load. When a file existing on the
HugeTLB file system was accessed simultaneously by two separate processes,
the system become unresponsive and eventually a soft lockup occurred. These
updated packages correct this issue so that simultaneous access of a single
file on a HugeTLB file system is no longer problematic. (BZ#510235)

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 users are advised to upgrade to these updated
packages, which resolve these issues.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released
errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use
the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 5.3 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 5.3 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 510235 - [5.3][REG] The system critically slows down, when a file is accessed simultaneously

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)