[CentOS] Request for good advice to upgrade kernel

Tue Mar 21 12:47:13 UTC 2006
Kari Salovaara <kari.salovaara at pp1.inet.fi>

Hi,

first I want to thank maintainers of this excellent distro. I've had no 
problems, even I'm using quite new motherboard (Asus P5WD2) and dualcore 
Intel D 820 processor. I've updated all packages when You have announced 
them. At the moment the kernel is 2.6.9-34ELsmp and it works well.

But I've lost some understanding how these kernel versions flow !  I'm 
also a little confused of some related answers from some forums and 
lists. Questions :
- is the kernel version used in CentOS the same as in kernel.org ?
- if the kernel versions don't match, where do I get information which 
mathes which ?

The other question (very much relates to the later part of previous 
question and the need to do kernel compilation at all) :
- if I want to compile new kernel using kernel source from kernel.org, 
what is the best way regarding to maintain the workability level of 
exisisting kenel (see top)?
-- can I use .config-file from working 2.6.9-34ELsmp source and compile 
straight using that (first to see a working new kernel and then make 
some adjustments) ? In this way I can save a lot of time and frustration 
when setting the flags for compilation. Any other important to remember 
? (I've compiled kernel since Linux 0.6 so no newbee recommendations. ;-) )
-- I need monitoring for many servers (thermal etc.) and of course they 
are remote. I would like to use OpenIPMI which seems to be the most 
modern method and thus would survive for some years (not expected of 
some other methods/applications)
-- these issues are important to due I've more than 1 server and I'd 
like to use similar approach in each.

Could You point me a) documents to wise upgrade of kernel in CentOS 4.x 
environment ? b) if there exists, example of use OpenIPMI ?

You can also send answers directly as this topic might not interest 
wider public.

Best regards,
Kari Salovaara

-- 
Kari Salovaara
Hanko, Finland