In today’s rapidly evolving IT landscape, having a stable and flexible infrastructure is essential for businesses to stay competitive. Linux has proven to be a cornerstone of reliable, secure, and scalable solutions for servers, clouds, and applications. Whether you’re managing a server environment or orchestrating complex cloud infrastructure, it’s important to stay updated with the latest trends and tools. To help you keep pace with 2024 developments in Linux and IT infrastructure, here are the top 10 articles from Red Hat Blog that you should bookmark.

1. Add First Boot Scripts to Golden Images with Red Hat Insights Image Builder

Creating “golden images” of operating systems is a common practice for quick and consistent deployments. However, embedding setup tasks directly into these images can be challenging. Red Hat Insights Image Builder now offers a feature that allows users to add first boot scripts to their golden images. These scripts run automatically when an instance first starts, providing a seamless setup process and eliminating manual configuration.

Why it matters: Automating initial setup tasks can drastically improve deployment times and reduce human error.

2. Save, Edit, and Share Blueprints in Red Hat Insights Image Builder

With the introduction of the blueprint feature in Red Hat Insights Image Builder, IT teams can now save, edit, and share their image blueprints over time. Blueprints define how Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) images should be assembled, including software and configuration options. This tool makes it easier to manage and refine your image deployments without starting from scratch each time.

Why it matters: Blueprints provide a consistent and replicable way to define server configurations and ensure your environment remains uniform.

3. Inter-Satellite Sync: Network and Export Sync

For organizations with air-gapped or intermittently connected networks, keeping systems up-to-date can be a challenge. Red Hat Satellite’s Inter-Satellite Synchronization (ISS) feature provides a solution by enabling software synchronization across disconnected networks. This ensures that systems can continue to receive updates without requiring constant internet access.

Why it matters: This tool allows organizations in remote locations or with limited connectivity to maintain security and functionality without unnecessary delays.

4. Explore New Datacenter Options with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Arm

Arm processors are gaining popularity in datacenters due to their energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for Arm provides a trusted, enterprise-grade operating system for Arm-based infrastructure. With RHEL, organizations can manage Arm and x86 servers using the same tools, enabling them to choose the best hardware for each workload.

Why it matters: The rise of Arm processors offers a more energy-efficient, cost-effective option for building out datacenters.

5. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Performance Results on 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors

In collaboration with Intel, Red Hat has tested RHEL on Intel’s 5th Gen Xeon Scalable processors, known as “Emerald Rapids.” The results, tested on Dell EMC PowerEdge R760 servers, demonstrate impressive performance, especially for enterprise workloads. This article provides benchmark results that highlight the efficiency and power RHEL brings to Intel’s new processors.

Why it matters: Understanding the performance gains from hardware and software optimizations can guide IT purchasing decisions and ensure optimal performance for enterprise environments.

6. A Deep Dive into Deploying Red Hat OpenShift on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

Red Hat OpenShift is a leading container orchestration platform, and deploying it on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) offers organizations the flexibility to manage containerized applications with ease. This article walks you through the process of deploying OpenShift on OCI using an agent-based installer, simplifying deployment and management tasks.

Why it matters: Simplified deployment and management of containerized applications is crucial for modern DevOps teams, and this article helps streamline that process.

7. Customize Your Red Hat OpenShift Nodes and Keep Them Updated

With Red Hat OpenShift’s On-Cluster Layering, administrators can customize their OpenShift nodes by layering RPM images with additional software and drivers, all while maintaining the benefits of automatic updates. This approach allows for the integration of specialized software and enhanced security tooling without losing the simplicity of the OpenShift platform.

Why it matters: Customizing OpenShift nodes with minimal effort helps organizations meet unique requirements while ensuring that updates remain easy to implement.

8. Reducing Complexity in Virtual Machine Migration and Application Platform Management

Migrating virtual machines (VMs) and modernizing virtualization platforms can be complex and time-consuming. Red Hat’s open virtualization infrastructure offers a proven path to efficiently rehost existing VMs while reducing the risk of business disruption. This article highlights best practices for achieving a smooth VM migration and platform management process.

Why it matters: Streamlined migration helps organizations achieve modernization goals without unnecessary complexity or downtime.

9. Improve Your ITIL with Automation

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework offers best practices for managing IT services, but as organizations move toward automation, the approach must evolve. This article explores how automation and an “everything-as-code” mindset shift ITIL thinking, making it possible to perform changes with enhanced scrutiny while still benefiting from automation.

Why it matters: Integrating automation with ITIL practices helps optimize workflows, improve efficiency, and ensure better service delivery.

10. Passkey Authentication: The Future of RHEL

Passwordless authentication is the future, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9.4 introduces support for FIDO2-compatible passkeys, offering a safer and more convenient authentication method than traditional passwords. This feature allows centrally managed users to authenticate with a hardware security token, eliminating the need for passwords altogether.

Why it matters: Passwordless authentication increases security and simplifies user access management, a key consideration in today’s cybersecurity landscape.

Conclusion

These top 10 Linux blog posts offer valuable insights into the latest developments in Red Hat’s Linux ecosystem and IT infrastructure. From enhancing deployment automation with first boot scripts to streamlining cloud operations with OpenShift on Oracle Cloud, these articles highlight the tools and techniques IT professionals can leverage to maintain reliable, secure, and scalable environments. Bookmark these resources to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your Linux infrastructure is optimized for the future.