Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform provides dramatic capabilities beyond basic Enterprise Linux 5. Integrated server and storage virtualization technologies. In a single, easily managed product. With a complete and highly functional environment.
        With virtualization that has the capabilities an IT organization needs:

            *   easy to deploy
            *   simple to manage
            *   flexible
            *  available

        Virtualization Product Flash Tour
        Note: Existing Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS customers will be automatically entitled to receive Advanced Platform when they renew their subscription. Early renewals are available on request.
        Virtualization Support in Red Hat Enterprise Linux
        Included in Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform
        Critical technologies in a single solution. Fully integrated. Ready to go. No need to purchase additional products from multiple vendors.

            * Unlimited virtualized guests. Multiple operating systems, multiple versions, multiple performance and security settings, all running on the same server using Red Hat's virtualization technology.
            * Storage virtualization. Multiple guests, running on the same or different servers, access and share logical storage volumes and file systems. Reap the full benefits of server virtualization with shared storage.
            * High availability clustering and failover. Application and guest operating system failover.
          * Management. Includes comprehensive management capabilities.
        Integrated server and storage virtualization
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform provides a complete, integrated virtualization solution by including the Red Hat clustering support.
            * For enhanced availability, failover at either the application or virtual machine level is provided by Cluster Suite.
            *  Global File System and Cluster Logical Volume Manager technology allows application data to be securely accessed and shared by any guest from any system.

        GFS and Cluster Suite

        Automated failover and recovery of virtualized guests in Advanced Platform
        Read More in Red Hat Magazine
        Please note that with the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Advanced Platform, Red Hat Cluster Suite and Global File System are now included in the subscription offering.
        Red Hat Cluster Suite and Global File System are still available as layered offerings for Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 3 and 4.

            *  Global File System
            *  Cluster Suite
        Designed for the mainstream market, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform provides the industry's most complete and effective virtualized environment.
        Advanced Platform eliminates the need for third party high availability, cluster file system, and logical volume management products, providing a single integrated solution.
        Virtualization capabilities
        Feature
        
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux
        and Advanced Platform
        Supported para-virtualized guests
           
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

        Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 Update 5 (x86 and x86-64 only)
        Supported fully-virtualized guests
           
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

        Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4

        Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
        Hardware and application certification
           
        All Red Hat Enterprise Linux OEM and ISV partner certifications are valid for virtualized and non-virtualized environments except where noted
        Para-virtualized guest processor hardware requirements          
        x86 with PAE

        x86-64

        Itanium2 (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Update 1 only)
        Fully-virtualized guest processor hardware requirements
           
        Intel Virtualization Technology or AMD-V
        Virtualized guest memory requirements
           
        Each active guest requires the same physical memory that it would require in a non-virtualized environment. The minimum recommended physical memory per active guest is 512MB.
        Architecture support for virtualization
           
        Supported at product release: x86, x86-64


        Itanium2 is fully supported on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Update 1
        
        Comparison of Red Hat Enterprise Linux server to


        Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform
        Feature
           
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform
           
        Red Hat Enterprise Linux server
        Number of supported guest operating systems
           
        Unlimited
           
        4
        Manageability
           
        Red Hat Network


        virt-manager - GUI


        libvirt/virsh - scriptable library and shell
        Conga cluster/storage GUI
           
        N/A
        Cluster Suite failover
           
        Yes
           
        No
        Distributed Lock Management
           
        Operates fully distributed across multiple virtualized guests and physical systems
           
        Operates within a single virtualized guest or physical system
        Global File System
        Logical Volume Management
        Maximum supported server size
           
        Unlimited
           
        Up to 2 CPU sockets