All users of the Linux 4.4 LTS branch must update

Nov 16, 2016 00:55 GMT  ·  By

After announcing earlier the release of Linux kernel 4.8.8, Greg Kroah-Hartman informed the community about the immediate availability of the thirty-second maintenance update to the long-term supported Linux 4.4 kernel series.

Just like Linux kernel 4.8.8, the Linux 4.4.32 LTS kernel patch arrives less than a week after the previous update, namely Linux kernel 4.4.31 LTS, which means that it's not a major release. According to the appended shortlog and the diff from Linux 4.4.31, Linux kernel 4.4.32 LTS changes a total of 47 files, with 275 insertions and 150 deletions, bringing an improved networking stack and updated drivers.

"I'm announcing the release of the 4.4.32 kernel. All users of the 4.4 kernel series must upgrade," said Greg Kroah-Hartman. "The updated 4.4.y git tree can be found at: git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git linux-4.4.y and can be browsed at the normal kernel.org git web browser: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git;a=summary."

IPv6 and IPv4 improvements, updated GPU drivers

As mentioned before, Linux kernel 4.4.32 LTS' biggest changes are an updated networking stack that includes multiple improvements to IPv4 and IPv6 support, but also some minor changes to things like IEEE 802.1Q, Ethernet, Netlink, packet scheduler, Bridge, and Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP). Moreover, we can notice updated networking (Ethernet and VXLAN) drivers too.

Taking about updated drivers, Linux kernel 4.4.32 LTS includes some fixes for the open source AMDGPU driver for AMD Radeon GPUs for better AtomBIOS support, a fix for the MegaRAID SCSI driver, and another fix for a KVM bug with the MIPS hardware architecture. As such, you are urged to update your GNU/Linux distro to Linux kernel 4.4.32 LTS at your earliest convenience.