Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a Linux distribution developed by Red Hat. It’s the world’s most popular enterprise-class operating system, and it’s used to power everything from websites to servers to personal laptops. This guide will show you how to check your Red Hat version.
Check Redhat Version Using /etc/os-release
To check the version of Red Hat that you are running, you can use the /etc/os-release file. This file contains information about the version of the operating system, including the name and version number. To view the contents of this file, you can use the cat command. For example:
$ cat /etc/os-release
This will display the contents of the /etc/os-release file on the terminal. The version of Red Hat will be included in the VERSION_ID field. For example, if the file contains the following information:
NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server" VERSION="7.5 (Maipo)" ID="rhel" ID_LIKE="fedora" VARIANT="Server" VARIANT_ID="server" VERSION_ID="7.5" PRETTY_NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 7.5 (Maipo)" ANSI_COLOR="0;31" CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.5:GA:server" HOME_URL="https://www.redhat.com/" BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/" REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7" REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=7.5 REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux" REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION="7.5"
The version of Red Hat in this example would be “7.5”.
Check Redhat Version Using /etc/redhat-release
Another way to check the version of Red Hat that you are running is to use the /etc/redhat-release file. This file contains information about the version of the operating system, including the name and version number. To view the contents of this file, you can use the cat command. For example:
$ cat /etc/redhat-release
This will display the contents of the /etc/redhat-release file on the terminal. The version of Red Hat will be included in the output. For example, if the file contains the following information:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 7.5 (Maipo)
The version of Red Hat in this example would be “7.5”.
Check Redhat Version Using lsb_release -a Command
Another way to check the version of Red Hat that you are running is to use the lsb_release -a command. This command displays information about the version of the operating system, including the name and version number. For example:
$ lsb_release -a
This will display the version of Red Hat on the terminal. The version of Red Hat will be included in the Description field. For example, if the output of the command is:
LSB Version: :core-4.1-amd64:core-4.1-noarch Distributor ID: RedHatEnterpriseServer Description: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 7.5 (Maipo) Release: 7.5 Codename: Maipo
The version of Red Hat in this example would be “7.5”.
Check Redhat Version Using hostnamectl Command
Another way to check the version of Red Hat that you are running is to use the hostnamectl command. This command displays information about the system hostname and other system information, including the version of the operating system. For example:
$ hostnamectl
This will display the version of Red Hat on the terminal. The version of Red Hat will be included in the Operating System field. For example, if the output of the command is:
Static hostname: myhost.example.com
Icon name: computer-vm
Chassis: vm
Machine ID: c7a2f3b2d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5
Boot ID: c7a2f3b2d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5
Operating System: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 7.5 (Maipo)
CPE OS Name: cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.5:GA:server
Kernel: Linux 3.10.0-514.26.2.el7.x86_64
Architecture: x86-64
The version of Red Hat in this example would be “7.5”.
There are several benefits to knowing the version of Red Hat that you are running:
1.It can help you determine which software and tools are compatible with your system. Different versions of Red Hat may have different software dependencies and requirements, so knowing your version can help you ensure that you are using compatible software.
2.It can help you troubleshoot issues with your system. If you are experiencing a problem with your system, knowing the version of Red Hat that you are running can help you determine if the issue is specific to your version or if it is a more general issue.
3.It can help you stay up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Different versions of Red Hat may have different security vulnerabilities and fixes, so knowing your version can help you ensure that you are using the latest security patches.
4.It can help you determine which version of Red Hat you are eligible to upgrade to. Different versions of Red Hat may have different upgrade paths, so knowing your version can help you determine which version you are eligible to upgrade to.
Overall, knowing the version of Red Hat that you are running can provide valuable information and help you ensure that your system is running smoothly and securely.