Flavours
Kernel Flavours
This document aims to document the flavours which exist in each release and further to document any transitions between flavours you may need to make.
What is a Kernel Flavour?
It is impossible to build a single kernel for every occasion, any such configuration cannot be optimal for all use cases. As a result we offer a number of kernel variants for each release, these variants termed flavours. We commonly refer to those flavours using the flavour name, for example: generic, generic-pae, and server.
How do we choose which Flavours are supported in a release?
At the Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) we will discuss the current flavours and their applicability. During this discussions we will make recommendations for additions to or removals from the supported flavours. Those recommendations feed into the development for that upcoming release.
Current Flavours
Below are the flavours as found in each release, for each there is a description of the likely use case for that flavour and where support is forthcoming; Distro (Ubuntu Kernel team) or Ports (community). Note for release which are no longer supported these are for information only.
Quantal
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use
Distro
armel
omap
Kernel for TI OMAP3 use
Distro
armhf
omap
Kernel for TI OMAP3 use
Distro
armhf
omap4
Kernel for TI OMAP4 use
Distro
armhf
highbank
Kernel for Calxeda Highbank use
Distro
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
Precise
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
armel
omap
Kernel for TI OMAP3 use
Distro
armel
omap4
Kernel for TI OMAP4 use
Distro
armhf
omap
Kernel for TI OMAP3 use
Distro
armhf
omap4
Kernel for TI OMAP4 use
Distro
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports (likely to be dropped)
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
Oneiric
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use
Distro
amd64
server
Kernel optimised for Server use
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
amd64
xen-dom0
Kernel optimised for XEN dom0 use
Distro (To Be Confirmed)
armel
versatile
Kernel for QEMU use
Distro
armel
ti-omap4
Kernel for TI OMAP4 use
Distro (To Be Confirmed)
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
Natty
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use
Distro
amd64
server
Kernel optimised for Server use
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
armel
versatile
Kernel for QEMU use
Distro
armel
ti-omap4
Kernel for TI OMAP4 use
Distro
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
Maverick
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use
Distro
amd64
server
Kernel optimised for Server use
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN, and EC2 use
Distro
armel
versatile
Kernel for QEMU use
Distro
armel
omap
Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP3 SOCs
Distro
armel
omap4
Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP4 SOCs
Distro
armel
dove
Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs
Distro
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
Lucid
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
386
Kernel optimised for i486 processors
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use
Distro
i386
ec2
Kernel optimised for EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use
Distro
amd64
server
Kernel optimised for Server use
Distro
amd64
preempt
Kernel optimised for low latency applications
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use
Distro
amd64
ec2
Kernel optimised for EC2 use
Distro
armel
versatile
Kernel for QEMU use
Distro
armel
imx51
Kernel for Freescale IMX51 SOCs
Distro
armel
dove
Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs
Distro
armel
omap
Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP3 SOCs
Distro
ia64
ia64
Kernel for Itanium CPUs
Ports
lpia
lpia
Kernel for Intel Low Power architecture systems
Ports
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
sparc
sparc64
Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Ports
sparc
sparc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Ports
Karmic
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
generic-pae
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)
Distro
i386
386
Kernel optimised for i486 processors
Distro
i386
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use
Distro
i386
ec2
Kernel optimised for EC2 use
Distro
amd64
generic
Default kernel optimised for Desktop use
Distro
amd64
server
Kernel optimised for Server use
Distro
amd64
virtual
Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use
Distro
amd64
ec2
Kernel optimised for EC2 use
Distro
armel
imx51
Kernel for Freescale IMX51 SOCs
Distro
armel
dove
Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs
Distro
ia64
ia64
Kernel for Itanium CPUs
Ports
lpia
lpia
Kernel for Intel Low Power architecture systems
Ports
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Ports
sparc
sparc64
Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Ports
sparc
sparc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Ports
Hardy
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
386
Distro
i386
generic
Distro
i386
server
Distro
i386
virtual
Distro
i386
rt
Ports
i386
xen
Ports
i386
openvz
Ports
amd64
generic
Distro
amd64
server
Distro
amd64
rt
Ports
amd64
xen
Ports
amd64
openvz
Ports
hppa
hppa32
Distro
hppa
hppa64
Distro
ia64
itanium
Distro
ia64
mckinley
Distro
lpia
lpiacompat
Distro
lpia
lpia
Distro
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
sparc
sparc64
Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Distro
sparc
sparc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Distro
Dapper
Arch
Flavour
Description
Support
i386
386
Distro
i386
686
Distro
i386
k7
Distro
i386
server
Distro
i386
server-bigiron
Distro
amd64
amd64-generic
Distro
amd64
amd64-k8
Distro
amd64
amd64-server
Distro
amd64
amd64-xeon
Distro
hppa
hppa32
Distro
hppa
hppa32-smp
Distro
hppa
hppa64
Distro
hppa
hppa64-smp
Distro
ia64
itanium
Distro
ia64
itanium-smp
Distro
ia64
mckinley
Distro
ia64
mckinley-smp
Distro
powerpc
powerpc
Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
powerpc
powerpc-smp
Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
powerpc
powerpc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel
Distro
sparc
sparc64
Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Distro
sparc
sparc64-smp
Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel
Distro
Flavour Transitions
Over time we have changes the flavours supported merging and splitting support into various flavours. This means that on upgrade it is sometimes necessary to change which kernel flavour you use for a specific use case. The tables below include the major transitions and aim to help selection of the appropriate flavour. Note that where at all possible a sensible default will be applied during upgrade so generally no manual intervention should be required. Also note that upgrades are only supported from the previous release (plus the previous LTS for an LTS release).
Maverick -> Natty
None
Lucid -> Maverick
Arch
Existing Flavour
Replacement Flavour
Description
i386
ec2
virtual
EC2 support is now merged with mainline and into our main virtual kernels
amd64
ec2
virtual
EC2 support is now merged with mainline and into our main virtual kernels
i386
prempt
NONE
No longer supported
amd64
prempt
NONE
No longer supported
Karmic -> Lucid
None
Hardy -> Lucid
Arch
Existing Flavour
Replacement Flavour
Description
i386
server
generic-pae
The need for a desktop variant utilising PAE triggered server to be subsumed and replaced by this new flavour
Kernel/Dev/Flavours (last edited 2012年09月19日 19:03:51 by c-67-171-184-21)