What is KernelCare and Why Should You Use It?

What is Kernel?

The kernel is the central module of an operating system (OS). It is the part of the operating system that loads first, and it remains in main memory. Because it stays in memory, it is important for the kernel to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential services required by other parts of the operating system and applications.

So, in other words, the kernel is one of the very most important parts of the operating system. It is responsible for memory management, processes, task management, and disk management. More so, it is actually the kernel that connects the system hardware to the application software.

 

What is KernelCare and Why is it Important?

Now that you understand how important the kernel is, a responsible system admin has to always make sure that it stays up-to-date. By installing the latest kernel updates and kernel security patches, you may be able to avoid or minimize potential issues.

Keeping your kernels updated manually can take hours. In addition to server downtime, it can cause stress for system admins and clients alike.

After applying kernel updates and patches, a server has to be rebooted. Such reboots usually have to be done during off-peak hours. This additional stress is never welcome but avoiding server reboots altogether can create a plethora of issues and security concerns.

Sometimes, after a reboot, the server may face issues and not readily come back up. Fixing such issues may take hours. Sometimes a system admin has to roll back the kernel updates they’ve applied in order to get the server online as quickly as possible.

But what can be done to minimize these issues?

This is where KernelCare comes in. KernelCare provides a service that will patch security vulnerabilities inside the running kernel without creating any downtime or service interruptions. With KernelCare installed on your server, security updates are applied automatically every 4 hours on a running server (live server), without downtime. This completely removes the need to reboot the server after making updates.

 

KernelCare Details, Features, & Requirements

Before you can get started with KernelCare, you’ll need to make sure that your current operating system is supported.

Supported Operating Systems Include:

• CentOS/RHEL 5, 6 and 7

• Cloud Linux 5 and 6

• OpenVZ

• Virtuozzo

• PCS

• Debian 6 & 7

• Ubuntu 14.04.

 

KernelCare’s Top 6 Features

The following list includes 6 of KernelCare’s top features. If you’re wondering if KernelCare is the right choice for you, check out these built-in benefits.

1. Automated Kernel Patching, Without Reboots

   With KernelCare installed on your server, all kernel security updates are applied automatically as soon as the patch is available. This removes the need for a reboot which actually avoids downtime and keeps your server running with the latest versions of kernels installed. This way, you can be confident knowing that you always have an updated version running on your server.

2. Latest Security & Stability Upgrades
   

   KernelCare runs a check for newly available patches every 4 hours. If a new patch is found, it’s downloaded and applied automatically. With KernelCare, there’s no need to check and apply updates manually. This saves you time while KernelCare handles this critical aspect of server administration.

3. Takes Only Minutes to Install
   

   Installing KernelCare is easy and doesn’t require you to reboot the server. All it takes is a simple command via the command line.

4. Prompt Patch Roll Outs
   

   The KernelCare team is constantly monitoring security mailing lists. Once they notice there is a security vulnerability that affects one of the supported kernels, they prepare a patch for that vulnerability immediately.

5. No Performance Impact

   KernelCare loads patches using a special kernel module. Since patches take only nanoseconds, they have no impact on overall system performance.

6. Ability to Roll Back Changes
   

   With KernelCare, you can always roll back all applied changes by running a special command.

Now that you’ve seen some of the features and benefits available with KernelCare, I’m sure you understand why having KernelCare installed on your system is always highly recommended.

Thanks for reading, and should you have any questions or concerns, our support staff is always available to you through our phone and live chat system 24/7/365.

 

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