CentOS virt - Oct 2021 - Azure Kernel for CentOS 7

I am trying to track down what happened with the ?kernel-azure? packages that
were created by the Virt SIG? I see the last release was August 2020. I also
can?t seem to find the sources in the Virt repo
(http://mirror.centos.org/centos/7/virt/x86_64/azure/Packages/k/), nor in the
CentOS git repo (https://git.centos.org/group/sig-virt).

I?m assuming the status is you no longer wish to build the Azure specific
kernel, and I would like to see what was involved in doing so, to decide if I
want to build them, or if I need to deprecate the Azure kernel for our
appliances in the field.

Thanks,

Greg

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Gregory Young | Senior Developer/Systems Engineer | N-able
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Hello Greg,


On 10/8/21 12:30 PM, Young, Gregory wrote:
> I am trying to track down what happened with the ?kernel-azure? packages 
> that were created by the Virt SIG? I see the last release was August 
> 2020.
The kernel was not built for CentOS 7.9, the key issue being that the 
Azure kernel relies on Microsoft' Linux Integration Services (LIS) 
patches[1] which have not been updated in some time either. In fact the 
documentation states that the patches are supported up to CentOS 7.6, 
but I was able to port through 7.8 as the changes were minor. But 7.9 
was a bit bigger, and most changes from LIS already moved (slowly) into 
upstream RHEL between 7.6 and now. Without official testing and support 
from the upstream LIS it seemed less useful to try and do the port to 7.9.

> I also can?t seem to find the sources in the Virt repo 
> (http://mirror.centos.org/centos/7/virt/x86_64/azure/Packages/k/ 
> <http://mirror.centos.org/centos/7/virt/x86_64/azure/Packages/k/>),
nor
> in the CentOS git repo (https://git.centos.org/group/sig-virt 
> <https://git.centos.org/group/sig-virt>).
I guess not all mirrors contain the source packages, but you can find 
the srpms on vault.centos.org[2].

> I?m assuming the status is you no longer wish to build the Azure 
> specific kernel, and I would like to see what was involved in doing so, 
> to decide if I want to build them, or if I need to deprecate the Azure 
> kernel for our appliances in the field.
I think the best option right now is to update to the latest 
community-supported kernel from 7.9. However, if there is something 
missing there or something you needed from LIS then feel free to reach 
out to me directly and I'll try to help.

Thanks!
Steve



[1]: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55106
[2]: https://vault.centos.org/7.8.2003/virt/Source/azure-kernel/