Compatibility modes and specific Linux distributions
Processor compatibility modes vary by Linux distribution and version.
The following table describes processor compatibility modes supported by specific versions of Linux distributions. By default, a distribution kernel directs the hypervisor to run the processor in the highest mode that the distribution supports.
| POWER5 | POWER6® in POWER6 mode | POWER6 in POWER5 mode | POWER7® in POWER7 mode | POWER7 in POWER6 mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, and subsequent service packs | No | No | No | No | No |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP1, and subsequent service packs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2, and subsequent service packs | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, and subsequent updates | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.1, and subsequent updates | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2, and subsequent updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Ubuntu 14.04, and subsequent updates | No | No | No | No | No |
| Linux distributions running in guests on a POWER8® host | POWER8 in POWER8 mode | POWER8 in POWER7 mode |
|---|---|---|
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, and subsequent service packs | Yes | No |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4, and subsequent service packs | Yes | Yes |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5, and subsequent updates | No | Yes |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, and subsequent updates | Yes (No for Red Hat |
Yes, for big endian No, for little endian |
| Ubuntu 14.04, and subsequent updates | Yes | No |
Note: For compatibility purposes, POWER7 and POWER7+™ are
the same. All entries for POWER7 listed
also apply to POWER7+.
For more information about Linux distribution support of specific hardware, see Supported Linux distributions for PowerLinux™ servers.