Red Hat Enterprise Linux's evolution at Summit: blog roundup

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) remains the trusted backbone of enterprise IT, constantly evolving to meet modern demands. At Red Hat Summit, we unveiled a powerful series of innovations that redefine RHEL's capabilities across the hybrid cloud, security and management. This roundup explores key blog posts published during Summit 2025 and covers everything from deep cloud integrations and cutting-edge security features like post-quantum cryptography, AI-powered assistance and operating system (OS) management with image mode. Explore how RHEL is building a resilient and secure foundation for your enterprise's future.

1. Using RHEL confidential virtual machines to protect AI workloads on Microsoft Azure

AI workloads in the cloud face major privacy challenges beyond traditional VM isolation. A confidential virtual machine (CVM) closes this gap, using hardware-based memory encryption and isolation to protect sensitive data even from cloud infrastructure owners. This addresses "data in use" security, which disk and network encryption can't cover. RHEL 9.6 and above offers RHEL CVMs on Microsoft Azure, making secure deployment simple. These CVMs use a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) and trustee attestation to verify virtual machine integrity, and to help securely deliver data. This implements confidentiality for your AI workloads, even in an untrusted cloud environment.

2. Red Hat partners with SiFive for a RISC-V developer preview of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

Red Hat has partnered with SiFive to release a developer preview of RHEL 10 on the SiFive HiFive Premier P550 platform, powered by the open source RISC-V architecture. The preview serves a dual purpose: It allows you to assess the relevance of RISC-V for your own IT infrastructure, and it provides stimulus for Linux developers building RISC-V solutions. Downloads, including the binary image and source code, are available now for the SiFive HiFive Premier P550, offering early access to this emerging technology.

3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Google Cloud

Red Hat and Google Cloud continue their partnership by introducing RHEL for Google Cloud, an optimized RHEL version tightly integrated with Google’s infrastructure. This offering builds on RHEL’s existing strengths, providing a pre-tuned, ready-to-run image with enhanced observability and increased security features like Secure Boot. 

RHEL for Google Cloud streamlines management with integrated cloud tooling, minimizes infrastructure drift with image mode deployment and offers flexible procurement options, including pay-as-you-go and bring-your-own-subscription. Users gain access to the latest RHEL 10 and 9.6 images. This co-engineered solution delivers a familiar, secure and flexible foundation for deploying and managing workloads, with plans for easier on-premise migration and image customization.

4. Introducing Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Microsoft Azure

RHEL is now available for Microsoft Azure. Both RHEL 10 and 9.6 are fully integrated, optimized and pre-configured for Azure performance. Building on a long collaboration, RHEL for Azure provides robust security, including confidential computing virtual machines (CVM), Secure Boot, and disk encryption to protect data in use and at rest.

The new release also introduces image mode for RHEL, delivering the OS as a single bootable container image. This streamlines deployment, accelerates delivery, contains configuration drift, and enables easy image rollbacks. RHEL for Azure brings Red Hat's reliable, secure platform to Azure, continually adapting to meet evolving customer challenges.

5. Introducing Red Hat Enterprise Linux for AWS: Optimized, integrated, and available now

Red Hat and AWS are setting a new standard with RHEL for AWS, an optimized RHEL version fine-tuned for common AWS instance types. This release provides instant value by reducing configuration and integrating seamlessly with AWS tooling, including easy access through a command-line interface, and CloudWatch for visibility and automation.

RHEL for AWS is also an ideal foundation for image mode, the container-native operating system model that simplifies building, managing, and deploying workloads as bootable container images. Security is essential, with images supporting Secure Boot for a trusted environment from startup. Available now in the AWS Marketplace, RHEL for AWS allows you to focus on building business value rather than platform configuration.

6. What's next? Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 and beyond

RHEL 10 is here, serving as a reliable foundation to confidently tackle modern enterprise tech demands like scarce resources, smart cloud investments, security, and the AI explosion. RHEL 10 significantly simplifies Linux management and frees teams for innovation. 

Key advancements include RHEL Lightspeed, an AI-powered command-line assistant that offers troubleshooting guidance and package recommendations. We've also streamlined cloud adoption with fully optimized RHEL images for AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. Image mode for RHEL transforms OS management by delivering RHEL as a bootable container image, unifying management and mitigating configuration drift. RHEL 10 enhances security options with post-quantum mitigation, streamlined Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) validation and encrypted domain name system (DNS) interactions. It also introduces new tools for developers, many to aid in adopting AI quickly and more efficiently.

7. Unleashing innovation in Red Hat Enterprise Linux with extensions repository

The new RHEL extensions repository addresses evolving user needs by providing a trusted, reliable source of validated software content. This curated collection of developer tools, open source libraries and niche utilities, built and signed by Red Hat, allows users to keep pace with innovation without compromising security.

Available starting with RHEL 10 (and coming to RHEL 9), the extensions repository offers up-to-date software from Red Hat's secure supply chain. It integrates easily with the RHEL ecosystem, benefits from community support and is especially useful for those with compliance needs who previously couldn't use content like EPEL. This initiative marks a significant step for Red Hat to deliver more of what users request.

8. Image mode for Red Hat Enterprise Linux is generally available

The general availability of image mode for RHELextends Linux containers beyond applications, allowing you to build, deploy and manage the underlying OS using container images, thanks to bootc technology. This represents a significant shift, unifying infrastructure and automation for both applications and the OS itself.

Image mode is included in all RHEL subscriptions (9.6 and newer) and works alongside traditional package mode. It streamlines workflows, particularly with Podman Desktop and its bootc extension, simplifying local setup and security hardening. Image mode uses base images for minimal OS footprints and integrates seamlessly with Red Hat Satellite, GitOps and CI/CD pipelines for robust management and automation. It also simplifies cloud instance re-provisioning and provides tools for consistent, resilient RHEL deployments, empowering teams to innovate faster.

9. Management for modern IT: Red Hat Satellite 6.17 is now available

Red Hat Satellite 6.17 is now available, continuing to offer comprehensive management for RHEL environments and streamlining automation. This release supports RHEL 10 and 9.6, bringing expanded connectivity options like Insights advisor in Satellite (tech preview) for proactive risk detection in disconnected environments.

Satellite 6.17 is also fully equipped to manage modern containerized methods, supporting systems created with image mode for RHEL and providing capabilities for provisioning, client management and container image distribution. It introduces Flatpak content management for simplified application deployment. Furthermore, the release bolsters security with Secure Boot support during provisioning and includes IPv6 support for modern networks. Satellite 6.17 helps organizations maximize RHEL subscriptions and modernize their infrastructure.

10. What's new in image builder for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

With the release of RHEL 10, both RHEL's local image builder and Red Hat Insights image builder have exciting new features and improvements. The RHEL 10 image builder now features a new user interface and a feature set nearly identical to Insights image builder, providing a more unified experience.

Key enhancements include the ability to insert custom kickstart files for highly customized ISO images. Insights image builder now offers clear Application Streams and lifecycle guidance, along with powerful Insights content features like custom repositories, dated snapshots and content templates for fine-grained control over your builds. A new preview also simplifies registration to Red Hat Satellite. These updates empower you to build and manage customized RHEL images with greater flexibility, consistency and control across diverse deployment needs.

11. Post-quantum cryptography in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

To protect against the future threat of quantum computer attacks and "harvest now, decrypt later" scenarios, the transition to post-quantum cryptography needs to start now. RHEL 10 takes a significant step forward by including post-quantum cryptography implementations, available as a technology preview.

RHEL 10 offers ML-KEM for post-quantum key exchange in TLS (OpenSSL, GnuTLS, NSS) and SSH (OpenSSH), directly defending against data decryption by future quantum computers. It also provides ML-DSA for post-quantum signatures with OpenSSL for raw signatures and some TLS support. While post-quantum cryptography standards are still evolving and many protocols await updates, RHEL 10 provides foundational capabilities. Red Hat encourages organizations to begin testing and leveraging these initial post-quantum cryptography features today to enhance their security posture against quantum threats.

12. Let AI teach you Linux with Red Hat Enterprise Linux Lightspeed

RHEL Lightspeed combines RHEL expertise with AI to help you master your Linux system. This RHEL subscription feature includes a command-line assistant for direct, AI-powered troubleshooting and answering questions. It also offers Insights image builder package recommendations, analyzing your selections to suggest additional relevant packages for custom image builds. RHEL Lightspeed boosts productivity for all RHEL users, making decades of Red Hat's Linux expertise more accessible.

What to discover next about RHEL 

This roundup highlights RHEL’s ongoing evolution, solidifying its role as the backbone of modern enterprise IT. From AI-powered assistance with Lightspeed and transformative image mode for OS management, to deep cloud integrations with AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, RHEL is engineered for today’s hybrid environments. We’re enhancing security with confidential VMs and post-quantum cryptography, driving innovation with the extension repository and expanding reach to new architectures like RISC-V. Red Hat provides the essential foundation for managing complex IT, ensuring resilience and efficiency.