The latest version of the OpenBSD operating system, version 7.8, has been officially released, marking the 59th iteration of this well-respected OS. This release comes six months after version 7.7 and includes several enhancements across various functionalities.
The installation process for OpenBSD is known for being intricate, and caution is advised for those who are not experienced. Users are encouraged to install it on a dedicated machine while they familiarize themselves with the system. A significant addition in this version is the official support for the Raspberry Pi 5, among other Arm64 platforms. However, users should note that this support necessitates connecting an RS-232 console to the Pi 5″s GPIO pins, as the console is routed through this port. Various RS-232 HATs are available, although reliance on USB-to-RS-232 adapters is not recommended.
In September, code changes were made, but limitations remain. Notable issues include difficulties booting from PCIe storage HATs due to a lack of U-Boot support and Wi-Fi connectivity problems on the Raspberry Pi 5 Model B “d0” boards. Additionally, the active cooling fan is non-functional because of missing pwm/clock drivers, although ongoing work is aimed at addressing this.
In the broader Arm ecosystem, OpenBSD has enhanced its support for devices such as Apple Silicon Macs and Snapdragon Elite X laptops, alongside improvements in Arm64 power management.
One of the most striking updates is the multithreaded nature of the OpenBSD TCP/IP stack, which now efficiently utilizes up to eight CPU cores, with each core managing a separate connection. This includes enhanced handling of IPv6″s more demanding computational tasks. Furthermore, the system now incorporates built-in support for AMD“s Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) technology. This extends to the built-in VMM/VMD hypervisor, which is capable of managing SEV-encrypted virtual machines and can run OpenBSD within an SEV VM on Linux”s KVM.
Earlier this year, the performance of tiling terminal multiplexers was evaluated, with tmux receiving favorable reviews. While OpenBSD has long supported tmux, version 7.8 introduces enough enhancements to warrant a dedicated section in the release notes, featuring 16 new features and bug fixes, all of which are beneficial improvements.
In a recent personal experience, after gaining some familiarity with OpenBSD through previous versions, the upgrade process to version 7.8 was both swift and seamless. The recommended upgrade procedure is straightforward. Users should first check for security updates using the “syspatch” command, which updates the base system. Following this, all installed packages can be upgraded with “pkg_add -u.” Checking for updates to firmware packages can be done with “fw_update.” Although a cautious approach involves rebooting after each step, the process can often continue without interruption.
Upon completing the upgrade to version 7.8, the system performed impressively well, exhibiting fast and smooth operations. Subsequent package updates were also executed without issues, including new versions of popular applications and libraries. The overall experience reaffirmed the reliability of OpenBSD, especially when compared to the challenges faced during previous upgrades of other BSD variants.
Despite its lack of Bluetooth support, which is a feature that some users may find unnecessary, the simplicity and efficiency of OpenBSD continues to stand out, providing a refreshing alternative to other BSD systems.
Additionally, the 9front project has released its version, referred to as “Release,” just 11 days ahead of OpenBSD 7.8. This release follows the project”s tradition of whimsical naming conventions.
