What is the difference between a Binary Linux driver and Open-Source Linux driver?

HighPoint Linux Binary Drivers

Binary drivers are product specific, and developed for a particular distribution version of Linux, they are released to support a new “base” release or major update. As such, they are easy to install and use, even for novice administrators.

Binary drivers are also bootable – they enable the Linux distribution to be installed directly to a disk or RAID array hosted by the HighPoint product.

However, there is one major caveat; binary drivers are designed for a specific distribution and kernel (default Kernel) combination, and this combination only. They cannot be used with any other distribution or kernel version, and will not work once the kernel is updated. Customers that wish to use Binary drivers are encouraged to check the download section of the corresponding HighPoint product to make sure a package is available for their target specific Linux distribution version.

For this reason, we strongly advise that customers disconnect the host platform from the internet during installation. This will prevent the Linux distribution from attempting to download any updates during the install procedure (which would break the driver and prevent the process from completing).

We also encourage customers already using Linux binary drivers to download and install the Open-Source package. This may sound counter-intuitive on the surface, but it can enable the Linux system to remain bootable even after a kernel update.

After the Binary Driver has been fully installed, and the system is up and running, download the latest version of the Open-Source driver. This is available as a separate package, and is posted in the Downloads section of each product’s webpage (links are also available from the Linux Community page).

For more information about the HighPoint Linux Open-Source driver, read on. We also recommend the following article.

HighPoint Linux Open-Source Driver

Open-Source drivers offer more flexibility than Binary releases, and allow administrators to compile new device drivers as needed. However, traditional open-source downloads required that the user be familiar with manual compilation and the required toolsets, and have expertise with Linux command lines.

This all changed with the release of HighPoint’s Auto-Compiling driver solution, which condensed the entire process into a few simple command lines. The service has continually evolved over the years, and is now known as Linux Auto Compile Solution 2.0, or LACS2.0.

LACS2.0 drive package need only be installed once, and does not require that the administrator ever compile a new driver manually, nor contact a support representative for a new open-source download. All subsequent kernel updates will be handled automatically by the service (hence the name of the solution), and requires zero user intervention. Learn More.

Learn More:

Data RAID vs. Boot RAID