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CIQ has launched a tech preview of Rocky Linux from CIQ for AI (RLC-AI)—a specialized Linux distribution tailored for artificial intelligence workloads. Unlike traditional operating systems, RLC-AI offers out-of-the-box kernel and user-space optimizations for AI model training, tuning, and inference, while maintaining enterprise-grade stability and security.
Key Innovations in RLC-AI:
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Enhanced Kernel & User Space: Based on the long-term stable kernel.org release, RLC-AI includes AI-specific configurations, support for Confidential Computing, and compatibility with hardware from NVIDIA, AMD, Mellanox, and others.
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Deployment Efficiency: Pre-integrated drivers and out-of-tree modules streamline large-scale deployments, reducing the need for custom images and manual driver setup.
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Performance Boosts: Tailored for TensorFlow, PyTorch, and ONNX, the system includes runtime libraries and performance tuning tools optimized for AI/ML workloads.
“RLC-AI enhances Linux to help organizations of all sizes adopt AI and improve utilization of compute resources,” said CIQ CEO Gregory Kurtzer.
Additional features include:
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Reliable, performance-validated upstream kernel
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Built-in support for Intel TDX, AMD SEV-SNP, and NVIDIA Confidential Computing tools
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Secure boot support for both x86_64 and ARM-based systems like NVIDIA Grace Hopper and Blackwell
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Integrated enterprise-grade security and CVE remediation
The RLC-AI tech preview is now available. Learn more or sign up at ciq.com/products/rocky-linux/ai. CIQ will host a free tech session on May 22 at 11:00 a.m. PDT.
