By default, RHEL5.x64 comes with 5.1.6 - pretty old. I'm looking for a more up to date version, 5.2.8, or even the latest 5.2.9 (as of March 2009). Ideally, a Yum/RPM-based solution, for transparent upgrades (when I plan).
How do you upgrade the default for an up-to-date version?
Oracle have some up-to-date PHP RPMs, but not in a repository that I can see. You could try asking Christopher Jones if he would be interested in building repository metadata for them?
There are also versions in the CentOS testing repository, and Remi Collet has PHP 5.2.9 in his repository (read his announcement).
I suggest getting the spec file for the Red Hat PHP rpm, then use that to create your own RPM, in your own local repo, and use that. This way you get the benefits of the newest PHP, configured to be as compatible as possible with your system, and when using YUM for other things, that require PHP, they will be satisfied with your install.
I've elected to go for the Zend-CE solution, installed with YUM (default on rhel5). It's not perfect, the admin-dashboard security leaves something to be desired, and enabling it to be used for php-cli needs at least a manual removale of the old php-cli package + a symlink to the new, but otherwise, its not complicated.
please look at: http://bluhaloit.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/installing-php-52x-on-redhat-es5-centos-5-etc/
it'll up2date your php for 5.3
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