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CentOS 8.x CentOS 8 Now End Of Life (EOL)

Discussion in 'CentOS, Redhat & Oracle Linux News' started by buik, Dec 7, 2021.

  1. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Yeah pretty sure all the anger is directed at IBM/Redhat's decision and not the CentOS project itself as they'd have no say in what happened :)

     
  2. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    In fact CentOS members can't do anything about it but get the threats (as reported earlier).
    Have to start using nonsense marketing slogans to proclaim why CentOS Stream would be so much better.
    In short. Top management: This is the way we are going to go, and go figure it out!
     
  3. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Seems as Gregory Kurtzer, original founder of CentOS,
    founder of Rocky Linux and CEO of CIQ:
    Advertises his company via Google to migrate AlmaLinux to Rocky Linux.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    I just made a list of the pros and cons (draft, things that come to mind first)
    when choosing a CentOS 8 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (RHEL) replacement.
    Feel free to add points. This is a rolling topic.

    Rocky Linux

    Pros: Community-based, 1:1 binary compatible with RHEL.
    Updates on average within the same day or within a few days, cross reference.
    At first glance, the ultimate open source dream.

    Cons:
    Appear to be quite activist. Is this good for the stability on the long term?
    Do they continue to exist. The founder of Rocky, is also the founder of CentOS.
    And has apparently stepped down more often. Because he has been down this road before. Why will it work now then?

    With a relatively small team of volunteers. Do update releases stay on time?
    If you depend on volunteers and only relying on volunteers, releases or updates like what happened at a similar project: CentOS (pre Red Hat) to used to arrive later or even months later, with a kind of equal number of volunteers.

    In the beginning, volunteer work is a lot of fun.
    The call for a CentOS 8 replacement was strong at the outset. But what about 6,7,8,9 and even 10 years from now? Will there still be so many volunteers active for Rocky Linux? Obviously active in the sense of active with many available hours per week, not just half an hour.

    It seems that Rocky Linux is owned and controlled by one person only: Gregory Kurtzer and is a for-profit B-corp. Does this correspond to a community project?

    I don't know if it's convenient when the absolute power is with one person only.
    Nice to see a club of volunteers being built around Rocky Linux. The fact that one person can determine everything is open source project based and history-wise proven to work bad.

    In fact. There is even a concrete example. In the same landscape, very close to Rocky Linux. And that is the fact that CentOS almost went down with a similar case in the past.

    AlmaLinux

    Pros: Recommended by several Red Hat (CentOS) developers.
    AlmaLinux is working very closely with Red Hat developers.
    1:1 binary compatible with RHEL. Updates on average within the same day.
    Looking at the changelogs, the distro in general and the updates are co-provided by CloudLinux related personnel (example Sergey Fokin).

    So not dependent on volunteers and volunteering time when it suits, but rotating in a shift. CloudLinux is basically exactly the same (RHEL) like AlmaLinux who handled it both smartly. By making use of each other's knowledge and skills. After all, RHEL was repackaged by the same CloudLinux followers anyway to provide the CloudLinux distribution. The infrastruture was already there, the people and the knowledge were already there, and the repackaged RPMs more or less already too. Only a different branding with a different kernel and additional web related APPS differ CloudLinux with AlmaLinux.

    Cons: Not pioneers of free software. Hopefully, they will keep the promise on their homepage – “Always free, always open source.” – And it does not devolve into a bunch of paid addons (Just like CloudLinux related software and services).
    Or that they will start serve ads in the future. Like the same as Ubuntu did with Amazon and Ubuntu Enterprise services.

    CloudLinux has created a foundation to ensure independence for AlmaLinux.
    But as indicated above. There are many CloudLinux related (paid) employees involved. And CloudLinux has invested quite a bit of money in AlmaLinux.
    What if CloudLinux withdraws from AlmaLinux? AlmaLinux does not seem self-sufficient without the provision of investments and staff by CloudLinux.

    Oracle Linux

    Pros: Oracle Linux, a rebuild of RHEL that has been around for a long time with a proven track record. Compatibility with other Oracle products: Tight integration with Oracle’s hardware and software products, including most database applications.
    Updates on average within the same day. Oracle is a very large company with many available working power 24/7. Releasing bug fixes or security updates ontime in general for Oracle Linux is not a problem at all.

    Cons: Binary compatible with RHEL, but not 1:1. As Oracle add own code, patches (example) and bug fixes. Oracle seems focused on monetizing. As seen with their large business software and services. So who says that Oracle Linux will remain free?

    Many programmers and system administrators hate Oracle, down to the bone.
    Many in the industry still feel that Oracle has been infamous for bait and switch tactics. Does that add to the positivity (team interest) when choosing Oracle Linux to work with?
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2022
  5. Fritz

    Fritz New Member

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    Whoo this is quite an extensive selection. Are you a journalist or something? :)
    @buik @eva2000 @everyone My question to you guys. Which CentOS 8 equivalent would you recommend?
     
  6. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    That really depends on what your purpose is.
    Are you going for Oracle hardware and/or software such as database software.
    Then Oracle Linux.

    For a VPS server or simple dedicated server, it doesn't really matter.
    With today's knowledge, perhaps I will have a slight preference for team AlmaLinux because AlmaLinux is working very closely with Red Hat developers. And AlmaLinux is recommended by several Red Hat (CentOS) developers. As illustrated above.

    But that's about all. It doesn't matter that much.
    It's just my first feeling. After all, CentOS has only been EOL for a few days. In other words, it's only just beginning. We will see where the distros stand in a few years.

    The big advantage of all these RHEL clones is that it is all compatible with each other.
    If a supplier stops supporting and maintaining their RHEL clone.
    In the future, or take a different course (as CentnOS did), become slower in releasing releases and updates or whatever else. Then you can always switch with the migration script as written in post #1.

    Perhaps @eva2000 has a different view. Just ask him ;)
     
  7. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    EuroLinux added on the list as drop in replacement, binary compatible with CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and other binary compatible clones. EuroLinux 7 and EuroLinux 8 are available and the equivalent of respectively Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.

    EuroLinux has the same licensing model than Oracle Linux.
    The bits are free. If any support is desired. Then it is available at an additional cost.
     
  8. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Centmin Mod's compatibility focus moving forward will be for AlmaLinux and then Rocky Linux as per sticky at https://community.centminmod.com/threads/centmin-mod-centos-8-compatibility-worklog.18372/

    Thanks for the heads up :)

    Nice run down of the alternatives :)
     
  9. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Added SUSE Liberty Linux
    SUSE Liberty Linux is the equivalent of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.

    SUSE Liberty Linux has the same licensing model as Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
    The bits and if any support is desired. Is available subscription-based.

    SUSE Liberty Linux will probably be used by companies that have mostly SUSE-based servers with a few (remaining) RHEL servers. They can then get support and updates for the entire server park from one vendor.
     
  10. Fritz

    Fritz New Member

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  11. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    This is the end.
    CentOS Linux 8 is no more.
    As a final step, CentOS Linux 8 has now also been removed from the mirror network.
     
  12. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    PowerDNS is moving CentOS 8 builds to Oracle Linux 8.

     
  13. eva2000

    eva2000 Administrator Staff Member

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    Yeah looks like removing CentOS 8 from mirror network, is forcing people to make a choice if they haven't already and are running CentOS 8!
     
  14. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Exactly that. At OVH, they also seem to have woken up.
     
  15. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Okay the first critical CVE has been released since CentOS 8 (EOL) went end of life.
    If you are a Samba user on CentOS 8, it is strongly recommended that you migrate to an up-to-date Enterprise Linux 8 alternative. This also applies to other CentOS 8 users.
    CentOS 8 is no longer supported nor maintained. Samba updates, critical security updates, security updates, bug fixes and feature enhancements -updates are no longer released for CentOS 8.

    There will be more CVEs to come.
    The question is not if but when.
     
  16. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    It's pretty hard for me to write it (I know quite a few Red Hat developers personally),
    but I don't recommend CentOS Stream.

    A concrete example is the critical CVE on Samba.
    An update is available for Enterprise Linux for an entire workweek.
    For Stream, no update released yet.

    Also, no time is yet known when an update for the critical Samba vulnerability is expected. There is absolutely no clarity nor certainty.

    In my opinion, you really can't make that if you do ask your users continuously to give up CentOS 8 for CentOS Stream. Stream users are stuck for an entire workweek right now, with a Samba system that has a critical CVE leak in it. Without clarity on when an update does come out. That doesn't make any sense.

    In short dear users, look beyond the marteking talk. CentOS Stream is in fact Red Hat Enterprise Linux beta. This has now been confirmed time and again.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2022
  17. Fritz

    Fritz New Member

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    AlmaLinux is running great so far.
    But yeah of course as it is a copy of Red Hat's one. So the same.
    Spinned a copied VPS at the same time running Rocky Linux.
    Both copies of Red Hat so I think that the AlmaLinux v.s. Rocky Linux depends on release time of updates, full new releases etc. The rest feels the same, with a different sauce.
     
  18. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Oracle has commissioned a study to determine the best OS to replace CentOS.
    As CentOS 8 is end of life (EOL).

    The Winner for the Best CentOS Linux Replacement is

    Although it has the appearance of being a privileged research.
    It does give a good impression of what is possible after the life of CentOS (Six Ws).
     
  19. Fritz

    Fritz New Member

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  20. buik

    buik “The best traveler is one without a camera.”

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    Still no update on the critical Samba CVE and CentOS Stream.
    They are apparently too busy with marketing, Fosdem and Stream.
    Because remember. CentOS Stream is: Stable and continuous LOL