The Discontinuation of CentOS: Understanding the Factors

The reason why CentOS stopped maintaining is a strategic change in Red Hat. User response strategies include: 1. Migrating to other distributions, such as Ubuntu Server, Debian or Rocky Linux; 2. Continue to use CentOS 7 to June 2024; 3. Turning to CentOS Stream; 4. Build your own solutions, such as custom distributions based on RHEL or using container technology.

introduction

In the open source world, CentOS has always been a favorite of many system administrators and developers. However, on September 8, 2020, Red Hat announced that it would stop supporting CentOS Linux and instead launch CentOS Stream, which undoubtedly brought considerable shock to many users who rely on CentOS. Today, let’s explore the factors behind CentOS’s shutdown of maintenance and what this means for us tech enthusiasts.

Through this article, you will learn about the context of CentOS shutting down maintenance, Red Hat's strategic shift, and how to deal with this change. Whether you are a new Linux user or an experienced system administrator, you can find useful information and suggestions from it.

The glory and challenges of CentOS

CentOS, based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), has won a wide user base for its stability and freeness. As a free alternative to enterprise-class operating systems, CentOS is particularly popular in the server field. However, over time, CentOS also faces some challenges.

First of all, the development and maintenance of CentOS requires a large amount of resources, and these resources mainly come from the support of Red Hat. As Red Hat was acquired by IBM, the company's strategic focus changed, and CentOS's positioning also adjusted. Secondly, CentOS has a large and diverse user base, which makes it increasingly difficult to meet all user needs. Finally, Red Hat hopes to accelerate the RHEL development cycle by launching CentOS Stream and better interact with the open source community.

Red Hat's strategic shift

Red Hat's decision to stop supporting CentOS Linux and instead launch CentOS Stream is a multifaceted strategic consideration behind this decision. First, CentOS Stream, as an upstream version of RHEL, can integrate community innovations into RHEL faster. Secondly, Red Hat hopes to attract more developers and enterprise users to participate in RHEL development and testing through this transformation, thereby enhancing RHEL's competitiveness.

However, this shift has also caused some controversy. Many users are worried that CentOS Stream is not as stable as CentOS Linux and cannot meet the needs of production environments. In addition, the launch of CentOS Stream also means that users need to reevaluate their operating system choices, which undoubtedly increases the cost of migration and maintenance.

How to deal with the suspension of CentOS maintenance

Faced with the suspension of CentOS maintenance, users can adopt the following response strategies:

Migrate to other distributions

A common option is to migrate to other similar Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu Server, Debian, or Rocky Linux (sponsored by Greg Kurtzer, one of the founders of CentOS). Migrating to these distributions requires consideration of factors such as compatibility, learning curve, and community support.

Continue to use CentOS 7

CentOS 7 will continue to receive support until June 2024, which provides users with a buffer period. During this time, users can migrate step by step or continue to use CentOS 7 until the end of their life cycle.

Turn to CentOS Stream

If you are open to Red Hat's strategic shift, consider turning to CentOS Stream. While CentOS Stream may not be as stable as CentOS Linux, it provides faster update cycles and tighter community interaction.

Self-built solutions

For some large enterprises or users with special needs, self-built solutions may be the best choice. This may include building a custom RHEL-based distribution, or using container technology to isolate the application environment, thereby reducing dependence on the operating system.

My experience and advice

As a system administrator who has been using CentOS for a long time, I am well aware of the challenges and opportunities brought by this change. During my career, I have experienced many migrations and upgrades of operating systems, and each time I have learned new knowledge and skills.

My advice is to keep an open mind first and accept change is the norm in the technology field. Secondly, we must make plans in advance, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different solutions, and choose the solution that best suits our needs. Finally, don’t ignore the power of the community. Actively participating in the discussion and contribution of the open source community can help you better respond to future challenges.

Conclusion

Although the suspension of maintenance of CentOS has brought us a considerable impact, it also provides us with an opportunity to re-examine and optimize the system architecture. No matter which coping strategy you choose, it is important to maintain a passion for learning and exploring, embracing the diversity and innovation of the open source world. Hopefully this article provides you with some useful insights and suggestions to help you make informed decisions in the context of CentOS shutdown maintenance.

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