CentOS End of Support

Redhat has announced the sunset of CentOS (and RHEL 7). The End of Maintenance/Support for CentOS 7 is June 30, 2024. For CentOS 8, that date was December 31, 2021. As the End of Support/Service Life (EOSL) date approaches for this software, we want to ensure you clearly understand your options and the potential outcomes associated with each choice. Once the June 30, 2024 date arrives, Expedient will lose the ability to patch the systems, and we expect no new updates from the vendor. We will make every effort to assist, but please note that we will have limited recourse for software updates, potentially exposing your system to security risks, or for software break/fix.

Due to CentOS no longer being a viable code line, a new OS will need to be selected and migrated to. Expedient currently supports Rocky 9, Ubuntu 22.04, or RHEL 9. Below are notes about each.

1. Rocky 9 - Rocky Linux, founded by Gregory Kurtzer in response to CentOS' discontinuation, aims to provide a fully open-source alternative based on RHEL source code. As a downstream distribution, Rocky Linux inherits RHEL's features once tested and adopted, ensuring stability and performance. Created in 2021, Rocky Linux fills the void left by CentOS, positioning itself as an ideal choice for production servers. Gregory Kurtzer's involvement as one of CentOS' original creators lends credibility to Rocky Linux's development.

2. Ubuntu 22.04 - Ubuntu 22.04 is anticipated to introduce substantial enhancements to the operating system, such as performance optimizations, and updates to software packages. It is likely to integrate the newest stable versions of the Linux kernel. These updates enhance user experience, system stability, and overall performance.

3. RHEL 9 - CentOS is built off of RHEL. RHEL 9 has made improvements to kernel version, systemd version, and containerization to provide better performance, security, and support.

Essentially, Rocky 9 would be the closest option to CentOS 7.

The options and steps to take are below:

Option 1: Continue Operating on the Current Version and Accept the Risk

Implication: You may continue using the current software version by choosing this option, however, knowing that the vendor will no longer provide updates to address bugs and security risks is essential. Expedient will offer best-effort support, but our capabilities may be limited.

Our Commitment: We will support you to the best of our ability under these circumstances, prioritizing your system's stability and functionality. However, we cannot support you beyond our best efforts.

Option 2 (Preferred): Work with Your Expedient Support Team to Request Resources for a Migration
Implication: This option is often preferred from a business perspective as it allows us to set up your applications on a new server/VM. This approach ensures compatibility and will enable you to validate that the latest OS version won't disrupt your existing applications.

Steps:

1. Work with your Account Executive to request additional cloud resources and licensing. This would require a PCR.
2. Service Delivery would add the resources and deploy the VM.
3. The client would install their applications and move their data.
4. Once the migration is complete, an additional PCR to remove the added resources would be required to remove and decommission the old server.

Our Commitment: We will collaborate closely with you to plan and execute a seamless migration, minimizing disruptions to your operations.