Which distribution should I use?¶
CERN supports both RHEL and AlmaLinux, and in addition some CentOS versions - so which distribution should I use?
Of the above options, there are also several different 'versions' (families such as '7', '8' or '9') which can also make the decision even more confusing.
In general we recommend to use the latest version available, as this will ensure that the choice you make lasts for the longest period of time.
If you need to use a specific family, please read on:
For the 7 family, historically CERN CentOS 7 (CC7) was recommended
CC7 is due to be deprecated within the CERN environment on 30.06.2024, see OTG0145248
For the 8 or 9 families you have two choices, either RHEL or AlmaLinux.
- Please see the table below
AlmaLinux versus RHEL¶
| Situation / Use case | Distribution to use |
|---|---|
| I use software that requires support from a vendor (eg: Oracle, WinCC OA) | RHEL should be used |
| I need to distribute a virtual machine or docker image to users outside of CERN | AlmaLinux must be used (please see the RHEL page for more details) |
| My service provides interactive access to non CERN sites (eg: lxplus or lxbatch) | AlmaLinux should be used |
| My situation is not described above, can I use either ALMA or RHEL? | Yes, you may use either - the choice is yours! |
End of Support dates¶
| Distribution | End of Support |
|---|---|
| CentOS 7 | 30.06.2024 (OTG0145248) |
| AlmaLinux/RHEL 8 | 31.05.2029 |
| AlmaLinux/RHEL 9 | 31.05.2032 |
ATS/IT CC7 agreement¶
Following the end-of-life of CC7 (30.06.2024) and through a special agreement with the Accelerator and Technology Sector, CERN IT will rebuild Red Hat's Extended Lifecycle Support (ELS) product to be consumable at CERN, for a limited duration of time. The specifics of this arrangement are as follows:
- ELS updates "may" be provided for packages that have a security vulnerability for what Red Hat defines as "Critical". This is completely at the disgression of Red Hat, includes only the 'base' operating system and only in the context of security. Bugfixes and new features are not in scope.
- CERN IT will rebuild the ELS7 product from 01.07.2024, and only until 01.07.2026
- These ELS security updates are only suitable for Front-End Computers, as others will likely rely on other software and external infrastructure
- No other repositories are in scope of this arrangement. This means that EPEL7, and CC7 koji repositories will not be supported after 30.06.2024
- CERN software for CC7 (eg: locmap, cern-get-keytab, eos, afs, etc) will not supported after 30.06.2024
- Docker, Cloud, AIMS images, configuration management, monitoring for CC7 systems will not be supported after 30.06.2024
Can my experiment / department use the ELS packages for CC7?¶
Yes, providing the system:
- Is isolated on the TN network
- Is physically difficult to access, which makes the upgrade to a more recent operating system impractible (eg: the system resides in cavern or pit)
- Does not rely on other CC7 software or infrastructure (Isolated in terms of software)
Note that running your systems like this will be under your responsibility and support will be on a best-effort basis.