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, the choice is easy: use CERN CentOS 7 (CC7)
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 Stream 9 | 30.06.2023 (OTG0074647) |
| CentOS Stream 8 | 30.09.2023 (OTG0074647) |
| CentOS 7 | 30.06.2024 |
| AlmaLinux/RHEL 8 | 31.05.2029 |
| AlmaLinux/RHEL 9 | 31.05.2032 |