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Why you should switch from CentOS to Oracle Linux
Updated October 16, 2023

Why you should switch from CentOS to Oracle Linux

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Oracle Linux

When the end of life was announced for CentOS 8, we switched some of our environments to Oracle Linux 8, as this seemed like the path of least resistance. Having previously used Oracle Linux 6, we knew that the migration would run smoothly and that everything we loved about CentOS would remain. Oracle Linux gives us the certainty of stability that we once had with CentOS--a certainty that we are not sure is there with CentOS Stream.
  • CentOS/RHEL compatibility is top notch.
  • The migration script is very easy to use.
  • Oracle Linux has been freely available since version 6, so there is the confidence that it will remain that way.
  • The repositories seem slower than the CentOS repositories.
  • It is poorly marketed to the wider enterprise Linux community.
  • Oracle's aggressive reputation does make some customers nervous about selecting it.
  • Selecting Oracle Linux has meant that the migration from CentOS 8 went ahead of schedule and within budget.
  • Oracle Linux's excellent compatibility has meant that existing software and repositories did not require massive reconfiguration or upgrades.
  • Oracle Linux's long history has provided a level of future certainty, meaning we do not need to schedule costly major upgrades anytime soon.
As CentOS Linux was nearing the end of life, we weighed up either remaining on an unsupported platform (CentOS Linux), migrating to CentOS Stream, or migrating to Oracle Linux. Oracle Linux was the best choice, as the cutting-edge nature of CentOS Stream made it unsuitable for any customer-facing or mission-critical systems, and the end of support for CentOS Linux would leave our business exposed to unnecessary risks.
The free support is nonexistent, but that said, Oracle Linux is so close to CentOS that if your sysadmins have a solid knowledge of RHEL or Centos, they should not need the support. Oracle's paid support options are aggressively pushed to customers (and so the lower rating), although you can opt-out from these sales calls, and they will mark your record as such.

Do you think Oracle Linux delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Oracle Linux's feature set?

Yes

Did Oracle Linux live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Oracle Linux go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Oracle Linux again?

Yes

Oracle Linux should be at the top of your list when considering a replacement for your CentOS 8 servers. The excellent compatibility and ease of migration mean that you have a worthy, stable replacement for your CentOS environments, without the risks of CentOS Stream or confusion with Red Hat's subscription model.