About End of Support for CentOS
Introduction.
The Community Enterprise Operating System (CentOS) is a free version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), a Linux distribution that has long been popular with businesses and developers. It is highly reliable and secure, supports a wide range of hardware and software, and is used in a variety of environments, including servers, clouds, and networks.
However, Red Hat has announced that starting in December 2021, it will stop supporting CentOS 8 and move to CentOS Stream. CentOS Stream is an upstream development version, which means that new features and updates can be tested, but full stability and support are not guaranteed. As a result, organizations and developers are faced with preparing for the end of support for CentOS.
In this essay, we will first discuss the impact and risks that the end of support for CentOS could bring. Next, we will present coping strategies that organizations can take, and finally, we will discuss the importance of preparing for the end of support for CentOS and what the future holds.
Impact of CentOS End of Support: Risks of Security and Update Deprecation
The end of support for CentOS can pose serious security risks for organizations and developers. Because CentOS will no longer receive security updates and patches, it will be more likely to be exposed to new vulnerabilities and threats. This can lead to the risk of a variety of cyberattacks such as ransomware, data breaches, and denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Systems such as web servers, mail servers, and database servers that are directly connected to the internet are particularly at risk. This is because external attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in these systems to steal sensitive data or paralyze services.
Updates to your kernel, libraries, applications, and more will also stop, meaning you won’t be able to benefit from feature enhancements, bug fixes, and performance optimizations. This can gradually degrade the stability and performance of your system. Outdated versions of software are also more likely to have compatibility issues with new hardware or technology. For example, it might not work well with newer processors, graphics cards, network equipment, etc. These issues can significantly hinder a business’s efficiency and productivity.
As such, the end of support for CentOS can pose serious security and operational risks to an organization’s IT infrastructure. To address this, organizations need to develop and execute an appropriate response strategy.
Impact of CentOS End of Support: Operational Issues for Existing Systems and Applications
The end of CentOS support will create significant challenges for organizations to operate their existing systems and applications. For starters, systems and applications will become increasingly unreliable as security updates and bug fixes are discontinued. This will increase the likelihood of unplanned downtime and errors. There may also be compatibility issues with new hardware or software. This can make it difficult to upgrade systems or introduce new applications, hindering your organization’s digital transformation.
Additionally, many software vendors will discontinue support for CentOS, making it difficult for organizations to obtain third-party support, which can increase troubleshooting and maintenance costs. Worst of all, system and application issues can disrupt business processes and service delivery. This will have a negative impact on your organization’s revenue and customer satisfaction.
Therefore, it is urgent that organizations take steps to minimize the operational challenges of CentOS end of support. Proactive measures such as taking stock of existing systems and applications, exploring alternative solutions, and creating migration plans will be necessary.
Impact of CentOS end of support: Migration and transition costs
The end of support for CentOS will result in significant migration and transition costs for enterprises. For starters, migrating from CentOS to another operating system or platform will require new systems and software licensing costs. For example, switching to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) will require annual subscription fees, and moving to other Linux distributions or cloud services will also cost money.
Additionally, labor and consulting costs for migration projects can be costly. Organizations will need to hire specialized staff or utilize outside consultants to move and rebuild existing systems and applications to the new environment, which will take more effort and cost more money, especially for more complex systems.
Data migration and integration tasks can also be a significant cost factor. Organizations need to securely transfer data stored on servers, databases, applications, and more, and integrate it in the new environment, taking care to avoid data loss or consistency issues during the process.
Finally, the cost of training and retraining employees to operate new systems and applications efficiently must also be considered. Businesses will need to put in place a structured training program to help employees quickly adapt to the new environment.
In addition to this, the opportunity cost of any operational disruptions or service delays that may occur during the migration process cannot be overlooked. Therefore, companies will need to develop a strategy to minimize migration and transition costs while ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted transition.
What organizations can do: Migrate to another Linux distribution
One coping strategy that organizations can take is to migrate to another Linux distribution. Popular options include Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. These distributions are free and open source, have ongoing community-based development and support, and support a wide range of hardware and software, minimizing compatibility issues with existing infrastructure.
However, migrating to a new distribution can present a number of challenges. First, you’ll need to safely transfer your systems and data, including servers, databases, applications, and more, which may involve risks such as downtime or data loss. You’ll also need to spend time and effort learning the new distribution’s structure, commands, tools, and more. You may also incur staff training and retraining costs.
On the cost side, you’ll also need to consider distribution license fees, migration project costs, and consulting fees. Even if you choose a free open source distribution, you may need to pay for commercial support or professional services.
On the other hand, migrating to a Linux distribution can provide your organization with several benefits. First and foremost, you can have flexibility and choice without being locked into a specific vendor. You can also expect continuous innovation and improvement, supported by the open source community. You can also customize as needed. This can help businesses save money and gain independence in the long run.
Your strategy: Shift to cloud services
Another response strategy to the end of CentOS support is to move to cloud services. Cloud services is a model in which businesses receive IT resources, such as servers, storage, networks, applications, and more, from a cloud provider instead of building and managing their own infrastructure. This allows businesses to reduce the burden of managing hardware and software and gain scalability and flexibility as needed.
Moving to cloud services can solve the security and operational issues caused by the end of support for CentOS. Cloud providers offer the latest versions of operating systems and applications and support automated updates and patches. This helps businesses protect against new vulnerabilities and threats. Cloud services also minimize upfront investment costs because businesses have the flexibility to allocate and pay for as many resources as they need.
However, there are also things to consider during the transition to the cloud. First, you’ll need to migrate your existing systems and data to the cloud. You’ll need to be careful during this process, as there may be data loss or security risks. You’ll also need training and support to help your employees adapt to the new cloud environment. You also need to make sure that the cost of cloud services is reasonable in the long run. Finally, you should carefully review the cloud service provider’s policies and contract terms to identify potential risks.
In the end, moving to a cloud service can be an effective strategy for responding to the end of support for CentOS. Organizations will need to choose the best cloud solution for their environment and requirements, and develop an organized migration plan.
Organizational response strategy: Adopt CentOS Stream or RHEL
Another option for organizations responding to the end of support for CentOS is to switch to CentOS Stream or Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Both of these options are solutions offered by Red Hat, but each has different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.
CentOS Stream is a successor to the CentOS project, and is an upstream development version of RHEL. This has the advantage of allowing new features and innovations to be incorporated quickly, but it doesn’t guarantee full stability and long-term support. As such, CentOS Stream can be a good option for development and test environments. Organizations can validate and apply new technologies in advance, and updates and patches are constantly available. However, in production environments, caution is required due to the risk of unexpected issues or outages.
RHEL, on the other hand, is a commercial distribution designed for enterprises and is known for its stability, security, and long-term support. RHEL goes through a rigorous testing and certification process and is supported for five to 10 years. You also have access to technical support and professional services from Red Hat. However, RHEL is a paid subscription model, which can be costly. Organizations should choose the appropriate subscription option based on their size and needs.
When organizations switch to CentOS Stream or RHEL, there are a number of considerations during the migration process. First, existing systems, applications, and data need to be moved securely to the new environment. It’s important to minimize the risk of disruption and data loss during this process. There will also be a period of employee training and adaptation to the new environment. On the cost side, you’ll need to consider licensing fees, migration project costs, and consulting fees. Finally, you should also be mindful of the risk of being locked into a single vendor, Red Hat.
In summary, CentOS Stream and RHEL each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and organizations should carefully choose the option that fits their environment and needs. If stability and long-term support are important to you, RHEL might be a good fit, but you’ll also need to consider the cost. On the other hand, if you want innovation and flexibility, CentOS Stream is the way to go, but you’ll also need to consider the risks to your production environment. Whatever you choose, a well-organized migration plan and thorough preparation will be essential.
Your organization’s response strategy: Resource and cost planning
To effectively respond to the end of support for CentOS, it is important for organizations to carefully plan the resources and costs required. This is because significant costs can be incurred in a variety of areas, including migration projects, building new infrastructure, training employees, and more.
To start, organizations should conduct a thorough assessment of their current IT environment and requirements. They should identify which systems and applications are using CentOS, their criticality and dependencies, and determine the scope and timeline of the migration, taking into account future business goals and priorities.
Based on this, organizations need to develop a detailed resource plan. Identify and secure the necessary staffing and expertise, hardware and software resources, external consulting, and more. They should also clarify timelines and responsibilities for tasks such as data migration, integration testing, and staff training.
Cost planning is also important. Businesses need to estimate and budget for migration project costs, new infrastructure and licensing costs, consulting fees, operations and maintenance costs, and more. Consider not only short-term costs but also long-term total cost of ownership (TCO) to optimize costs and avoid budget overruns.
Above all, organizations should focus on ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of their IT infrastructure going forward, not just moving away from CentOS. They should look for cost-effective and flexible solutions that take a long-term view, such as moving to the cloud, leveraging open source, and increasing automation and monitoring. By doing so, organizations will be able to use the end of support for CentOS as an opportunity to achieve digital transformation.
Conclusion.
In this essay, we discussed the key impacts of CentOS end of support on organizations and strategies to respond. The end of support for CentOS can lead to a variety of challenges, including increased security risks, system and application operational issues, and migration and transition costs. We suggested strategies for responding, including migrating to another Linux distribution or cloud service, adopting CentOS Stream or RHEL, and planning for resources and costs.
Preparing for the end of CentOS support is essential to ensure the safety of your organization’s IT infrastructure and business continuity. Without a proper response strategy in place, organizations could face risks such as security incidents, service interruptions, and increased costs. Therefore, organizations should thoroughly assess their current environment, develop a migration plan, and secure the necessary resources and costs.
Going forward, organizations need to look beyond short-term migration responses and take a long-term view to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of their IT infrastructure. Strategies such as moving to the cloud, leveraging open source, and enhancing automation and monitoring will help them become more cost-effective, flexible, and digitally transformed. This will require continued technology investments, workforce empowerment, and change management.
