AlmaLinux vs CentOS
It is more than one year since CentOS touched its life end. Since then, whispers of choosing a suitable replacement have been heard. While Alma Linux is the most nominated, AlmaLinux vs CentOS is what we are going to discuss in this article. As an administrator or an organization, you may have a lot of concerns about the best way you can migrate your servers and IT infrastructure from CentOS to your new considered OS. Also, there are some operating systems that are announced as CentOS alternatives such as Rocky Linux, Oracle Linux., Springdale Linux, ClearOS Linux, and Amazon Linux 2.
But if you are thinking of migrating to AlmaLinux, you are recommended to use this guide as the last available article that has collected all the essential points for users who need to know if AlmaLinux Alternative to CentOS or not.
If you are planning to migrate to AlmaLinux, you need a virtual machine to install your new operating system and test how it works. On the other hand, if you are running your own Linux VPS with CentOS, it is reasonable to explore the best alternative for it.
What is CentOS?
CentOS is a Linux distribution that provides a free and open-source community-supported computing platform, functionally compatible with its upstream source, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Since The CentOS Project will discontinue updates and releases of CentOS Linux® between 2021 and 2024, administrators and organizations are concerned to find the best replacement to have a safe and correct migration. To read all you need to know about CentOS, refer to our article and review what is the reason for its popularity.
What is AlmaLinux?
AlmaLinux is a free and open-source Linux distribution focused on long-term stability, providing a robust production-grade platform. AlmaLinux OS is a 1:1 binary-compatible clone of RHEL® guided and built by the community. Previously, you have read all its advantages and reviewed what exactly AlmaLinux is. It is an enterprise-grade server OS and a stable Linux distribution with regular releases.
When transitioning from CentOS and other RHEL® derivatives to AlmaLinux OS, neither expense nor time is involved, contrary to how transferring distributions is often done.
AlmaLinux vs CentOS: Are they Similar?
The similarities between CentOS and AlmaLinux are more than their differences. So, yes! We can say they are similar overall and in structure.
While CentOS and Almalinux have a 10-year to receive software updates, they both are downstream distributions of RedHat Enterprise Linux. These two operating systems are free and Community-driven. Also, CentOS and AlmaLinux follow the RPM format for package managing that increases the similarity value.
Is AlmaLinux an Ideal Alternative for CentOS?
While the CentOS project is backed by RedHat, the AlmaLinux foundation is backed by CloudLinux. But, as we mentioned, there are a few differences between CentOS and AlmaLinux. If you are concerned that AlmaLinux is new, you need to know that not only AlmaLinux was off to a great start, but also it is similar to what CentOS used to be and is similar to the current stable releases of RHEL. So, AlmaLinux is a fantastic alternative to RHEL and a solid replacement for CentOS.
Stay with us to review why AlmaLinux is considered a good replacement to migrate from CentOS.
1. AlmaLinux: A Lossless Replacement for CentOS
Your present CentOS and RHEL systems can be easily switched to AlmaLinux. System administrators can migrate their existing CentOS installations to AlmaLinux with the use of the migration tool AlmaLinux-deploy, which was created by the AlmaLinux community. You may simply switch a full operating system, including applications and customizations, from CentOS or RHEL to AlmaLinux with AlmaLinux-deploy. Your server needs to reboot only twice during the entire transfer procedure.
For businesses running hundreds of CentOS-based servers, the ability to quickly switch to AlmaLinux with little downtime is essential for business continuity.
2. AlmaLinux: Fully Financed & Supported
AlmaLinux is free, but the users will pay software developers and system admins according to the developing software costs. While Amazon, Microsoft, CloudLinux, Equinix, AND, etc are backing AlmaLinux, it is not difficult to say that it is well-funded.
In addition to funding, AlmaLinux has a sizable community of programmers, testers, and enthusiasts who contribute to the growth and success of the operating system.
3. AlmaLinux: Powers Huge Cloud Infrastructures
Despite its youth, AlmaLinux already powers significant cloud infrastructures and data centers all over the world. On CloudLinux and in other government organizations, it is frequently used. Additionally, you can launch AlmaLinux virtual machines on cloud providers like Azure and AWS.
4. AlmaLinux: Available on Both Servers and Desktops
There are desktop and server editions of AlmaLinux. As a result, businesses may create and test software on the same server operating system foundation. Additionally, if the bulk of the company uses the same operating system, system administration and other IT management decisions are considerably simpler.
AlmaLinux vs CentOS: Which Meets your Needs?
You need to decide your priorities before determining which operating system to utilize. If you are using CentOS currently, you will feel right with AlmaLinux because the two operating systems’ user interfaces are essentially identical.
RHEL or CentOS users immediately recognize their resemblance with AlmaLinux Desktop, and they will not feel strange using it. However, as a CentOS user, you still have time to think about switching to AlmaLinux or another Linux distribution since the last supported version of CentOS provides support through 2024.
FAQ
What are other CentOS Alternatives?
Rocky Linux and Oracle Linux.
Rocky Linux is a fantastic alternative to CentOS. It is comparable to AlmaLinux and is likewise based on RHEL.
Since 2006, Oracle Linux has been under development and is RHEL binary compatible. Finally, you can switch to RHEL directly.
Conclusion
In this article, CentOS vs AlmaLinux was discussed to help you reach the answer to the frequent question of whether is AlmaLinux an Alternative to CentOS or not. As you know now, the answer is Yes!
According to the DistroWatch website, when compared to other RHEL derivatives, AlmaLinux is becoming more widely used and well-liked.
Share with us your migration experience and even if you believe there is a better alternative for CentOS, introduce your option.