Summary
This whitepaper discusses the implications of the end of life for CentOS 7, which is scheduled for June 2024. The document outlines the considerations enterprises face regarding their migration options as the CentOS organization will cease providing updates. It addresses the long-standing role of CentOS as an unpaid open-source operating system favored by systems administrators since its inception in 2004. The whitepaper seeks input from the open-source community to explore migration strategies that encompass costs, risks, and operational impacts of transitioning from CentOS. Key areas of focus include the advantages and disadvantages of unpaid versus paid open-source Linux operating systems, including aspects such as software costs, support and ecosystem, security and compliance, as well as workforce skills and certification. The authors encourage stakeholders to evaluate their current environments and consider their future needs in light of the upcoming changes in CentOS support.
