Survey Says More Organizations Are Using Dead CentOS 7 Than RHEL
a year ago
- #Open Source
- #Linux
- #Enterprise Software
- CentOS 7, a discontinued RHEL clone, has more installations than RHEL itself according to the 2025 State of Open Source Report.
- Ubuntu remains the most used Linux distribution, followed by Debian, with CentOS still in use despite being end-of-life.
- Red Hat's decision to discontinue CentOS as a downstream copy led to the rise of alternatives like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.
- Enterprises continue using CentOS 7 due to high migration costs, risks of upgrading, and resistance to change.
- Extended support services, like those from TuxCare, allow companies to mitigate risks while delaying migration.
- AlmaLinux's chairperson notes that companies running CentOS plan to migrate within five years as support contracts end.