DEV Community: Lingen Liu

Is Oracle Linux A Reliable Cloned RHEL Linux

Lingen Liu — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:25:07 +0000

In the world of Linux servers, the Red Hat family is the most favored and widely used series. Started with Red Hat and then was cloned into different distributions.

CentOS was the most popular and used free Red Hat clone distribution. Before Red Hat acquired it and transformed it into CentOS Stream.
Rocky and AlmaLinux are emerging distributions that gained popularity as alternatives to CentOS. There are aims for offering a consistent target like the previous CentOS.

But, in the Red Hat family, there is a version that is a little less used and recognized: Oracle Linux.

I will briefly introduce Oracle Linux in this article.

Who created Oracle Linux?

As the name suggests, Oracle Linux is released by the well-known company Oracle. It is also known as Oracle Enterprise Linux or OEL.

Is Oracle Linux Free?

Yes, you do not need to pay to use Oracle Linux.

But, it also offers commercial extended support. You can purchase paid services.

Is It a clone of Red Hat?

Yes. It is a Linux distribution built by recompiling the source code of Red Hat.

But, it differs from CentOS because it is not simply a clone of RHEL but enhances it.

Oracle is a giant with powerful capabilities in technology. So Oracle Linux is not just simply cloned RHEL but made many improvements.

For example, Ksplice allows kernel updates without reboot. It is provided in Oracle Linux. There are many enhancements like Ksplice in Oracle Linux.

Furthermore, Oracle Linux offers two different versions: RHCK and UEK.

RHCK and UEK

Oracle provides two different versions.

Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK)

This version uses the same kernel as Red Hat. It is similar to the CentOS distribution series. Since it uses the same kernel as RHEL, its stability, and compatibility are guaranteed.

Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK)

UEK is shipped with an up-to-date mainstream kernel. And includes many enhancements created by Oracle, such as RDS, async I/O, OCFS2, and networking.

Different with RHCK, UEK is an enhancement version of REHL

Although it delivers different kernels, Oracle still promises 100% compatibility with RHEL.

5. Advantages of Oracle Linux

Oracle Linux has its unique advantages when compared with Others.

Reliable compatibility with Oracle products

While it may not be as popular as CentOS etc, Oracle Linux is widely used within the company for many of its products. For example, Oracle Cloud uses Oracle Linux.

Other Oracle products that run more reliably on Oracle Linux include:

Oracle Exadata
Oracle Private Cloud Appliance
Oracle Big Data Appliance
Oracle Exalytics
Oracle Database Appliance

Choosing Oracle Linux is an excellent option if you are using Oracle products.

Strong technical support from Oracle

Oracle Linux is not just simply a clone of RHEL, it added many enhancements.

Oracle Linux has made significant improvements. Also with strong integration with many Oracle products. This makes Oracle Linux a reliable and distinctive Linux distribution.

Especially if you are using Oracle products, Oracle Linux is more reliable.

Better compatibility with specific hardware

Oracle Linux provides better compatibility and support for many hardware.

Oracle Linux was certified with many hardware, including IBM, Dell, Lenovo, Cisco, etc.

Additionally, Oracle/Sun hardware servers often come bundled with Oracle Linux by default.

6. Disadvantages of Oracle Linux

Oracle Linux is not as popular as CentOS except in its own ecosystem.

It has some disadvantages that make it less popular compared to CentOS/Rocky Linux.

Poor reputation in the open-source community

Well, this is a significant disadvantage.

Linux is an operating system that is closely associated with the open-source community.

But Oracle's reputation in the open-source world is quite poor.

Most companies will choose RHEL for paid options and CentOS/Rocky Linux for free options.

Except for using Oracle products, there is no special reason to choose Oracle Linux.

It is a cloned and enhanced version

Oracle Linux has made significant enhancements and improvements thanks to Oracle's strong ablity.

But it is still a cloned version of RHEL. And made some changes based on it.

So, When Oralce Linux Compared with RHEL, RHEL is still considered more reliable.

Less contribution, Less community support.

Oracle Linux benefits from open source as others.

But it contributes much less to the Linux kernel compared to Red Hat and Ubuntu, etc.

So Oracle does not have strong community support as CentOS and others.

8. Is Oracle Linux Suitable For you?

It is clear that Oracle Linux is suitable for the following groups:

You are using Using Oracle Cloud or Oracle's own products
Purchasing Oracle hardware servers, which often come bundled with Oracle Linux
Having a close relationship with Oracle

If you are a member of a group in the above, Oracle Linux is a better choice for you.

Otherwise, RHEL or Rocky Linux is more suitable for you.

Linux Mint and Its Twin Brother LMDE

Lingen Liu — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:14:53 +0000

For desktop Linux, there are several popular distributions:

Fedora, the Linux desktop version of the Red Hat series.
Ubuntu is a widely popular and user-friendly desktop distribution based on Debian.

On the other hand, Linux Mint is a Linux based on Ubuntu with a similar style to the older Windows XP and has gained a large user base.

However, many people may not be aware that Linux Mint has a twin brother: LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition).

So, I will give you a brief introduction to LMDE.

Advantages of Linux Mint

Linux Mint is a desktop distribution based on Ubuntu. It offers three different versions with different desktop UI: Cinnamon, Xfce, and Mate.

Cinnamon is the primary supported version maintained by the Linux Mint team. While Ubuntu and Fedora use GNOME instead.

With many Linux distributions available, it is challenging to stand out without unique advantages.

Linux Mint has gained popularity for several main reasons:

Designed for desktop Linux

Unlike Ubuntu, which supports both desktop and server environments, Linux Mint's sole focus is on the Linux desktop.

So, Linux Mint comes with many user-friendly applications that are not found in other Linux distributions, making it easier to use.

Windows-like style

We are proud of Linux for its open-source, free, and customizable.

It's undeniable that a significant number of people still use Windows and are more accustomed to its style.

Ubuntu and Fedora, both using the GNOME desktop UI, have a style closer to macOS but not Windows, which can be challenging for many users from Windows.

In contrast, Cinnamon resembles Windows XP and Windows 7. Which makes it more user-friendly for Windows users.

Low Resources requirements

Compared to Ubuntu, Linux Mint with Cinnamon has lower hardware requirements. It only requires a minimum of 2GB of RAM, while Ubuntu requires at least 4 GB.

Since many people repurpose older machines for Linux installations. It's clear that a resource-friendly distribution is more popular.

Open-source and freedom

Linux Mint, based on Ubuntu, goes beyond just changing the UI. It is a community-driven distribution that adheres to the principles of open-source and freedom.

In contrast, Ubuntu, backed by a commercial company, has various commercial influences.

The Snap software store is not welcomed by the community because of its closed source. So Linux Mint disables Snap by default.

What is LMDE?

Linux Mint is well-known, but it actually has a twin brother: LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition).

Many people didn't know L, which is why I want to focus on it in this article and let everyone know about this alternative choice.

So, what is LMDE?

LMDE is Linux Mint built on Debian.

In short:

It is a Linux distribution developed and maintained by the Linux Mint team.
Its style closely resembles the official version of Cinnamon in Linux Mint (hence the "twin" reference).
It is built on Debian instead of Ubuntu, which Linux Mint is based on.

If you use LMDE, it may not be easy to distinguish it from Linux Mint based on its appearance alone. However, there are significant differences between them under the hood.

Built on Debian

The purpose of LMDE was to provide an alternative in case Ubuntu "disappeared" one day or faced certain restrictions (like Red Hat). To mitigate this, the Linux Mint team built LMDE on Debian.

Although built on a different base, the UI and experience of these two versions are very similar.

Cinnamon-only version

LMDE only offers the Cinnamon desktop UI and does not include Mate or Xfce.

Who is LMDE for?

Compared to Linux Mint, LMDE is more suitable for:

People who like Linux Mint or Debian but are not fond of Ubuntu.
People who prefer Debian but find its desktop environment less user-friendly.
People who are dedicated to open-source and freedom, and dislike being influenced by commercial factors.

If you belong to any of these groups, you might consider trying out LMDE. It is user-friendly, based on Debian, and fully open-source.

Disadvantages of LMDE

It is important to know that LMDE and Linux Mint appear very similar in appearance. But there are still some differences between them.

Using LMDE also comes with notable drawbacks that you need to overcome.

not as much ease of use as Linux Mint

Ubuntu gained popularity in the desktop Linux world because it invested a significant amount of effort in friendly.

Making it more friendly for Linux users.

While many programmers or Linux experts may not like Ubuntu, it's essential to remember that not everyone is a programmer. The usability of an operating system is important.

LMDE, based on Debian, strives to have a consistent style with Linux Mint, but without the support of Ubuntu, it especially reduces the ease of use.

There are some points of this:

Software installation may be inconvenient
No PPA software sources support
Upgrades may be slower
Debian tends to have older software versions and kernels.

Smaller user base, higher learning curve

As a beginner, whether you are using Linux Mint or Ubuntu, you will likely encounter many issues that have been shared by a large number of users. You can easily find solutions online as numerous people have provided them.

This is where usability shines. When you face a problem, you can Google it and find solutions effortlessly.

However, this is not the case with LMDE. Debian is primarily used in server environments rather than the desktop Linux. This means that if you encounter a problem, it may be challenging to find a solution through online searches.

For newcomers, resolving various Linux issues on their own can be quite difficult. Not everyone is a programmer, some tasks that consider simple, such as using the shell, can be challenging for ordinary users to learn.

Conclusion

If you are a Linux beginner, LMDE may not be the best fit for you. Ubuntu or Linux Mint, with their user-friendly approaches, are more suitable options.

However, if you are an experienced Linux user, LMDE, the twin brother of Linux Mint, might be a distribution worth considering and trying out.

What Does Redhat's Official Restriction on Accessing Its Source Code Mean?

Lingen Liu — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:57:41 +0000

Recently, Red Hat made changes to the accessibility of the source code for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This event has significant implications for the Linux server ecosystem.

In summary, the changes are as follows:

For the general public, the only source code that can be accessed openly is for CentOS Stream.
The source code for RHEL can still be obtained but is restricted to the Red Hat Customer Portal.
RHEL-based replicas like Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux will no longer have access to RHEL source code for replication; they can only be based on the source code of CentOS Stream.

For programmers or companies using the RHEL/CentOS series, the main impact is the inability to freely use a Linux distribution that closely resembles RHEL but lacks service support.

What You Need to Know

What changes did Red Hat make?

Red Hat released a statement, and the key sentence in this statement is as follows:

"CentOS Stream will now be the sole repository for public RHEL-related source code releases. For Red Hat customers and partners, source code will remain available via the Red Hat Customer Portal."

This means that RHEL-based replica Linux distributions like Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux will no longer have access to RHEL's source code.

Therefore, there will be no freely available Linux distributions with nearly identical stability to RHEL but without the service support.

What is the relationship between CentOS Stream and RHEL?

CentOS used to be the most famous replica of RHEL, built on the source code of RHEL. It was very popular and widely used. However, Red Hat acquired CentOS and made changes to it.

Red Hat transformed CentOS into CentOS Stream, changing it from a replica of Red Hat's Linux version to a pre-release and testing version.

Clearly, CentOS Stream cannot match the stability of CentOS. Using CentOS Stream in a production environment may not be a good choice.

Who will be affected?

The Linux distributions most affected are those like Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux. After CentOS changed to CentOS Stream, distributions like Rocky Linux emerged as replacements for the previous CentOS.

The primary advantage of these distributions remains their complete replication of RHEL, providing the same level of stability. However, without access to RHEL's source code, this significant advantage is lost.

Another affected group includes companies or individuals who favor the RHEL series. Previously, they had free options like Rocky Linux to enjoy the stability of RHEL without paying any fees.

In the future, they will have to make a choice between stability and cost.

Can RHEL be accessed and replicated based on the Red Hat Customer Portal?

Unfortunately, it cannot.

While RHEL's source code can be accessed through the Red Hat Customer Portal, it cannot be modified and redistributed based on it. Red Hat's user agreements prohibit republishing sources acquired through the customer portal.

Can replication be based on the CentOS Stream source code?

No, it cannot.

Although Red Hat has previously issued a statement claiming that CentOS Stream is still a reliable version, in reality, CentOS Stream serves as an upstream testing version for enterprises.

The stability of CentOS Stream is not sufficient to guarantee the release of new Linux distributions based on it.

Are there any other options for users?

Certainly, the open-source world always provides more and better choices.

Choose the Debian/Ubuntu series.

For me personally, after CentOS changed to CentOS Stream, I promptly switched to the Debian/Ubuntu series.

Debian is a fully open-source and free Linux distribution unaffected by commercial influences, and it is highly stable. Its stability is comparable to RHEL. Ubuntu, based on Debian, is also a popular Linux distribution.

No-cost RHEL

After the change from CentOS to CentOS Stream, Red Hat also offers the option of No-cost RHEL. Subject to certain conditions, individuals, teams, and nonprofit organizations can apply for limited free usage of RHEL. This service caters to developers, teams, and nonprofit organizations.

Linux Remains a Trustworthy Choice

Despite the changes to CentOS, both open source and Linux remain reliable choices. Regarding RHEL, although this action may upset developers, I believe it is reasonable and deserves respect.

After all, there are still many excellent open-source alternatives worthy of our attention and selection.

Debian 12 Released, Maybe It Is The Best Linux Distribution

Lingen Liu — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 02:39:27 +0000

Debian 12 was released on June 10, 2023. It may be the best Linux distribution version and definitely worth your attention and understanding.

The Outstanding Linux Distribution

Most programmers may be more familiar with CentOS or Ubuntu, and they rarely use the Debian distribution. Some people may not have even heard of Debian.

However, Debian is an outstanding Linux distribution for several reasons:

It is a purely community-managed open-source and free distribution without any influence from commercial companies or commercial interests.
Debian is the ancestor of the three major Linux distribution families (Debian, Red Hat, and Arch). Many famous Linux distributions like Ubuntu are built on Debian.
Linux is known for its stability, and among all Linux distributions, Debian is recognized as the most stable and reliable one.

Therefore, Debian is an excellent and reliable choice for Linux servers. It is also my default choice for Linux servers.

Debian 12 Release

After nearly two years of development, Debian 12 has been released with the codename “bookworm”.

Before introducing the new features of Debian 12, let’s first understand the release mechanism of Debian.

Release Mechanism

Each Linux distribution has its own release mechanism. For example, Ubuntu releases a version every six months and a Long Term Support (LTS) version every two years. Each LTS version is supported for five years, extendable to ten years with Ubuntu Pro services, while non-LTS versions are supported for only nine months.

In contrast, the release mechanism of Debian is as follows:

Simultaneous release of “Stable,” “Testing,” and “Unstable” versions. Of course, for server selection, “Stable” is the best choice.
Approximately every two years, a “Stable” version is released (not as strict and fixed as Ubuntu; it is released when development is completed). Each “Stable” version is supported for five years. There is no commercial support service (there is no commercial company behind it).

Changes in Debian 12

A brief description of the changes in Debian 12:

Kernel Upgrade, Linux kernel 6.1

Although there are numerous Linux distributions that seem to offer many choices, the essence of all Linux systems is based on the Linux kernel. The Linux kernel is the fundamental and most important core support for Linux systems.

Debian 12 has been upgraded to Linux kernel 6.1, which is a long-term support (LTS) version of the kernel and will be supported until 2026.

Numerous software upgrades to new versions

In general, one of the most important aspects of any major distribution release is the upgrade of the default-supported software. Debian 12 is no exception, as a large number of software packages in its repositories have been updated to new versions.

Let’s take some examples familiar to programmers:

Nginx 1.22
OpenJDK 17
PHP 8.2
MariaDB 10.11
PostgreSQL 15
Python 3.11.2
Vim 9.0

Debian has also upgraded its support for various desktop tools to new versions:

Gnome 43
KDE Plasma 5.27
LXDE 11
LXQt 1.2.0
MATE 1.26
Xfce 4.18

Brand new non-free-firmware mechanism

In general, communities that embrace the principles of open source and freedom tend to have reservations about proprietary software.

Debian, being built on the principles of “open source and freedom,” has never been particularly friendly to “non-free” firmware or software.

This unfriendliness is reflected in the fact that Debian’s distribution build products do not include or install certain “non-free” software by default. Before Debian 12, you had to add a “non-free” repository source yourself and manually install some “non-free” software.

Well, for server systems, this is not a significant problem. However, for desktop Linux, this is extremely unfriendly. Most hardware drivers are not open source, which means that installing a desktop system based on Debian can be very troublesome. You have to handle various hardware drivers by yourself. In contrast, Ubuntu doesn’t care about these issues at all and automatically finds and installs the necessary drivers for you. This is one of the reasons why Ubuntu is very user-friendly.

However, starting from Debian 12, a “non-free-firmware” repository source has been included and added by default. During installation, necessary firmware software or drivers will be loaded and installed as needed, which significantly improves user-friendliness.

However, it should be noted that Debian 12 still does not include the “non-free” repository by default. The “non-free” repository includes some non-open source and non-free software that is not required during system installation.

The Universal Operating System

Debian 12 has added support for Secure Boot on ARM64 architecture hardware.

Debian claims to be “The Universal Operating System,” and this is true. The reason is that Debian supports a wide range of CPU architectures, including:

32-bit PC (i386) and 64-bit PC (amd64)
64-bit ARM (arm64)
ARM EABI (armel)
ARMv7 (EABI hard-float ABI, armhf)
Little-endian MIPS (mipsel)
64-bit little-endian MIPS (mips64el)
64-bit little-endian PowerPC (ppc64el)
IBM System z (s390x)

Basically, few Linux distributions can support such a wide range of architectures.

Is Debian 12 for You?

For those who are still using Debian 11, it is generally not recommended to upgrade immediately considering the stability requirements of server systems. It is more prudent to wait until version 12.1 before considering an upgrade.

If it is a new Linux system, choosing Debian 12 is completely feasible.