My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are desktops for scientists and for development.
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Consistent desktops have supported scientific collaboration while slower updates have needed tradeoffs
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The main reason that we use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the fact that it is stable and thoroughly tested, so we do not experience a lot of bugs and lockups. This enables our developers to work on a more consistent basis.
The feature I appreciate the most in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is using NFS for network file shares, as it makes collaboration easier. This feature improves my company because we can create data shares where multiple scientists and users can collaborate and share data in one space without having to retrieve something separately, as it is already available for us.
What needs improvement?
Everything can be improved in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The only thing that comes to mind is perhaps the speed in which newer packages are deployed. However, that is because everything has to be thoroughly tested to maintain uptime. That is a tradeoff that you must accept. Otherwise, I have truly enjoyed using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Even before I used Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I used CentOS, and I have always enjoyed it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for 23 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped us mitigate downtime and lower risks because we do use Satellite.
Satellite has helped us mitigate downtime absolutely. Even with people who are using Fedora, which is more advanced and more buggy, being able to patch at will has helped us tremendously.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have worked with everything from desktops and local desktop computers to clustered servers in terms of the scalability of the platform, and I have not had any issues. I have even run the workstation versions on server-level hardware and it has worked flawlessly.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and technical support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) have been phenomenal. We had one dedicated person, and he has retired, and I miss him. His name was Rick Ring, and he worked with us consistently, so he was on-site all the time. That was very helpful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I considered Ubuntu while using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because we had some scientists who wanted Ubuntu because of the newer packages. However, the support for it is not as strong. Red Hat's biggest strength is their support. With Ubuntu, it is open-source community support, and you do not have someone dedicated to help you fix something. That has been the significant differentiator for us.
How was the initial setup?
My experience has been that building images for us has been more of a base image then using Ansible Playbooks to configure it. Being able to build a completely configured image with the Image Builder would save us some time. That is not my decision, but I will be able to go back and tell people about it.
What was our ROI?
The biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), from my point of view, is the stability and uptime. You are not having to spend man-hours troubleshooting or configuring something as much because the work has been put in on the back end before it was released to make sure everything is working. This has always helped us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I have just a very little bit of experience with the pricing, the setup cost, and the licensing. A few years ago when they went to a multi-core processing model, it threw us off a little bit. However, we as a site have site licenses, so the amount of systems we have is not really an issue. The government comes up with a bunch of money up front and pays for it.
What other advice do I have?
Since I am in government, we do not use any features in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to navigate our security risks. We have independent security standards called STIGs, which we use OpenSCAP to harden our services based on what the Department of Energy wants.
I have not tried using either Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Image Builder or System Roles, but I was recently in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10 lab and got to experiment with it. It is very interesting.
I have not implemented Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for AI workloads, but there are other people in my lab who are working with it. We have an entire AI department that is working on that kind of project right now. From what I have heard, the outcome of using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for our AI service is that it works, though I do not know much about the internals of it.
The role that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays in my company's implementation of the Zero Trust model is that we actually use Active Directory, so we use SSSD in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). We do not really use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)'s internal identification system.
I have not done a major version upgrade with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Ansible, but I have used Leapp to go from 7 to 8 and 8 to 9. That has worked very well.
My company's process for managing regulatory compliance involves getting our security stipulations down from the Feds, and Red Hat works closely with us. They have a government sector dedicated to the Department of Energy strictly to work with us and are on-site constantly. If we come up with a bug or find something new, we use something called FIPS, which is very important. When FIPS has broken something, they have put in new packages and we get a hold of them, and they come up with a fix for it, usually the next day. That has been really beneficial.
I feel that the knowledge base offered by Red Hat is helpful because I have gone on their support website for questions, such as how to resubscribe to a Satellite dish, and it is usually fairly easy to find answers on the website.
The deployment experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has been better. From version 7, which I started with way back at version 3, to versions 8 and 9 has been much easier with our Ansible Playbooks. Hopefully, I will be able to get on version 10 soon and I will try the images with that. The experience has been very positive.
Platform has supported critical operations securely and simplifies identity and access control
What is our primary use case?
My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include day-to-day operations and a lot of production systems. That is mainly what we do.
What is most valuable?
When it comes to pain points, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps us solve various issues. A lot of our systems are proprietary, so we develop on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) system, making it hard to answer what Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) does that we couldn't do without it, because we build on top of it, and if we can't find a solution, we reach out to support for help.
I do appreciate the OpenShift product in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and I am interested in the new feature, the MCP, which I found fascinating after seeing it yesterday.
We definitely use the Identity Management features in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a lot, especially the rollback features and primarily the RBAC features, which are the brains of the system right now, even though the projects I work on are locked down significantly, so we cannot use all the tools in the toolbox.
In my company's implementation of the zero-trust model, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a role mainly in the identification process, along with other tools we embed with it, focusing on identification and scaling, including a lot of tokens.
I love the knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which I use all the time because there is always something in there that can serve as a reference, guiding me or providing solutions to solve my problems. I often encounter the same solutions for issues I have seen before.
What needs improvement?
I have not tried either Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Image Builder or System Roles, but I plan on working with Image Builder as I think I signed up for it, though I am not certain if that is today or tomorrow.
I have not tried to work with AI workloads using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but I recently attended a talk about that with the Agent AI, which was new to me, and I took snapshots and pictures, planning to introduce it to the team sometime this week.
Mitigating downtime with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is tough to assess because of patching, which is inconsistent sometimes. Other systems installed on top can sometimes break systems, but we resolve those issues as they arise.
I do not know how Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be improved because I have not played with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10 yet. I am still learning as I go, having downloaded it and staged it, but I have not really tinkered with it yet.
I do not want any improvements in my workflow because new features are always coming out, which I appreciate. Each new release brings along something new that we work on implementing into our current pipeline.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for at least 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not experienced downtime, crashes, or performance issues with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). If there were any, they would likely be due to some type of tool installed on top that was not compatible with updated patches, but overall, out of the box, there are no problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales well with the growing needs of my company. We have upgraded from version 7 to 9 without problems, and the migration has been straightforward, although I think version 10 might have some features that are not compatible, but I am not completely certain.
How are customer service and support?
My experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)'s customer service and technical support has been excellent. I love them and have no complaints.
From my point of view, the biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the support. I love the support because when I put in a ticket or reach out, it is always excellent, and they never leave me waiting for days, providing feedback promptly.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I think my company was using another solution, possibly something like AIX or another Unix flavor, but I am not entirely certain what it was.
I do not know why they migrated to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), as that was before I started. I just know there are still some legacy systems out there.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) depends on your knowledge or experience. We do a lot of kickstarts, making deployment easy, but if something needs to be done manually, it might take a while. However, so far, it has been pretty much streamlined, so we are happy.
What was our ROI?
From my point of view, the biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the support. I love the support because when I put in a ticket or reach out, it is always excellent, and they never leave me waiting for days, providing feedback promptly.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have considered other solutions like Ubuntu, but right now, we are still using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) wins because currently, everybody is familiar with it and they are happy with it. We prefer not to fix what is not broken, so we are content and happy with what we have.
What other advice do I have?
I have not done a major version upgrade with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Ansible Automation Platform, but that is in the pipeline, likely next quarter.
My experience using Ansible overall is good so far. I am used to doing it the old way, but now that we finally have an Ansible platform, it is better than when I was running playbooks manually from my workstation.
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) since version 4, having used it for a long time with my current baseline systems ranging from version 7 to 9, as we try to migrate over to version 10.
I have used Ansible as well.
I know OpenShift is expensive and while I just put in requests, if they fill their budget, I am happy because that is above me.
My overall review rating for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 9 out of 10.
Standardization has reduced platforms and created a centrally managed, automated environment
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is as a server for our database servers, our middleware servers, and the application servers. Everything besides SAP falls into this category. SAP is currently running on SUSE Linux.
What is most valuable?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me solve pain points by being a quite integrated system. Working together with Ansible and the Ansible Automation Platform, we did a lot to have a standardized platform, including consistent hardening and everything in a very good managed way.
The features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) I like the most are its central management, which is really good to have, including some connections to our CMDB to see what is in our inventory, what is used and so on. That is quite beneficial.
What needs improvement?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be improved by enhancing its central tools side. We use a lot of automated discovery for CMDB topics through Satellite and the facts. It would be really interesting to have a more consistent inventory already in place that we can access to pull into a CMDB because we have a highly automated approach there, and there is some room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in this field for twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding the reliability and stability of the platform, I have not experienced any downtime or crashes on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) side. We are quite stable and do not have major issues with that.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is more based on our hypervisor level; we mainly use VMware, so the scalability is essentially at this level. We do not have any issues at the OS level itself.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is quite good. We also did some projects with the consulting of Red Hat directly to bring in the OpenShift features, and we are very happy with how they manage that. I would rate the customer service and technical support a nine out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), we used AIX, which was replaced. We also used HPUX, which was replaced. We still have SUSE in place for our SAP systems, which we maintain as well.
The difference between those products and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that I think Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is one of the biggest players. I am trying to find a reliable player in the market for the future. We obviously tried to pull out these niche products. AIX is now a niche product. HPUX is dying, and all those products are from the past. We had to maintain them to a certain point as the applications were there, but now we have migrated most of them to the modern platforms, which helps with reducing costs as we do not have to maintain many platforms.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process for us is straightforward; we now have a fully automated process, so that is quite easy for us.
What was our ROI?
The biggest return on investment for me when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), from my point of view, relates to standardization, allowing us to have fewer operating systems. We are currently using just two OS providers on Linux, which makes maintainability easier.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that the pricing is acceptable for us. As a big company, I would say it is fair pricing right now. We have to observe that a lot of companies are increasing their prices significantly over the last decades, like VMware and so on. We keep a close look at that, but currently, it is acceptable pricing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have not considered switching from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) at any time since purchasing it.
What other advice do I have?
We use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on-premises.
We also use Lightspeed.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has not yet helped our AI workloads. We do not have many AI workloads right now. We are having a couple of pilot projects in AWS on AWS native workloads, but it is just in a starting phase. Therefore, there is not a high demand right now in our company.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a role in our company's implementation of the zero-trust model mainly on the workload side since we have a couple of other products around regarding network and other areas. We are using mainly server functionality from Red Hat in our current setup and not the on-top products.
We have done a major version upgrade with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and the Ansible Automation Platform. We have a quite good life cycle, so we are running through the life cycles each year to the new versions.
The experience has been good. We have not had any major issues. This year, we are also doing in-place upgrades. Before that, we did replacements with new machines and migrations, but since this year we are running in-place upgrades, which is quite good and causes less trouble than expected.
Our company's process for managing regulatory compliance is more related to the auditing we obviously have with NIS2 and all this in the EU. Each year, we have a couple of audits ongoing. However, the audits themselves do not really look into the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) implementation; it is more on a higher level. We are obviously pulling reports for the audit of the hardening compliance and so on of our systems to prove that the things are implemented.
My overall experience using the Ansible Automation Platform has been quite good. We come from an infrastructure where we had a lot of managed service providers using their own automations. About five years ago, we decided to stop that and build our own automation platform. All our managed service providers have to use that. We developed that, set it up, and it is a really good success story as we now have all our automations internal. We have full responsibility for it, which works out quite well, allowing us not to change anything if we have to change a provider in the backend.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped to mitigate downtime and lower risks at my company mainly through controlling planned downtime. This means if we are doing patching and so on, we have a good setup with our CMDB to maintain controlled patching cycles and reboot cycles over our whole environment in the agreed timeframes and windows. It does not really help to mitigate downtimes, but it makes the planning of downtimes better.
The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is quite good and has improved a lot. We can quickly find what we need. My team uses it a lot.
My advice to other companies considering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is to focus from the start on having automation in place. Do not wait too long, as it makes things much easier if we implement everything through automation from the beginning rather than doing it manually. My overall rating for this review is nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Secure automation has improved compliance and supports a zero trust model for hybrid workloads
What is our primary use case?
My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) today include developing applications and managing server environments efficiently. I use Red Hat Satellite and Red Hat Lightspeed overall, which streamline our operations significantly.
What is most valuable?
RHEL helps me solve various pain points, such as ensuring system stability and security across our infrastructure. I particularly appreciate the advanced security features of RHEL the most, as they enhance our overall protection.
RHEL plays a crucial role in my company's implementation of the zero trust model by ensuring secure identity and authentication measures. Using Ansible Automation Platform has been a smooth experience overall, enabling better automation in our workflows.
I use features in RHEL such as identity management and Satellite, which help my company maintain compliance and security. The stability and scalability of the platform are commendable, ensuring our systems can handle growth efficiently.
What needs improvement?
Regarding improvements, I think RHEL could benefit from better user interface enhancements for future releases.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my current field for several years now and have gained valuable experience during this time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
RHEL helps mitigate downtime and lower risks thanks to its robust design.
How are customer service and support?
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the customer service and technical support as an eight, as they are responsive, but there is always room for improvement.
How was the initial setup?
I would describe the deployment process of RHEL as mostly straightforward, although some challenges may arise.
What was our ROI?
From my perspective, I have seen a return on investment using RHEL, primarily through improved efficiency and system reliability.
What other advice do I have?
My company is still working on artificial intelligence workloads, as we are in the early stages of exploring this technology. I would not say that RHEL has directly helped those customers yet, as we are still gathering data on effectiveness.
Regarding the knowledge base offered by RHEL, I find it very useful and assess it highly due to its comprehensive information. I do not specifically handle insights on pricing, setup costs, or licensing, as that is managed by another department in my company.
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate RHEL overall as a nine. I advise other companies to thoroughly assess their needs before implementation.
Hybrid cloud automation has accelerated deployments and improved security and support quality
What is our primary use case?
We are a service provider and support provider for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is used for OpenShift management; Linux is the base for many IT companies, providing them with the management of their applications using the Linux operating system. In the Linux space, Red Hat is the leading company, so we utilize it.
Cloud provisioning becomes easy with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because they offer satellite automation and image builder, which simplifies the process. They also provide DHCP servers for IP allocation.
In managing hybrid cloud environments, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a crucial role; the OS is a core feature for managing solutions across AWS, Azure, and on-premise setups. It provides unified management and supports the Ansible automation platform. With customized image builders, you can build OS images based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), making it beneficial for hybrid cloud deployments, whether on AWS, Azure, GCP, or physical servers.
What is most valuable?
There are a lot of capabilities in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) that I find valuable, as it is provided by the leading company, Red Hat, which is a top Linux operating system provider. Their support, documentation, and overall offerings are significantly better compared to others, such as Ubuntu and other open-source Linux operating systems that lack proper support and documentation.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) support is among the most valuable aspects. Linux is similar everywhere, such as Ubuntu, but Red Hat's Linux offers substantial benefits, including strong support, proper documentation, training, and labs. This capability is more beneficial than what other options provide.
What needs improvement?
I believe improvements in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are required. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) should explore integrating AI, as many systems are currently incorporating AI. I believe that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) should implement some AI-driven command systems for enhanced functionality.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the past one and a half years. I am still working with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides a lot of scalability; its architecture depends on NUMA optimization, thread support, and it has a TuneD daemon for performance adjustment, allowing us to manage kernel parameters and handle high-demand workloads, such as SQL and NoSQL databases. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 also offers good network efficiency.
I would rate the scalability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) between 8 and 9. I would say it is closer to 8.
How are customer service and support?
I often communicate with the technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I would rate the support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as a 10 because it is significantly better than any other options.
I have had multiple interactions with Red Hat support, and usually, when you submit a request or ticket on their support platform, they reply immediately due to their strong and large team of experienced professionals. Any issue will get resolved, and if it is not solvable by the lower-level team, they quickly escalate it to higher-level support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not use a different solution before Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for these use cases. When I joined and during my college studies, I simply learned about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I have a basic understanding of other options but did not try them.
How was the initial setup?
I participated in the deployment and initial setup of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). For the initial setup process of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), we first need their ISO. Then we create a bootable media using that ISO; depending on whether deploying to the cloud, on-premise, or bare metal servers, we create one VM for the deployment of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Numerous internal configurations follow in the Anaconda setup, including language, time setup, NTP servers, IP, hostname setup, and the main task is to register it using the Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription manager or satellite.
I do not have any challenges during the initial setup because I have completed two Red Hat certifications in college, making me familiar with the process.
What was our ROI?
Regarding return on investment, since I am the technical person, I do not know much from a business perspective.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am happy with the pricing that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) offers. I come from a technical background, so I do not have much insight into the business side, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) offers many advantages with its support, official documentation, training, and various sessions. I think it is user-friendly and its cost will be beneficial compared to other operating systems within similar budgets.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have not used Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Image Builder yet; I have basic knowledge about it but have not utilized it.
What other advice do I have?
The management experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is good; as newer versions are released frequently, such as currently Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, updating and patching is quite easier and not a complex task.
With the provisioning of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I think it depends on the environment, whether physical, virtual, or cloud.
Security requirements were a consideration in choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in the cloud for me, as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides enhanced security. It comes with Red Hat's internal security features, making it more secure than alternative solutions. Additionally, since Linux is open source, anyone can create their own operating system using Linux base code, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) stands out for its security.
The upgrade was straightforward, moving from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8 to 9, moving from 8.6 to 9.
I use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) System Roles. System Roles were very helpful during my use of Ansible. The help from System Roles was particularly significant when using Ansible automation, as specific permissions are granted to specific roles assigned to users or groups, which can then be utilized for folder management, automatic deployments, or task performance.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) saves time effectively. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me save time, especially through automation features with Ansible, which streamlines management tasks. It also provides a ready-to-run environment with a pre-built ISO, allowing direct deployment after making some role changes and setting IP and networking configurations. By using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), if another Linux distribution takes one week, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) accomplishes the same tasks in three days.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps reduce downtime and risk. I do not think the OS significantly impacts downtime, as that is primarily dependent on application usage, such as CPU and RAM consumption. However, it does support increasing CPU thresholds and creating resource pools within the OS, allowing for alarms that help mitigate downtime. I do not believe it helps much in reducing risk.
Red Hat's knowledge base is excellent, providing labs, manuals, and constantly updated documentation. They also have a community that offers a wealth of information, along with releasing books and PDFs regularly. In addition to using the official documentation, I also engage in the Red Hat community. In the Red Hat community, people communicate with each other about the problems they encounter, and there is a wealth of official documents available for everything.
I do not face a lack of information when I encounter issues or seek to learn about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I can contribute to the community, where others may have experienced similar issues and already found solutions. Pain points that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) addresses include security, reducing time, and providing automation. I have given this product a review rating of 9 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Daily work has become smoother with clear documentation guiding upgrades and patching
What is our primary use case?
I work daily on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in my current field. I use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as a daily task, including OS upgrade and patching activities.
What is most valuable?
What I like most about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that it is very easy to handle and very user-friendly. As a non-technical person, I find it very easy to understand.
The documentation in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is very helpful for every issue. I have accessed the documentation multiple times, and it has helped me, especially when we are facing issues in OS upgrade and patching. Some steps are already mentioned in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) documentation, making it very easy to handle and solve the issues.
What needs improvement?
What I dislike about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that it has high-cost licensing, which makes it unaffordable for me to purchase a Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) license myself.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the past three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not seen any instability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), such as lagging or crashing.
How are customer service and support?
I have had to contact the technical support of Red Hat multiple times, and I find that their support is very quick and instant and also provides an instant correct alternative solution. For Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) support, I would rate them 9 out of 10.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is easy. I have already completed a Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) installation, so it was straightforward for me.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have not used any alternatives to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What other advice do I have?
I have been using Leapp in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The maintenance does require updates on my end, and our company takes care of that. I would rate this review 9 out of 10.
Years of cluster work have become smoother as I provision nodes and manage servers with confidence
What is our primary use case?
I am a RHCE certified and RHCSA certified professional. I use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to deploy the OS for node provisioning across any make of clusters. I work with the HPC cluster team and receive clusters on RHEL-based systems. Over the last seven years, I have been working with RHEL 7, RHEL 8, RHEL 9, and currently RHEL 10. I primarily work with HPC clusters.
Since creating HPC clusters is not part of my responsibilities, I focus mainly on installation, node provisioning, password management, SSH proxies, and NGINX and web server configuration.
What is most valuable?
There are several valuable features I appreciate. I can obtain any versions, software, or RPM packages easily through the subscription manager or without it. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is very hands-on for me and runs smoothly. It even runs on just 1 GB of RAM, which is excellent for my needs. The installation process is very easy compared to other distributions. Since I work with clusters, this simplicity is invaluable.
When comparing the installation process of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to other distributions, I find that a non-technical person can easily follow the prompts. The installation guides are clear and documented step-by-step. For example, the first prompt asks for language, keyboard, and installation preferences, and each step is straightforward. In contrast, Ubuntu and other distributions require creating disks and involve more complex UI elements that are not as user-friendly. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has a clean interface that allows even non-technical people to install the OS easily.
I have only studied from the direct books provided by Red Hat for RHCSA and RHCE certification, and every detail is available in their documentation and website. I appreciate the clean and detailed information provided in their resources.
What needs improvement?
I encounter pain points when trying to add patches for certain versions I need for RHEL purposes. While creating HPC clusters on RHEL 9, I sometimes need EPEL repositories for RHEL 7 or 8. Adding patches from these repositories is very painful because Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 does not easily support these older package versions. This is a recurring problem I always face.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) since I started my career, which is 6.7 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not experienced stability issues. I have used multiple OEMs including HP, Dell, Exatron, and NVIDIA servers. I always prefer recommending Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to my customers because it is very stable. I have only experienced one server crash in all my years, and that was due to an OEM issue, not Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) itself. I have never encountered data problems or server crashes from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is not an issue. I can easily add more nodes to clusters. The installation is very fast, which allows me to scale quickly. I use Ansible and PXE servers to facilitate this process, and I can scale to many servers very quickly with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
How are customer service and support?
When I was working for a customer and faced an issue while installing a package, I requested Red Hat support and they helped me resolve it.
I have raised requests in the morning around 11:00 AM and received responses within one to two hours. They ask for logs and version information, and then provide a response within approximately 30 minutes. I give Red Hat support a nine out of 10 rating. I would give a full 10 if they could push their support to be slightly faster. When someone is on-site conducting installations and encounters an issue, that person needs to wait at least one or two hours for a response. Red Hat could improve by responding a bit more quickly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding the pricing of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) subscription, I believe the pricing is fair. The support that Red Hat provides is very good. Whenever I encounter issues, Red Hat always provides fast resolution. The pricing is justified given the quality of support offered.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used Ubuntu as an alternative distribution. However, I always choose Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) over every other distribution. I started my career learning from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which is the main reason I prefer it. Additionally, Ubuntu and other distributions have many dependencies that require adding different packages and configurations. When troubleshooting on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I find solutions easily. With Ubuntu, troubleshooting requires digging much deeper.
What other advice do I have?
I have been working with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for approximately seven years.
Regarding updates and maintenance, I only need maintenance time when upgrading the OS. When upgrading the kernel version or transitioning from RHEL 8 to RHEL 9, I only need to install the RPMs and reboot the server once. Maintenance primarily involves patching and the subsequent reboot requirement.
Every time a cluster issue occurs, Red Hat never requests high downtime or suggests data loss scenarios. They maintain very low risk and require very low downtime.
Strong security and automation have supported reliable hybrid deployments and growth
What is our primary use case?
I work with both the cloud version and the on-premises version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I have worked with Red Hat Cloud and Red Hat Enterprise on-premises.
For the cloud-based products, the main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include deploying websites and complex software for customers, such as SaaS software on the cloud, specifically Red Hat Cloud.
What is most valuable?
When choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in the cloud, security requirements were not a consideration for me because Red Hat provides us with the SLA regarding security compliance. I am more than satisfied to use Red Hat Cloud for security purposes, while I manage some other forms of security, such as my own keys and access in Red Hat Linux systems.
I really appreciate the zero trust networking that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has, and it also provides the WAF, along with certified images from Red Hat. For my current work on containers, Red Hat provides certified images that minimize vulnerabilities of CVEs, improving security significantly.
Although I do not have much knowledge about virtualization technology, I can say that for the hybrid cloud on OpenShift with the operators provided by Red Hat, the ready-to-use operators take care of underlying security, patching, and updates, so I do not have to handle monitoring or security myself.
Security is highlighted as an advantage across various aspects, such as the zero trust networking feature and the availability of certified images, which are instrumental in minimizing vulnerabilities and enhancing security.
What needs improvement?
While there are good aspects, I would appreciate improvements in the command-line interface (CLI). Red Hat could do more on the CLI side instead of focusing so much on UI development.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding stability, I have not experienced performance issues, crashes, or downtimes with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL); any problems usually arise from my applications, not from the Linux system.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is definitely scalable.
Whether I have expanded the usage of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) depends on the business requirements, as RHEL comes with a cost that my company can afford because IBM owns Red Hat, so everything scales on RHEL.
How are customer service and support?
Regarding my experience with Red Hat's technical support team, I find that they come very quickly with answers. However, sometimes the first person who responds might be a technical support agent without in-depth knowledge, so for more complex issues, a specialized engineer comes to the rescue, depending on the criticality of the subject, especially if it is production or a staging environment. They answer according to the SLA and support terms.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Determining whether Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is cost-effective depends entirely on the business. If your business faces compromises leading to significant losses, then investing in Red Hat Enterprise is truly necessary. However, if your business is small or medium-sized, you can manage with the free versions.
How was the initial setup?
Regarding the deployment aspect, my experience has been straightforward because it is all automated with Ansible; all I need to do is provide an IP address, and it takes care of all the variables and boots up automatically.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding the pricing, setup costs, and licensing costs of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I have heard that the licensing cost is significant compared to free alternatives such as CentOS or AlmaLinux, which are managed by Red Hat. I previously used CentOS, which is free, but I had to manage everything, including security, patching, reboots, and storage.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The key differences between Red Hat and other Linux technologies I have used include the advantages of excellent technical support, good documentation, and a large community for problem-solving. A disadvantage is that it is not open source, meaning limited flexibility, and the high cost associated with Red Hat compared to others.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise other organizations considering Red Hat to start using it as their applications grow larger, rather than waiting for their business to become huge, as delays can lead to complications.
Currently, I am working on bare-metal services where I install Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Using AWS for Red Hat is indeed a good option, as you can get the image directly from AWS with a subscription cost per hour for Red Hat licensing.
Red Hat helps keep applications operational because it provides built-in monitoring tools that offer a good overview of all running services, including built-in agents that come with the Red Hat subscription to identify potential breakouts. Regarding reducing risks, Red Hat also provides secure images that indicate the latest security patches available worldwide.
The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is excellent; the documentation is fantastic and is supported by a large community that answers questions effectively.
When comparing the business value of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to other Linux distributions, I find that RHEL is more stringent with its security, requiring users to be careful not to trespass, whereas other Linux systems do not enforce such strict security measures, and users must manage security themselves.
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) overall as a product and solution at eight, possibly eight and a half.
Flexible commands have simplified cloud automation and daily containerized workflows
What is our primary use case?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is user-friendly and easy to use. The affordability and free open source nature are main points. Multiple tools can be installed easily, and the interface is very user-friendly.
I am using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on Docker. I work on Docker with both Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Docker. Installation of so many tools is easy and simple for my Red Hat machine.
What is most valuable?
The features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) that I find to be the most valuable and useful are that it is user-friendly. The command is very user-friendly and easy to use, and easy to remember. That is a main point. I install it everywhere on my cloud server because I am using a virtual machine also on my PC.
A specific feature of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that I can install multiple tools without any interruption. I can configure everything easily, such as network ports. I can configure networking using vim commands and multiple commands. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides more alternate commands for my convenience.
What needs improvement?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is very good. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides the updated latest version yearly. However, they could provide more flexibility in areas such as adding more networking features. For security reasons, since security is a main key point for privacy in upcoming years, they could provide more DPDK for fast signaling and add more new protocols.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have more than four years of experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) needs some improvement for stability. I am currently working on the latest version only. The latest version is not familiar to me, and I need to upskill on my side also. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) should provide more free courses for the upcoming or latest version that explain what changed between the latest and previous versions. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is not providing courses on sites or readable materials that explain what commands should be used.
How are customer service and support?
I have communicated with the technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Previously, I did receive technical support in my previous company, and they provided an update for my servers. I rate the technical support services of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as good, giving it a 9 out of 10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
What other advice do I have?
The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides free courses for everyday work. I am currently using shell scripting, which is very useful for automation and easy to deploy on Docker and CI/CD pipelines for Jenkins. Shell scripting is the main knowledgeable area right now.
The most important security feature in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that it provides multiple ports in the Linux machine that are connected via the kernel. The kernel is the main core of the network of Linux. No one can bypass this kernel line. The networking security feature is a main point.
I am not familiar with Image Builder for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and have not built any images using Red Hat.
Regarding the pricing of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I am not purchasing any membership right now. I purchased it previously, but I am not currently.
I chose Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because it is so user-friendly. In every server, I need to use it for security reasons, and it is user-friendly for everyone. The source code is very simple. I can create my own tools and automation scripting.
My overall rating for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 10 out of 10.
Automation with hybrid deployments has improved security and reduced downtime in daily banking work
What is our primary use case?
I work with the on-premises deployment of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
In our organization, we are using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for deployment, scheduling tasks, and automation tasks as part of our day-to-day activities. We find Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to be a very flexible operating system, meaning we can utilize this machine for years without concerns about it hanging or any issues.
Currently, we have started using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in a hybrid environment, specifically with AWS cloud along with on-premises deployments. We are in the phase of deployment and are just beginning to utilize it on the cloud.
One specific pain point that Red Hat helped us solve is automation, particularly through Ansible. It is a powerful tool that enables us to effectively automate tasks, which is incredibly helpful in our operations.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) does help me save time, especially with automation tools like Ansible. We can execute tasks and then focus on other activities, which significantly enhances our productivity.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped mitigate downtime and lower risks in the banking sector. We previously were not using cloud but have begun transitioning to a hybrid environment to enhance security and productivity, especially given our experiences with on-premises products.
What is most valuable?
I have previously used Ubuntu and CentOS as different solutions. However, since Ubuntu is not much familiar in our organization, we moved to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). CentOS has already been decommissioned and merged into Red Hat, so for the past seven years, we have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Before that, we were using Ubuntu, both in college and school days, and I have worked with different flavors and also on Oracle.
The key difference I see between Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Ubuntu is mainly in the support offered. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides 24x7 support for any critical issues we face. As we are working in the banking sector, having that support is crucial. In contrast, with Ubuntu or CentOS, we do not have timely support; we need to raise tickets and face delays in deployment and production, which is a significant drawback.
I assess the knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as very good. The training sessions are beneficial and it is totally open source, allowing us to access official sites for learning and documentation. I continuously learn with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and find plenty of free documents available for study. Compared to other operating systems like Ubuntu, there is not as much documentation, making it easier to learn using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) official resources.
The most important security features in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) stem from its open-source nature, which allows us to easily understand what happens within the system and identify potential loopholes. Additionally, SELinux is a powerful security module we use to block external threats. It also features a firewall, encryption, and uses advanced algorithms like SALT and SH5, making it difficult for malicious entities to crack the system. In essence, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has robust security features.
I have used the Image Builder of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) but not the system roles. Image Builder has proven useful for creating images.
The Image Builder is very easy and simplifies tasks, significantly reducing our workload. It saves us a lot of time compared to what we used to do previously, thereby boosting our productivity.
What needs improvement?
I have not identified any specific improvements needed in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but I would recommend reducing the cost of certification training. This would allow more people, including students, to access global certifications and deepen their interaction with the systems. Overall, I am satisfied with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and find it smooth, even as I start using newer versions like Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, which features AI functions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the last seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I find the stability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to be very good. Over the years, we have not encountered any significant issues, which is a key reason we have transitioned to using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I find Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to be scalable. Since much of it is open-source, we do not incur costs for various functionalities, reducing expenses while still being scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and technical support provided by Red Hat are very good. They respond promptly, even in off-hours, such as at 3:00 AM. We have no regrets about our decision to shift to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
I would rate the technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is very straightforward due to my prior experience. I did not face any issues, and the support from the Red Hat subscription plan has been helpful throughout the process.
What other advice do I have?
I understand the pricing aspect. We are using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as a free-of-cost OS, but we do require a subscription for support. While I am not involved at the management level, I know there is a cost for the subscription plan that provides 24x7 support, though I do not know the exact amount.
The business value of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is significant in comparison to other Linux distributions I have used, particularly because we work with banking clients that operate around the clock. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides instant response for support, allowing us to resolve issues quickly, which is crucial for maintaining productivity and operations without downtime.
I definitely recommend Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to other organizations considering it for their environment. I also suggest students download Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to learn Linux instead of opting for Ubuntu or CentOS.
Apart from Ansible, I have previously worked with OpenShift from Red Hat. While we are not currently using it, I have found it to be flexible and beneficial. However, we are mainly focused on AWS for now.
I would give Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as a product or solution a rating of 9.5 out of 10.
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