My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are primarily for our production servers where we run our ERP on RHEL, and some of our developers are using RHEL as delivered through Horizon as a VDI for their development. I also use it personally.
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Unified hybrid servers have improved reliability, compliance reporting, and identity access control
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me solve pain points such as stability and multi-user access, making it easier to apply user permissions. The integrations with other environments are excellent.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) supports my hybrid cloud strategy by providing the ability to do a common build across everything, and while it is outside of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), using Ansible makes the uniformity between all of the systems on-premises and in the cloud much easier compared to Windows.
In the implementation of the Zero Trust model, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a crucial role as we run a lot of CyberArk, and all of the brokers and the PSM servers are running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), making it our infrastructure for identity and access management (IAM).
In managing regulatory compliance, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a vital role as audit is always asking for a sudoers list from our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) servers, and my ability to collect the data easily and then deliver it to the audit department is valuable.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped to mitigate downtime and lower risk primarily from a stability standpoint as we have fewer issues with those servers. The redundancy and the ability to run some backup software across the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) platforms are also beneficial.
What needs improvement?
We actually do not use any of the features such as Identity Management, Lightspeed, or Satellite in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL); instead, we are using Ansible. However, in discussions with some of the business people, we are looking at implementing Satellite.
While the features are great, making the documentation easier to navigate would be phenomenal.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the stability and reliability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a ten out of ten; I have not experienced any downtime, crashes, or performance issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For scalability, I also rate it ten out of ten; it is easy to scale out with no complaints.
How are customer service and support?
I evaluate the customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as great; I have had to open tickets and received prompt responses with no unnecessary delays. The information I need to get it fixed when I need it has been excellent.
From one to ten, I rate the customer service and technical support a ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to adopting Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I was using open-source Linux and Windows.
How was the initial setup?
My experience deploying Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is very straightforward; I have not run into any problems, and it is simple and very straightforward.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) particularly in terms of minimizing downtime by moving some of our older systems running on open-source versions of Linux over to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This shift has allowed us to get support and limit our downtime, which is crucial in our manufacturing sector where if the plant is down, they do not make money.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing have been fair; I think it offers a good value, and I do not feel it is overpriced. You pay for what you get.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
While using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), we looked at other solutions such as Ubuntu and SUSE, but there was no match.
What other advice do I have?
We do not have any AI workloads.
I have not used Lightspeed either.
The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has pretty good documentation, although it can sometimes be hard to find and navigate.
Overall, I would give Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a ten and my advice to other companies considering it is to implement it. Move forward and implement it because the support, community, software, and product are phenomenal. I rate this review a ten out of ten.
Years of reliable server hosting have supported secure proxies and critical database operations
What is our primary use case?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is used to provide servers to our users. A specific example of a service provided using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is Apache reverse proxy servers.
In addition to providing Apache reverse proxy servers, we also manage a database server on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What is most valuable?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for 10 years. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is used to provide servers to our users. A specific example of a service provided using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is Apache reverse proxy servers.
In addition to providing Apache reverse proxy servers, we also manage a database server on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my current field for 10 years.
What other advice do I have?
I advise others looking into using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to ensure you utilize the learning and training provided by Red Hat to get the most use out of it. I found that going through some of the certification process helped me familiarize myself with the features of the product.
Reliable security and automation have enabled us to run critical university services confidently
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is hosting enterprise applications that are critical to our operations.
A specific example of one of those enterprise applications I host on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is our human resources application or our learning management service because we're a university with many students who work with these applications. We also host proxy applications for both forward and reverse proxy, load balancers, and many other infrastructure components.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) effectively supports all of these applications, and we really appreciate it.
What is most valuable?
The best features Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) offers that stand out to me are the security and the consistency of the product. I know that I can trust it and that it will take care of my systems in a very secure way.
Regarding security features I rely on, the built-in capabilities of firewalld and SELinux come to mind. I also know that Red Hat's team is always working to proactively prevent things that might cause issues. Red Hat Insights is a great tool that tells me about issues that might come up and provides instruction on how to fix them, and that has been very helpful.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has positively impacted my organization by providing a stable operating system that has been very resilient and useful. I have nothing negative to say about my experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The stability and resilience have affected my team's day-to-day work and my students' experience by allowing me not to worry about how my operating system is designed, giving me time to focus on building value in other areas.
What needs improvement?
Nothing really comes to mind for how Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be improved. Red Hat's team is already working on many great things that I was not even aware of until recently, and they continuously stay ahead of anything I can think of.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for 11 plus years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We host Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in an on-premises environment with OpenShift virtualization.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)'s scalability is good; it can handle small and large VMs, so I would say it is pretty scalable. In general, an operating system is not really focused on that aspect.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has been great. Every time we open a ticket, we receive pretty fast responses, and anytime I have had a problem, escalation has worked very well. Our account team has done a good job of taking care of us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In my previous job, I had used CentOS because the company was not willing to pay for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). In my current job, they were already using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) when I moved in, but nothing has changed our mind since that time.
How was the initial setup?
I have not used Image Builder because I do not use image mode for Linux. I have used System Roles extensively and have incorporated a number of them into our automation tools to provision and update systems.
What about the implementation team?
We manage our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems by automating many of those features with Ansible, which has been a great add-on tool. That has been very satisfying; in fact, our patching is done daily automatically, and I do not have to think about it anymore.
What was our ROI?
I do not know specific details on a return on investment, but I know that our whole organization feels that it is a positive for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
As an engineer, I do not deal with pricing very much, but I find that licensing is pretty easy and works well.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated Ubuntu in particular before choosing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It works, but it does not have many of the add-on features that Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) does. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is definitely very stable, which is something I have mentioned multiple times.
What other advice do I have?
The first thing I would say to others looking into using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is do not turn off SELinux. Make sure you use it; it is very valuable.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me keep track and stay on top of keeping my environment secure and reliable, allowing me to focus on doing other things.
I have used Leapp and Red Hat Insights frequently, and they have both been really good. Leapp has been great for upgrading systems in place, and it is a pretty simple transition. Insights has been really useful for doing vulnerability assessments and remediation, and that has made that part of my job very simple.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)'s knowledge base is one of my other favorite things about Red Hat. The knowledge base is extensive and very useful, and Red Hat is always updating it with new things they learn. It has been great.
I give this review a rating of 10 out of 10.
Security compliance has been simplified and hybrid workloads run reliably in demanding environments
What is our primary use case?
We use Satellite from that list for all our catalog for everything we're pulling down, and we've recently had to upgrade to better Satellite capabilities. For the security aspects, FIPS compliance, SELinux, and all that ticks all the government boxes that we need to stay compliant with our regulations.
I use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in a hybrid manner, as I am part of the AWS team. We're starting to build a presence in AWS, so I have been putting RHEL images up into there as AMIs and working on them there, but for the most part, it's all on-premises because we run most of our operations in-house in our data centers.
Almost 80 percent of our virtual machines are on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and it's our base image for a lot of our containers, with all of our workflows using RHEL.
Our security team can be very specific about things, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) ticks all our boxes for security, FIPS compliance, SELinux, and all the security features we need. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) meshes extremely well with OpenShift, which is what we use mainly to host all our workloads.
What is most valuable?
I have been learning about a few new features, but security is my main focus. In Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, there's the new remote desktop connection that supports RDC connections, which is really valuable, allowing us to get around a couple of network issues we were having. It boots up really fast, is very lightweight, and the images we use, some of which are hardened, are really nice because we don't have to go in and harden them ourselves.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) features save us a ton of time and money from engineer hours working on security hardening because Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) works out of the box, does what we want it to do, and does it well.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is pretty resilient and bounces back effectively. Recently, we had an issue where some power fluctuations caused many of our servers and virtual machines to go down. None of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) machines were the problem in getting back online because when we flicked the switch back, all our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) boxes were exactly where we needed them to be within minutes, whereas Windows was what gave us the issue.
Remote desktop was really the big feature that I wanted, which came out in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, and we are just now starting to test out Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10 with our machines. Right now, I'm happy with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because it checks my boxes.
I attended a session on Project Hummingbird, the hardened images for container-based Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), which was really cool. They are breaking down Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) into small, bite-sized pieces, which allows for rolling updates where, when you're updating your system, it's only updating exactly what changed instead of pulling in the whole package. Since we're a disconnected environment, minimizing our downtime is critical, and having these hardened images that just update very modularly really helps us get back on our feet. Focusing on creating a more portable Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) would be great.
Most of what we do involves virtual machines for containers on OpenShift, which meshes extremely well with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I have never taken more than five or ten minutes to get a virtual machine or container up and running from a fresh start because it's extremely simple and streamlined.
What needs improvement?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) could play a bigger role in our company's implementation of the zero-trust model. For the most part, we're a lockdown environment where if you have access to the network and that machine, you're trusted and can have access. Most of our users need to be working on zero trust implementation a little bit better.
Some of the information provided by the knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be outdated, and it could be cleaned up a little bit better. However, for the most part, the documentation is pretty easy to follow when you're working with the modern current offerings that Red Hat has to provide.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in the intelligence community computer field in general for about five and a half years, with NASA specifically for just about a year now, and I've been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the better part of three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have never experienced downtime that wasn't my fault, so I find the stability and reliability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to be quite impressive.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have been able to expand my usage of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because all of our workloads that need to be scaled up have new Pro containers that pop right up when we need them, ready within a minute. It scales extremely well.
How are customer service and support?
Our Red Hat team has been very good with talking with us, working with us on what we need to get done, and there is very little pain in terms of the actual operating system.
The colleague sitting right next to me is our AI engineer, so I have been riding shotgun on a lot of what he's been doing, and it seems really innovative so far. We just got a batch of GPUs in to start working with this technology and have hit a few roadblocks, but none of that was Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) related.
The customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is extremely technical. Even when we get new team members, we're able to make good connections with them quickly because they're very knowledgeable and know what they're talking about. They answer our questions, and if they can't or it's a new problem, they're more than happy to spend a week or two with us working it out.
The biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the customer service because our Red Hat team is amazing. We go out for lunches, we talk, and when we were setting up OpenShift, we were on the phone with those team members an hour a day, five days a week for months in a row. Anything that we had questions on, they were right there with us, helping us get what we wanted out of the product.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I worked for Auburn University, and we were kind of all over the place with our products, still trying to figure out what we wanted to do. For the last two years I was there, we were just testing products all the time, getting bad support and bad service. We never went to Red Hat while I was there, and I hope they do someday.
How was the initial setup?
I have set up Ansible Automation Platform, but we don't have a whole lot of automated workflows for our operations yet. We still are kind of just manually doing everything we need to do and applying policies, but I did set it up, troubleshooting a few OAuth issues with some authentication mechanisms, which was no problem. The test that we did run with it worked pretty well.
What about the implementation team?
I'm not our Satellite engineer, but I have interfaced with it a few times, and it was really seamless when I used it. I have never really had to be the one troubleshooting anything like that. It hasn't given us much pain from what I know, and our team seems to be pretty happy about those operations.
What was our ROI?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) features save us a ton of time and money from engineer hours working on security and infrastructure operations because Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) works out of the box, does what we want it to do, and does it well.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I don't think my company has ever considered choosing another product other than Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because they've been on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) since I got there, and they've been on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the longest time, which I feel has become the industry standard at this point.
What other advice do I have?
Every operating system we use has to meet a certain set of regulations set by a board way above us, and we don't really get to choose what operating systems we implement. It goes through a multi-year process of being scanned and tested, and then they give that to us and say we are authorized to use it. Most of that is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) because most of what our center runs on is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and we stick with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) most of the time, which checks all our compliance boxes.
The colleague sitting right next to me is our AI engineer, so I have been riding shotgun on a lot of what he's been doing, and it seems really innovative so far. We just got a batch of GPUs in to start working with this technology and have hit a few roadblocks, but none of that was Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) related.
For how long I have used the solution, I would rate Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a ten out of ten overall. My advice to other companies considering it is that, with NASA, we've got operations in space and we have problems all the time. In my experience, it has never been the operating system causing issues; it's always some other component, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has been the solid foundation of what we've been building off of. I give this review a rating of ten out of ten.
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)
Automation has transformed daily operations and supports secure, continuous infrastructure
What is our primary use case?
There are numerous use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). As a UNIX professional, my first priority is creating infrastructure and upgrading the OS. The third priority is ensuring that services run continuously on the server without issues. When issues arise, I address them daily, whether they involve memory or kernel problems. My role includes ensuring customer satisfaction with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and our infrastructure. The main part of my job involves developing automation scripts that manage services, check server monitors, assess server performance, and monitor load. Additionally, night jobs run through scripts as part of my day-to-day activities.
The deployment process using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is straightforward and simple. We use Puppet automation where Puppet agents run on our Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) servers. The deployment can be completed with a one-line statement and does not require much time.
What is most valuable?
Regarding Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) features, I appreciate the MCP server, Ansible automation, and Sovrin AI. I am also interested in Kubernetes. These four features can help us solve customer issues and save significant money.
I use Identity Management, Lightspeed, and Satellite in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to navigate security risks. Currently, with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8, we use Identity Management. As we transition to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9, possibly mid-year or end-of-year, I can suggest upgrading to version 9.6 where we can use Satellite and Lightspeed. For Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, we have Goose, which can help us automatically identify issues when they arise.
We use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) image builders. Currently, whenever we need to upgrade anything, we use image builders.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) image builders are very helpful. We are integrating this with our Puppet, where it performs an automated run. When executed, it automatically calls the image builder and attempts automatic installation. This integration is particularly helpful for us.
What needs improvement?
When considering improvements to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I see one primary area. Within your portal, if you provided more study material along with demonstrations similar to the sessions we are attending, which feature a user-friendly guide, you could incorporate this into your Red Hat console. When I want to install an agent or something else, typing in the console should provide me with clear step-by-step instructions. Throughout the years, installation steps have been available, but regarding AI agents or Ansible automation, I need to verify whether clear information exists. Including this information would be beneficial. Additionally, if you add the sessions that have occurred to your portal or another location, this would help us review them multiple times to gain better understanding. Time is limited, and many sessions occur simultaneously, making it impossible to attend everything. Making these sessions available on your website would be very helpful.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have more than fifteen years of experience using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I assess the stability and reliability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as excellent. The only time we experience downtime is when the cloud provider has downtime. I have never encountered or witnessed Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) having actual downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Regarding scalability with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), there is no need to worry about scaling or availability. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) consistently performs at the top level. You can scale up without any issues.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the customer service and technical support provided by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as ten out of ten. It is the best. Red Hat support is the best for us. We work with others such as Puppet, Microsoft, and AWS, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is always at the top.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
My company was using Windows as well as Linux before Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but Windows comprises a very small portion of our infrastructure compared to Linux. Linux has been used for a long time. Previously, we may have used UNIX, though I am not entirely certain. We have used Linux for an extended period.
My company has not considered working with solutions other than Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What was our ROI?
From my perspective, the biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is security. Once we install anything, we can be confident without worrying about potential hacking or compliance issues. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides excellent security. With AI capabilities emerging, we can implement extensive automation. This can help us reduce our workload, eliminating the need to focus on day-to-day tasks and allowing us to concentrate on enhancements. This is a significant advantage of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that our company is large, so although we face some pricing challenges, we would always be happy if pricing decreased. However, compared to other solutions, we do not perceive significant pricing challenges. From my company's sales perspective, reduced pricing would be beneficial. If not, that is acceptable because we receive better output from what we pay. I do not believe pricing is a significant concern for us regarding Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I have no complaints about pricing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The business value of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) compared to Microsoft is significant. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is our major platform. We have approximately fourteen thousand servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), whereas Windows runs on hardly two hundred to three hundred servers, with a maximum of five hundred servers.
What other advice do I have?
Regarding pain points, whenever a customer contacts us, we must spend time with them, log into the server, and provide the information they need. Although we have scripts, even to run the scripts, I as the administrator must log into our servers using root and execute the script. This is time-consuming because customers contact us even for minor issues, requiring me to spend time resolving their problems. This pain point was a primary reason I attended this summit. I came here to explore whether we can implement an agent or AI agent that can address these minor issues.
My main reason for attending this summit was to understand how I can use AI in the near future with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8 does not have this feature. In version 9, we can use it. However, MCP is supported in version 8 as well. After learning this, I will return to install MCP on my sandbox and develop a proof of concept to assess how it can help resolve most of my issues.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a significant role in our company's implementation of the zero-trust model. Our environment and most of our infrastructure consists of approximately fourteen thousand servers, all running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is what we use daily. We do not support much Windows because I come from a UNIX background where Linux is my daily focus. With approximately fourteen thousand servers, you can imagine the scope. We have approximately ten thousand servers in the cloud and approximately four thousand servers on-premises. This involves substantial daily work.
I have completed a major version upgrade with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Ansible Automation Platform. We are currently using Ansible. As part of my migration plan, we are currently transitioning to version 8 using an Ansible script. Regarding versions 9 and 10 and the AI they are currently using, I believe I need to implement this starting with a proof of concept. That is my next target.
My overall experience with Ansible Automation Platform has been positive. As I have learned many things, I must proceed with implementing them to determine how best I can use it to make things better and faster. I will observe how it performs.
Regarding managing regulatory compliance with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), we have a separate risk management team that checks for vulnerabilities daily. We update patches every weekend. Regarding compliance, we have zero tolerance. Because our company is a financial investment organization, we cannot accept any vulnerabilities or security risks. We check daily whether new upgrades or vulnerabilities require updating. Sometimes, we must address these overnight, so we open a change request and complete the work overnight.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped mitigate downtime and lower risk. Regarding downtime, our infrastructure includes disaster recovery and on-premises primary servers. We maintain both disaster recovery servers with the same configuration and data. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps ensure this synchronization. Synchronization and load balancer performance are stable. There is no chance of delays in data or request processing. Everything performs well. This is why our company has used Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for the last twenty-five years. I have been here for four years, but Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has been used for an extended period.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) offers an ocean of knowledge. You learn as much as needed. After seeing this summit, I now understand my current position and realize I must learn many things. The knowledge base is vast. We still have many studies and enhancements occurring, and we continue receiving new versions. We must wait for new version releases and explore and implement them. However, this is always a learning stage. You continue learning and implementing new steps and new things.
My overall rating for this review is ten out of ten.
Reliable platform has improved risk mitigation and simplified secure virtual server management
What is our primary use case?
My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include using it with VMs, particularly my company's SAP environment that runs with RHEL, and leveraging it into OpenShift.
To navigate our security risks, I use Satellite in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to mitigate CVEs, so all our environments are managed by content views, and each month, I create another version. That is how I keep things updated for packages, and for security standards, I use Ansible, which is pretty much an Argo CD thing with AAP.
In my company's implementation of the Zero Trust model, every application runs on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and while we are not using it much outside of that, approximately 90% of the application runs there.
What is most valuable?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps maintain my environment overall by acting as a repository manager where I set up everything, ensuring our servers are not directly connected to the internet to receive updates, thus keeping it safe.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me feel very comfortable knowing that I have vendor support for whatever happens. I can open a ticket and someone will be there with me figuring out what happened. I feel very safe using RHEL.
The features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) that I like the most are its reliability and how reliable it is, along with the integration with Ansible and OpenShift. I think it is the same environment, so it is all connected.
What needs improvement?
I cannot think of a point for improvement for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but perhaps making it lighter in some way could be beneficial.
To be completely honest, I have no idea how Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be improved, as sometimes I think it is just perfect. Every iteration of RHEL seems to fix issues that were not a problem for me.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding stability and reliability, I have not experienced any significant downtime, crashes, or performance issues with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). As with any systems, they crash from time to time, but there is nothing to complain about.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales great to the growing needs of my company, as I can just spawn whatever I need. I virtualize pretty much everything, so in a matter of minutes, I have a bunch of servers running RHEL, and I license the hypervisors too.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is great, as I can create a case with priority one, and someone will call me 10 to 20 minutes after that.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I think the reason I switched to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is primarily about pricing, as I needed to buy new hardware, and Oracle was bumping up prices little by little until it became unpayable.
How was the initial setup?
In terms of the deployment process, I find it straightforward. Either spinning up a VM with a template gets it there, or using the installation wizard is also straightforward. I just click next, next, next, put my name, and that is it.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have considered switching to OpenShift, which is the natural step for me from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What other advice do I have?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped to mitigate downtime and lower risks.
The combination of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Satellite has been beneficial, as they work together to mitigate any risks that come into Satellite first. I have all the tools to mitigate directly into the host or do it manually.
Regarding the knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), every time I have a doubt or something, I just search for it, and Red Hat articles pop up. Someone asked the same question one year ago, and there is the answer.
The advice I would give to other companies considering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that while I have heard of some companies running open-source free alternatives such as Ubuntu or even Fedora from Red Hat, they are doing so to bypass the payment of a license. I think it is worth the price, so if someone is thinking about it, there is nothing to think about. I would rate my overall experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a 10 out of 10.
Enterprise support and training have strengthened secure, long-term virtual machine operations
What is our primary use case?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) serves as the operating system for virtual machines that our applications run on. I use RHEL as an operating system, and overall it is a quality product.
I use Satellite in RHEL to be able to download the packages inside our network because it is a closed environment.
I have tried using the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Image Builder or system roles.
RHEL plays a role in my company's implementation of the Zero Trust model for Application and Workloads.
We do use Ansible, but not much.
We went from RHEL 7 to RHEL 8, and now I am looking to go to RHEL 10.
What is most valuable?
RHEL helps solve our pain points by providing the benefit of having the Enterprise edition so we can get support when we need it. The support is probably the biggest thing, being able to get the repos and download the latest packages and security.
Satellite in RHEL is a big benefit in navigating our security risks.
I have a dedicated team that supports our account with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I email them questions, and they get me support really quickly.
The availability of training for people to find information and work through and solve problems with their online documentation is valuable.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see improvements in RHEL for closed environments, as it is not straightforward to go from RHEL 8 to RHEL 10 without a seamless upgrade.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using RHEL for the last 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not experienced any downtime or crashes with the stability and reliability of the platform.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is smooth.
How are customer service and support?
I have a dedicated team that supports our account with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I email them questions, and they get me support really quickly.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to adopting RHEL, we were using proprietary solutions from vendors that addressed similar needs.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment experience with RHEL is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We have not used RHEL to do AI workloads as we are just starting that.
What was our ROI?
The biggest return on investment when using RHEL is the availability of training for people to find information and work through and solve problems with their online documentation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for RHEL is fine. I get an enterprise discount, so our pricing is quite good.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not consider switching to another solution.
What other advice do I have?
My experience with the upgrade was seamless with no issues.
It is straightforward to start up a new VM within minutes.
Somebody else manages that.
We use some playbooks. We do not really use Ansible too much, but there is a lot of information available.
I would rate Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a 10 overall. There is a cost factor to it, but you get what you pay for. I would recommend Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) over a lot of other open-source products. I would rate the overall experience a 10.
Linux has streamlined middleware deployments and has reduced incidents across environments
What is our primary use case?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is used in my organization primarily to install platforms and middleware, such as WebLogic or WebSphere. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) makes it easier to install and run platforms like WebLogic or WebSphere because the installation is more transparent and less complex, and it can be automated more easily with commands.
What is most valuable?
The best features offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include scalability and ease of use. The aspects of scalability and ease of use that are most valuable for me in my day-to-day work with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are that it integrates much more easily with automation applications. Java-based platforms run better on those platforms. Antivirus solutions are less invasive on that type of operating system, and the code is more stable and less prone to crashes or instability of the operating system.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has positively impacted my organization as we have practically migrated to installing middleware applications on Red Hat. It is much simpler, there are no library conflicts, there are no conflicts with antivirus, and they are more stable.
A concrete result I have observed after the migration to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is that deployments are now much easier. They went from about six to ten days down to three days for delivering a complete environment across different environments: development, testing, and production. Additionally, the incidents that always caused conflicts with antivirus issues, library blocks, and application blocks that were not allowing installation or access to the operating system were completely eliminated.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is an extremely stable operating system. It is very open in terms of integration with other applications and migrations, and the applications developed for this type of operating system or that support these operating systems are more stable for a financial company like the one I work for.
What needs improvement?
At the moment, I do not think there is any functionality, documentation, or support that could be optimized. I have not had any problems with it. In fact, external documentation is very extensive, which is a big advantage because you can find documentation through searches on the internet itself.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in my organization for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is an extremely stable operating system.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The aspects of scalability and ease of use that are most valuable for me in my day-to-day work with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are that it integrates much more easily with automation applications.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I give Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) a rating of 10 because I used to work with Windows and found too many integration issues. Even though it is visually easier, I prefer working with the command line and the stability and scalability.
What other advice do I have?
I use VMware as the private cloud provider to deploy Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). I hardly handle patching in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but Satellite is used for patching and updates, and I am satisfied with that management experience.
I have not tried tools like Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Image Builder or System Roles, so I cannot speak to how useful they are.
The knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is extremely useful and truly well documented.
The most important security features in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include user levels, which have very good restrictions at the file level and at the execution level and obviously at the modification level. Additionally, viruses are still very restricted.
An example of a specific situation in which these levels of restriction and security have made a difference for my organization is that end users try to delete files, and it does not allow them. The audit features, which it handles very well, allow you to track down any problem, any execution or modification.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me solve challenges and pain points in my daily work regarding integration and interaction with artificial intelligence. I gave this review a rating of 10 out of 10.
Reliable security and uniform updates have supported long-term virtual server operations
What is our primary use case?
I primarily support servers in general, including a lot of virtual machines that support everything from telemetry to software development and business applications. I work in a small corporate IT environment, so I mainly focus on supporting the developers and the applications they create to keep the business running.
Our infrastructure is mostly on-premises, but we are starting to explore cloud solutions in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and are currently in the early stages of that transition.
What is most valuable?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) compared to other distributions helps me trust it more because of the security and the name behind it. Red Hat has maintained a good reputation for customer support and providing security patches, and it is a vendor we can point to when there is a vulnerability or issue, knowing they will take our needs seriously and support us.
I appreciate the philosophy behind Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in that it is slow-moving and stable. The newer features have been valuable, especially Podman for containers and the package manager, which is simple and just works.
I use Satellite a great deal. We use Satellite to have a comprehensive view of all systems and their vulnerability states, as well as using the OpenSCAP scanning that is built into Red Hat Satellite. This gives my security team insight into how well we are performing in terms of security.
I started using system roles back with Red Hat 7, and I have found them and the image builder to be really beneficial. We run Nutanix for our virtualization infrastructure, and it is valuable to be able to build a new template image from a trusted source and know that it is minimal and easy to manage.
Recently, we have started using the STIG security settings that are built into the Red Hat installer as a good starting point. I have found it is much easier to build a system that is secure from the ground up than to add security after the fact.
The OpenSCAP system profiler allows us to audit the state of those systems and ensure everything is locked down. Using Ansible to apply security controls across our systems gives us something we can point to and demonstrate that the systems are actually secure.
I am confident that installing an update will not break anything, and it will make our systems more reliable than other distributions.
What needs improvement?
It seems the engineers are on top of improvements. I am not sure how I would improve it at this point other than reducing service interruptions, however that could be accomplished.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately sixteen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is the main benefit, and it is one less thing to worry about. Knowing that the supply chain as far as updates is trusted helps prevent our developers from adding random repositories and untrusted sources. Overall stability is the main thing that stands out.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability has been better than ever, especially with image mode and the image generation tool that allows me to create a good template to scale easily and then use Ansible to configure everything. The scalability is definitely present, and all you need is the compute resources to allocate to it.
How are customer service and support?
I would give Red Hat customer service a solid nine. I usually only reach out to customer service when I am facing a very complex problem and I am at my wit's end. Red Hat does a good job escalating to people who really know their materials. I do not feel stuck on the lower tier of customer service or with someone following a script. The person I speak with is experienced and knows the product, so it has been a good experience.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In my career, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has always been the solution used at the company since I arrived.
How was the initial setup?
The installation experience is easier and more pleasant than installing Windows. I appreciate that when I install Windows on a device, I am bombarded with advertisements and calls to action to buy additional products, whereas Red Hat does not do any of that.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We do not have significant setup costs. We have a relatively small environment, and I believe we are covered pretty much by the Red Hat Satellite subscription, which also gives us enough entitlements to run all of our virtual machines. The pricing seems good from my perspective.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There has been talk of going with an open-source alternative, either a Red Hat fork or something like Debian or Ubuntu. However, the lack of a good support path is the main reason for not pursuing that.
What other advice do I have?
We have looked at a couple of systems that we are using for artificial intelligence inference, but it is nothing I would call production. At this point, the cost of hardware is holding us back, and the company is probably going to end up using more cloud inference or Software-as-a-Service products for our artificial intelligence needs rather than investing in an on-premises solution, though that may change in the future.
The ability to ensure all systems have uniform updates and seeing the view of the status of CVEs or bugs on the system is invaluable. Using Satellite for this purpose provides a lot of value.
The knowledge base is excellent, and I appreciate the work they are doing with artificial intelligence, which makes it easier to navigate and surface relevant information. Red Hat's knowledge base has always been very valuable for solving any issues I encounter, and it is usually the first place I look.
I have heard people discussing artificial intelligence-driven upgrades, and that is certainly of interest to me. We have a lot of Red Hat 8 systems that will eventually need to be upgraded, so it is something I would be curious about pursuing.
I would rate this review as a ten 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)
Platform has provided secure patching and supports broad hybrid deployments for compliance
What is our primary use case?
My main use cases for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) include everything from file servers to system endpoints, user endpoint devices, system machines, development boxes, and automation with Ansible. The range of applications is quite broad. My primary use case is patching for identified CVEs or risks that need to be mitigated.
How has it helped my organization?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps me solve pain points at my company by making it easier to install across a broader range of platforms, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Its customizability is a key advantage, allowing us to tailor it for many different scenarios, making those probably the two main benefits.
What is most valuable?
The features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) that I appreciate most include its customizability and how easy it is to harden from my point of view. It is easier to harden and secure from a customization perspective, and I also find that support is good.
To navigate my security risks, most of it relies on Satellite support for installing packages. I am here to look at some of the other options and security options available.
Satellite helps my company by enabling us to keep updated with patches, allowing us to push updates from various locations in a timely manner to mitigate any CVEs that come out.
What needs improvement?
From an end-user point of view, I have two recommendations for how Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) can be improved: adding more user-friendliness, particularly for desktop or laptop environments, and incorporating features from Fedora that enable mapping services such as OneDrive. Additionally, from a server-side perspective, having more security tools similar to Hummingbird would be useful to aid in hardening and meeting security requirements.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) since 1999.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding the stability and reliability of the platform, I have not experienced any major downtime, crashes, or performance issues, though occasionally issues occur, usually related to hard drive failure or improper kernel modules. That is one of the key reasons we have always remained with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), as its stability is vital.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has helped mitigate downtime and lower risks through its uptime, which has been very good from my experience, especially in system engineering roles I have held previously, where we relied on it for mail servers and web servers due to its rock-solid uptime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have no complaints regarding scalability, as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) scales very well. It works great for lightweight distributions or when scaling across many servers, whether on physical systems, in a box, or in the cloud.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and technical support of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has always been good, with a solid relationship with Red Hat, including on-site employees who provide support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to adopting Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) at my company, we were not using another solution to address similar needs, as we have been using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) for a very long time.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is straightforward. While I am not too involved in that process these days, in the past you would boot up a kickstart file, put it on a USB drive, and install it or spin up a virtual machine in the cloud, making it easy.
What about the implementation team?
As a Satellite user, I would say it has also helped mitigate downtime and risks by allowing us to quickly patch and configure systems and make changes rapidly.
What was our ROI?
From my point of view, the biggest return on investment when using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is performance, as you can run it with low resource consumption, which means low impact on hardware and easier specification to hardware requirements. This ultimately saves on resource usage and helps in the long run, as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is adaptable to various installation scales.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I honestly have no knowledge about the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), as someone else handles that for me. I have not heard complaints, so it must not be too bad.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have not really considered switching to another solution, as we have a diverse environment with Microsoft systems and other Unix systems, but I do not see any appetite for switching away from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
What other advice do I have?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a big role in my company's implementation of the zero-trust model, as zero trust is a significant part of our security hardening strategy. There is a big executive order from a couple of years ago about it, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) helps us meet those STIG and hardening requirements and track identity management for what services have access.
I do use Satellite to help manage and maintain my hybrid cloud environment.
The infrastructure team might use Red Hat Lightspeed, but if we do, I am not currently aware of it.
I have not personally done any AI workloads with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but I know other teams that have.
I have not tried either Red Hat Enterprise Linux Image Builder or system roles, but that was another thing I wanted to look at, especially since Image Builder is new to me.
I have not personally done a major version upgrade with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Ansible Automation Platform, but I know our infrastructure team has done many, especially going from Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, and pushing out major patches and software upgrades. I have heard no complaints about it.
Managing regulatory compliance is part of my process, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) plays a key role in our compliance and auditing workflows, as it meets compliance requirements for the Risk Management Framework and NIST guidelines. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) has to meet those standards during hardening, patching, and monitoring, making it a big part of our processes for ATOs.
I find the knowledge base offered by Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to be very good, as I can usually find whatever I am looking for if I have a question.
There is not much else I want to add about my experience using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), but I appreciate the long-term support feature, as it allows me to maintain systems that cannot be upgraded for a long time, ensuring they can be patched and maintained, which is a significant advantage.
To other companies considering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), I would advise evaluating it and giving it a shot, as there is a reason Red Hat became the first billion-dollar open source company. It works well and typically meets your needs. My overall rating for this product is 9 out of 10.
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