Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
Group DWH and BI Senior Manager at Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa
Real User
All of the features of Red Hat without the subscription fee
Pros and Cons
  • "It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription."
  • "Integration with other platforms could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use CentOS in conjunction with our applications and databases.

What is most valuable?

It's free — it's an open-source solution. It has all the features of Red Hat, but you don't have to pay for the subscription. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as Red Hat Linux. It uses all of the same repositories, the only difference is that it's open-source.

What needs improvement?

Integration with other platforms could be improved. There should also be more repositories. There are ways to get data from the repositories, but it could be enhanced.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using CentOS since 2019.

Buyer's Guide
CentOS
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about CentOS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Version 7 is stable — not the recent versions; I believe they have some issues. We are using a stable version as of now. We haven't faced any issues so far.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

CentOS is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I have contacted their support, but it's not commercial technical support. On their website, there are blogs and other users that help. They have a large community that can answer most questions.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before CentOS, we used Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The reason why we approached CentOS is that it has the same flavor, but there is no subscription. Earlier, we were paying for Red Hat Linux on a yearly subscription. In order to minimize the cost, especially for some of the applications, it didn't make sense to pay on a yearly basis. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not very straightforward — it's intermediate. Linux is not an easy thing to install. If you don't have the knowledge, it can be a little difficult.

I believe there is a desktop version available that has a UI but we haven't tried it. That might be a little easier to install; but since it's on a server, we needed to use the command prompt.

What about the implementation team?

We installed it ourselves.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is no price or licensing required — it's open-source. 

What other advice do I have?

Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give this solution a rating of nine. 

I would definitely recommend this solution to others. Not the desktop version — I don't have experience with it. On a server level, I would definitely recommend it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
D6B8 - PeerSpot reviewer
District Technology at INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 196
User
It allows us to freely use and test open-source technologies and solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "It has minimal updates compared to other distributions."
  • "They could build more options into the wizard."

What is our primary use case?

We use CentOS whenever we can to help bridge services or to add another layer to our infrastructure. We currently use CentOS for monitoring orientated tasks, but it has been our chosen distribution for our enterprise for a few years.

How has it helped my organization?

It allows us to freely use and test open-source technologies and solutions. Without it we wouldn't have a server monitoring system, log management system, or many other services that we depend on.

What is most valuable?

It has minimal updates compared to other distributions. We like the idea of long-term support. CentOS gives us a peace of mind when it comes to updates. It's also a bonus that most of our vendor supported hardware/software is built with CentOS under the hood, allowing us to stay in the Fedora ecosystem.

What needs improvement?

You're getting what you expect (a linux distro). The wizard has gotten better through the years, so maybe they could build more options into the wizard. However, we have scripts that we deploy to overcome this.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I don't believe an update has broken anything in our environment. It's very stable and that's the reason CentOS was chosen.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Yes and no. In regards to the OS itself, there aren't any scalability issues. We have run into issues with other applications but that's not the fault of CentOS, rather, it is the application that would need to be revised.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We've used Ubuntu in the past for various systems and projects, and once in a while, a vendor uses it for their platform. We don't care for the more aggressive updates, and we usually don't need the most updated packages.

How was the initial setup?

Straightforward. We deploy with the minimal options, and the wizard is very easy to navigate to help install it. We also have a script that we run to make this process much easier.

What about the implementation team?

In-house for anything related to CentOS.

What was our ROI?

We don't track ROI.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

You can pay for the support if you purchase Red Hat. We don't have the need for that just yet, and CentOS satisfies our needs when needed (assuming we can support it in-house).

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

When it comes to Linux, we've tried the Debian route before. Trying both Debian and Ubuntu, we settled on CentOS once we noticed that the enterprise market was going in that direction. It proved to be a wise choice.

What other advice do I have?

If you had to choose a Linux distribution for enterprise grade stability, then this would be the logical choice. If you want latest features and fast deployment of updates, then you might want to take a look at Ubuntu.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
CentOS
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about CentOS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Victor Sibanda - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at Equilogic Technologies
Real User
A very stable solution that can be mastered without much difficulty
Pros and Cons
  • "We particularly like that we can remove the graphic user interface to minimize attack settings for the operating system."
  • "We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it."

What is our primary use case?

We have a team of ten who use the solution for Linux-based SIEM and network monitoring. 

What is most valuable?

We particularly like that we can remove the graphic user interface to minimize attack settings for the operating system. We access applications on the operating system from our web interface and other machines. 

What needs improvement?

We would like Red Hat to keep supporting the solution but they have decided to get rid of it and there isn't much we can do about it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

Our company has been using the solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Our team loves working with the solution because it is very stable. 

We experienced a few crashes that were due to human error, not issues with the operating system. We experienced a crash when upgrading from version six to seven but managed to rectify it with assistance from the knowledge base. 

The bugs that we encountered were fixed with constant live updates that were quite straightforward and useful. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable. We started using one machine with two nodes but scaled it up to four nodes. 

How are customer service and support?

I utilized support when upgrading from version six to seven and experiencing kernel issues. The technical team was able to give us excellent service and assistance.

I rate support a six out of ten because there is always room for improvement in response time. If you make a request for immediate assistance, you might not get help until a day later but when the support comes it is quite good. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was a bit complex but workable after training, reading through distribution papers, and increasing knowledge base. The solution can be learned and mastered after some time without too much difficulty. 

What about the implementation team?

We deployed the solution in-house and sometimes got stuck but figured it out after a couple of weeks. 

The longest deployment took a month because we made a few errors. CentOS support helped us through the configuration of some applications so we managed to get it up and running. 

Setup of the solution is rated an eight out of ten. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We use the free, open-source solution because we cannot afford the price for Linux. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Because the solution is being depreciated, we are considering moving to Ubuntu but haven't made that decision yet. 

What other advice do I have?

The operating system is very good and stable. We hope to continue to work with it, but are not sure if that is possible because Red Hat has decided to depreciate it and not develop it further. 

Considering that there will not be further development, I recommend considering alternate solutions. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
COO at OSS
Real User
Top 20
Stable and versatile platform with strong community support
Pros and Cons
  • "CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility."
  • "CentOS can be somewhat difficult for beginners, as it has a complex UI, especially for those not in the IT field."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for testing software and applications in the IT industry. I also study the storage system of AI on CentOS.

What is most valuable?

CentOS adapts well to many software and applications, providing good compatibility. Additionally, there are many online communities to learn from, which is beneficial.

What needs improvement?

CentOS can be somewhat difficult for beginners, as it has a complex UI, especially for those not in the IT field. Adding more support could be beneficial, though Red Hat with IBM support is an alternative that may be costly. Also, modernizing CentOS could be a suggestion.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

CentOS is a stable operating system, and I would rate its stability as nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

I do not have personal experience with customer service for CentOS.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very easy. I would rate the ease of setup at 8.5 out of ten.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I am not responsible for the setup cost in my company, so I am unsure about the cost of the license.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend CentOS for its stability and its ability to adapt to many software and applications. It is also very accessible.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Flag as inappropriate
PeerSpot user
VivekSaini - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Consultant at Aon Corporation
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Open-source with good performance and is the equivalent to Red Hat
Pros and Cons
  • "It's less expensive than Red Hat."
  • "As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is the equivalent to Red Hat, so everything is good and very equivalent. If you can't afford to have Red Hat, you can use CentOS. I primarily use the solution for testing purposes. 

What is most valuable?

The product is stable.

The scalability is good.

It's less expensive than Red Hat. The product is open-source.

What needs improvement?

As an open-source solution, there isn't much technical support. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for a few years now. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. Its performance is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I've never scaled it or tried to. That said, it must be. It is just a replica of Red Hat, and therefore it must be.

I use the solution myself, for personal use. My business unit is using this product and we may expand it to one or two more people. We wouldn't scale up to more than that.

How are customer service and support?

I've never directly dealt with technical support. I cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they would be.

The product is kind of open-source. I am not sure of the support model for this one.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also use Red Hat.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is not complicated. It is straightforward in terms of the setup process.

What about the implementation team?

I'm able to handle the installation process myself. I do not need the help of any integrators or consultants. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

If a company cannot afford Red Hat, they should use this product.

It's an open-source solution.

What other advice do I have?

I'm dealing with version seven or eight at this time. I can't remember which one. 

I'd recommend the solution to others.

I'd rate the solution a seven out of ten. If there was more support available to users, it would get a higher rating.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
HetulPatel - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior data engineer at Tiger Analytics
Real User
Top 10
High performance, good interface, and simple implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt."
  • "When comparing the GUI of CentOS to Microsoft Windows or Mac, it could improve."

What is our primary use case?

We use CentOS for our transactions and our data warehouse server. We established a replication between those servers.

What is most valuable?

The user interface of CentOS is intuitive, we can also use the command prompt. 

What needs improvement?

When comparing the GUI of CentOS to Microsoft Windows or Mac, it could improve.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using CentOS for approximately eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

CentOS is open-source has good performance and is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

CentOS is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

I have not needed to contact technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The installation of CentOS is simple, The solution can be used on servers and on personal computers. You are always able to pick what packages you would like to use with the installation.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There are no costs for CentOS, it is open-source.

What other advice do I have?

We successfully installed MicroStrategy 10, Composer for PSP, Laravel, and many PSP libraries on CentOS. 

I would recommend CentOS to others if the users want to have an open-source solution.

I rate CentOS an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer930072 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Mostly stable and has a free community version but could be even more stable
Pros and Cons
  • "The product offers a free community-based version."
  • "The stability could always be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution to build our applications. 

What is most valuable?

The solution is stable.

The product offers a free community-based version. You can also buy a license if you need to.

What needs improvement?

The platform already provides pretty great services. I'm not sure if it is missing any features.

The stability could always be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I occasionally use the solution. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and the performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, however, if you would like to expand, you may need to pay for a business license. 

in terms of administration, 20 to 30 people use the solution.

How are customer service and support?

I've never used technical support. If I need help, I can Google information to help troubleshoot. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use another operating system. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution was very easy to install. The implementation process wasn't a problem at all. 

The deployment was fast. It maybe took one hour. 

I and another engineer handled the implementation together. You need two to three people to deploy the product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We are using the community version, which is free. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. For the most part, it's a good solution. I'd recommend it to others.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
3D Artist at Daromex
Real User
Reliable and secure with a low learning curve
Pros and Cons
  • "It’s a simple, straightforward implementation."
  • "CentOS is very close to the end of life."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using the solution for storage. It’s a specialized storage service.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very stable and secure.

It’s a simple, straightforward implementation.

For how I use it, it is a scalable product.

I taught myself how to use the solution. You don't need to worry about having to go through a very deep learning curve for CentOS. It's very easy to use.

What needs improvement?

CentOS is very close to the end of life.

I’d like them to improve the licensing options in the future.

For how long have I used the solution?

I’ve been using the solution for a while. We’ve used it since version five and are now on version eight.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It’s reliable. It doesn’t crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I usually work with smaller companies. Therefore, I don’t have issues with scaling. For me, it scales. I’m using one or two-tera hard drives, and it works well with no issues.

I have one client with ten users and other clients who have a bit less than that in terms of users.

We do not have plans to increase usage.

How are customer service and support?

I’ve never directly dealt with technical support. I cannot speak to how helpful they would be or how responsive.

How was the initial setup?

I installed CentOS from the command line and administer it from the command line or web media.

The initial setup is simple and straightforward.

I'm using it for different clients, one or two servers for each client, so I don't use it. I don't deploy it, I just do an individual installation.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The central source is under an open-source license. I use it this way due to the fact that I don't need any license for using it.

What other advice do I have?

Even though it is near the end of life, I would recommend the solution to others.

I’d rate the solution ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free CentOS Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: February 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free CentOS Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.