What is our primary use case?
CentOS 9 is still in use in my infrastructure operations and support coming from a traditional data center background. I utilized it extensively in projects from 2022 to 2024, including retailers and Volvo, where application isolation was a key consideration during the discovery phase. During that time, legacy systems running on versions 6 or 7 were successfully migrated to the latest upgraded version of Linux, demonstrating my experience with the latest Linux version.
For 2025 and 2026, I have proposed using CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages 25 for NHS in my solution. This includes determining required CPUs for applications categorized into Silver and Gold based on their performance, latency, and other factors. I also provided detailed technical information on how to manage essential secrets.
With container management in CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages, I participated in a project involving microservices architecture, where we introduced containerization and Docker services, along with Kubernetes as an orchestration tool. We also explored OpenShift as an open-source alternative, demonstrating my involvement in these areas for a postgraduate loans initiative in the student loan company.
What is most valuable?
My favorite aspect of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages revolves around its performance in distributed systems because it is open source. It builds servers that prioritize low cost, low maintenance, and competitive support for virtualization in the AWS market. I have worked with the Power series of IBM and proposed a solution that enables a robust hardware platform on a distributed network suitable for enterprise-level research and findings.
The low cost, low maintenance, support, and latency features of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages are what I appreciate the most about it.
As an architect, I recognize the importance of baselining and lineage in various architectures, outlining a transition from traditional Linux to modern functionality while improving performance. This involves taking into account how cloud-native flexibility and continuous delivery improve the legacy applications and systems. The ability to easily maintain updates through simplified package management improves overall effectiveness.
In terms of database compatibility with CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages, I have worked extensively with PostgreSQL and Aurora in AWS. While I have not engaged much with Oracle, I believe it plays a significant role in financial sectors, alongside other databases like DB2.
Regarding security in CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages, I emphasize that managed services' shared model relies on hardening your system. Implementing NIST CIS control levels 1 to 7 is crucial, addressing role-based access control, DDoS attacks, and various cyber threats, demonstrating the significance of security within Linux systems.
What needs improvement?
Among the downsides of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages, I find that while installation becomes easier, the migration process concerning mainframes has been well-represented, especially with CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages 10 now integrating AI capabilities. The inclusion of GPUs and other resources to process large datasets could be a future direction worth pursuing, enhancing its abilities with RAG or generative AI through proper prompt engineering and ethics considerations.
I would prefer to see more AI integrations within CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages. IBM is already making strides in this area by investing significantly. Following their acquisition and merger with Red Hat, CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages distribution aligns closely with Red Hat's, fostering AI capabilities and a futuristic approach to enhance daily operations through flexible application building on virtual machines.
For how long have I used the solution?
Throughout my career, I have used Enterprise Linux with Satellite, where CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages served as an upgrade of 8 at the enterprise level. In my projects during 2022 and 2024, I managed to migrate nearly 2,000 servers to the cloud, with CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages being the latest version I utilized at that time.
The last time I used CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages was in 2024, specifically with Volvo. Additionally, there was a proposal to transition NHS applications onto the Linux platform aimed at unifying legacy applications with Linux as the operating system. We identified several legacy systems where applications required authorization and authentication within specific user groups, and this proposal was made at the enterprise level for NHS to enhance system visibility across the UK.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I experienced some lagging or crashing when I migrated to CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages 8; this event occurred during the early stage of that version.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages operates effectively within a distributed system. Scalability and autoscalability allow for adding or removing instances as demand fluctuates, emphasizing the flexibility of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages in modern infrastructure.
How are customer service and support?
Contacting technical support has been quite effective for me; I convey my requirements and the support team usually connects well. They quickly engage the necessary subject matter experts to resolve any issues we encounter.
I have contacted customer support myself. In my role as an architect, I articulate the requirements, particularly about downward compatibility and legacy system migrations to advanced levels.
I would rate the support for CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages a strong 9 or even 9.5 in some cases, but there are instances where I might consider it an 8.
Overall, I would average my rating around 8 to 8.5.
For support, I would rate it an 8.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In my earlier experiences, I have engaged with Fedora, Ubuntu, and Mint as different Linux distributors. Primarily, I have spent 8 to 9 years working with Red Hat and AIX machines, including further involvement with AIX projects in 2018 and 2019, as well as exploring various distribution architectures including x86 in Z Systems and IBM mainframes.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup and installation of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages has become very easy nowadays.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing challenges may be difficult for me to address since I focus primarily on technical details and tend to negotiate trade-offs based on requirements. When good hardware is present, particularly for creating VMs in a managed environment, I have noticed that procurement allows for easier usability compared to other distributors, making it straightforward to find what we need.
What other advice do I have?
When considering maintenance in a cloud-native environment, it is mostly hassle-free as the cloud provider manages technical upkeep. Upgrades and patches occur without user intervention, though I have encountered instances where downward compatibility faced challenges during the migration from older versions. Nowadays, it is a more seamless process where application needs dictate what is necessary and compatibility is far less concerning.
For everything CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages offers, I would score it a 9.
Currently, I do not have any active projects with CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages; however, I would be open to participation should opportunities arise in the future.
In 2025, I was only a user of CentOS 9 | Support by SupportedImages, and while partners were in place, as an architect I interacted with internal partners regarding support and ownership of project accounts for effective results.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
