What is our primary use case?
Our servers run on AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages as the base operating system, and my role there is to configure, manage, and administer AlmaLinux servers.
I have installed Docker as a service on AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages, specifically Docker and Docker Compose to manage containers.
How has it helped my organization?
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages has been great to use. Moving from CentOS 7 to Alma, there isn't much of a difference in terms of package management; however, the security has greatly improved.
Server hardening is easier on AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages, and because it is well-maintained, we are constantly getting security support through patching.
It has definitely improved patching, making it easier to patch the servers when you know exactly what you are patching and what the packages you're installing in your operating system are.
With the documentation, everything is clearly stated and detailed on their official website, so patching has become a very smooth process.
What is most valuable?
I appreciate that AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages is well-maintained, open source, and allows contributions to make it better.
The documentation is very well-kept and up to date, and the vulnerabilities that affect AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages are also very well-maintained, often providing users with solutions for remediation.
Recently, there was a Ghost Lock vulnerability affecting all AlmaLinux 8 servers, and an upstream package was released for remediation along with a step-by-step guide provided on their official website for anyone who uses AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages to remediate.
With vulnerability management, I rely heavily on AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages documentation because it provides a guide on how to remediate, and it also clearly outlines the details of what the vulnerability is, which systems are affected, and how to remediate.
What needs improvement?
I'm not certain if there's something that can be improved in AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages, but in terms of vulnerabilities, it constantly is being hit with vulnerabilities. Even if the vulnerabilities are remediated and have a solution to remediate, they are occurring constantly or frequently.
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages is stable and reliable but would benefit from more up-to-date default software and newer hardware support. The upgrade process could also be more streamlined with clearer tools and documentation for major version migrations, and improved desktop usability with easier access to newer packages would make the experience even better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages since the time it came out, and I started working with AlmaLinux when we were migrating from CentOS to Alma, so I would say approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages is definitely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages scales well for both small and enterprise environments. It can support increasing workloads through additional CPU, memory, storage, and network resources while also working effectively in virtualized, cloud, and containerized environments.
Its RHEL compatibility and stability make it suitable for expanding infrastructure, although scalability still depends on the application architecture and the quality of system design and monitoring.
How are customer service and support?
I have interacted with the community forum on the GitHub platform regarding AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages, and they are quite responsive and helpful when it comes to resolving issues relating to AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used CentOS 7, but switched to AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages after CentOS shifted away from its traditional stable release model.
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages offered a more predictable, enterprise-focused alternative with strong RHEL compatibility, long-term support, and minimal changes to our existing systems and workflows.
What was our ROI?
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages provided a positive return on investment, mainly because it is free and compatible with RHEL-based tools, which reduced licensing costs.
It also saved time during deployment and maintenance because our existing Linux skills and processes could be reused. I do not have formally measured figures, and I did not reduce staffing requirements, but it helped lower operating costs and avoid vendor lock-in.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages is free to download and use with no licensing or subscription fees. My main costs are related to setup, configuration, migration, and ongoing maintenance rather than the operating system itself.
The installation process is straightforward, although enterprise deployments may require additional time and resources for planning, testing, backups, and support.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The alternatives were AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages or Rocky Linux, and I decided on Alma.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages a solid nine.
It's well-maintained, a solid operating system, and customizable.
It's open source, and the documentation is up to date, so there is security support as well. The Git repository community is quite responsive when it comes to asking questions that I might not find on their official website, and the Git repository comes in handy with things of that nature.
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages does not have built-in AI capabilities, so its governance and security are primarily focused on traditional enterprise Linux administration. From a security perspective, it provides strong access controls, SELinux, regular security updates, and compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Governance depends largely on how the organization manages patching, permissions, monitoring, compliance, and system configurations. Overall, I consider it secure and reliable when properly maintained.
AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages does not have or provide built-in AI capabilities, so the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated output are not directly applicable. Any AI tools hosted on or integrated with AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages would depend on the specific software, model, data, and configuration used.
I purchased AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages through the AWS Marketplace.
I would recommend AlmaLinux 8 (Alma Linux 8) | Support by SupportedImages to organizations looking for a stable, secure, and cost-effective RHEL-compatible operating system. Before adopting it, confirm that your hardware, application, cloud platform, and required software repositories are supported.
Official virtual machine, cloud, and container images make deployment easier. I would also recommend testing the migration in a non-production environment first and planning regular updates, backups, and security monitoring. My overall rating for this product is nine 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?