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Cuneyt Gurses - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution Architect, DevOps Engineer at sonne technology
Real User
Nov 25, 2022
Provides open architecture but support has ended
Pros and Cons
  • "The open architecture is useful for us. That's why we're using CentOS."
  • "The open architecture is useful for us."
  • "The main issue is the End of Support. For that reason, we will switch to another operating system."
  • "The main issue is the End of Support. For that reason, we will switch to another operating system."

What is our primary use case?

CentOS is an operating system, and our applications are running on EC2 instances.

I am using the latest version, which is version 6.9. 

It's a Linux operating system, but it's compatible with cloud solutions.

This solution is used by over 1,000 clients. We don't plan on increasing usage because Red Hat announced that support has ended for CentOS.

What is most valuable?

 The open architecture is useful for us. That's why we're using CentOS. 

What needs improvement?

The main issue is the End of Support. For that reason, we will switch to another operating system.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used CentOS for over eight years.

Buyer's Guide
CentOS
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about CentOS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable.

How was the initial setup?

Installation is straightforward. Deployment takes 10 minutes with EC2. In AWS, there is nothing to install because it's ready.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution as five out of ten. 

Because there's an EOS, no one is willing to use CentOS anymore.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Evans Choge - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Security Administrator at Jambopay
Real User
Nov 3, 2022
An easy-to-integrate solution, scalable and stable
Pros and Cons
  • "It helps us install and deploy our applications."
  • "The solution is easy to integrate with other applications and with other services."
  • "More security features could be included in the next release."
  • "More security features could be included in the next release."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for the solution is utilizing it as an OS in a virtualized environment. It helps us install and deploy our applications and other services accessed by other users, internally and externally. The solution is deployed on-premises.

What is most valuable?

We have found the ease of integration valuable. The solution is easy to integrate with other applications and with other services. For example, if you want to deploy something, it simplifies the integration with other applications and services.

What needs improvement?

The solution could include more integration of third-party solutions to check on the quality and vulnerabilities of the code.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for approximately two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. Approximately 1000 users are utilizing the solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward, and deployment took two to four hours.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented the solution in-house. Five developers are required for deployment.

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

The license is affordable. I rate the price a ten out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution a nine out of ten. The solution is good, but the integration can be improved, and more security features could be included in the next release.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
CentOS
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about CentOS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
885,264 professionals have used our research since 2012.
System Administrator at Confidential
The solution is extremely stable, can be installed in under ten minutes, and is free
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is extremely stable."
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution is the stability and performance of the server."
  • "This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward."
  • "This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case for the solution is to host web servers, application servers, or databases.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the solution is the stability and performance of the server.

What needs improvement?

The solution is an open-source version of Red Hat without some of the features. The solution can be improved by including some of the Red Hat features for free.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for over ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is extremely stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can be scalable depending on what you are using the server for. If you use the solution as a visualization system, it is scalable, but difficult to scale without having to use additional tools. Linux-based solutions require a lot of manual work unless other tools are used to automate.

How are customer service and support?

The solution is open source and does not have any official support only other users on forums. 

How was the initial setup?

The setup is straightforward for advanced users and administrators. If you are a beginner the setup can be quite difficult, especially with the partitioning phase. The basic installation on the premises only takes ten minutes. If you are installing on the cloud there are a few extra steps that can take up to 20 minutes such as the provider's security, networking, public IP addresses, and some rules that have to be configured before the system is ready.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was completed in-house.

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

The solution is open-source and does not have any costs or licensing fees.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

This solution is no longer supported and will not receive any updates going forward. Oracle Linux is similar to the solution and is also Red Hat compatible. I recommend that anyone thinking about using this solution switch to Oracle Linux.

For anyone interested in trying the solution there is a lot of information and support that is freely available online.

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?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Victor Sibanda - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at Equilogic Technologies
Real User
Sep 5, 2022
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."
  • "Our team loves working with the solution because it is very stable."
  • "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."
  • "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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Senior manager at SBI Cap security
Real User
Aug 3, 2022
Simple to set up and widely supported
Pros and Cons
  • "CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
  • "CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported."
  • "It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."
  • "It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license."

What is our primary use case?

I mainly use CentOS to host training-related applications.

What is most valuable?

CentOS' best feature is that it's the standard product for Linux, so it's well-supported.

What needs improvement?

It would be useful if reporting were included as part of the basic license.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using CentOS for fifteen to sixteen years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

CentOS is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

CentOS is scalable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and took between fifteen and thirty minutes.

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

CentOS is cheaper compared to Windows.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend CentOS to other users and rate it eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
3D Artist at Daromex
Real User
Jul 22, 2022
Reliable and secure with a low learning curve
Pros and Cons
  • "It’s a simple, straightforward implementation."
  • "The solution is very stable and secure."
  • "CentOS is very close to the end of life."
  • "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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Taher Dungrawala - PeerSpot reviewer
Delivery head at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech
Real User
Jul 5, 2022
high performance, simple to use, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use."
  • "The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use."
  • "CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."
  • "CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs."

What is our primary use case?

We use CentOS an operating system if we want to install or do some processing.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of CentOS is the speed and it is very easy to use.

What needs improvement?

CentOS could improve by having troubleshooting logs.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using CentOS for approximately 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

CentOS is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of CentOS is good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of CentOS is easy. You can do it with basic knowledge. The full deployment took approximately three hours.

What about the implementation team?

We did the implementation of CentOS in-house. We have approximately two people for the implementation and maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

I rate CentOS an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1892454 - PeerSpot reviewer
Teaching and research assistant at a university with 201-500 employees
Real User
Leaderboard
Jul 3, 2022
Simple to install, quick to deploy, and adaptable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free."
  • "It's one of two platforms that can work with the tools we use; without it, we couldn't do anything."
  • "Continuous deployment is the only thing that can be improved."
  • "Continuous deployment is the only thing that can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

CentOS is a platform that is specifically used for tools that are required in our organization.

We found a way to adapt it to our own needs.

How has it helped my organization?

It's one of two platforms that can work with the tools we use; without it, we couldn't do anything.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is free.

What needs improvement?

Continuous deployment is the only thing that can be improved.

I would like to see support in the next 10 years. They will discontinue support for some CentOS versions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with CentOS for four years.

We're not working with the most recent version, but rather the one before it.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Only the most recent version is unstable. The versions previous and the most recent are usually stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a PC-only solution with CentOS installed on each PC, making it scalable.

We have 10 users in our organization.

We have no plans to increase our usage.

How are customer service and support?

We have not contacted technical support. We haven't needed to.

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

I am also familiar with Xilin.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. I would rate the initial setup a two out of five.

It took approximately an hour to install CentOS on a PC.

What about the implementation team?

We did not use a third party such as an integrator, reseller, or consultant. We completed the deployment ourselves.

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

CentOS is free.

There are no additional costs.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Red Hat Fuse, which is a CentOS variant. We used CentOS as it's free.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend that you determine which CentOS version was used because some versions will no longer be supported in the coming years.

I would rate CentOS an eight out of ten. If they would continue to support the previous version, I would rate this solution a 10 out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free CentOS Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free CentOS Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.