Established in 2004, the Linux distro known as “LinuxCentOS“ is one of the longest-lasting, most popular Linux builds. LinuxCentOS is not for beginners, though. It is truly intended for server use by knowledgeable, experienced Linux experts. There are many reasons CentOS is popular among the hardcore Linux community. Chief among them are its basis in the Red Hat Linux architecture, its stability, long support schedule, history of faithful updates and widespread use.
Born from Red Hat
LinuxCentOS was developed from the source code of the popular, stable and commercial Red Hat Enterprise Linux distro. This is possible due to the usually open source nature of Linux. Because of its basis in Red Hat, CentOS boasts stability, usability and reliability comparable to its pay-per-use brethren. LinuxCentOS also piggyback’s Red Hat’s familiar release schedule, so much so that Red Hat reclassified its own version numbering scheme to mirror CentOS. LinuxCentOS is a perfect free alternative to anyone who wants Red Hat stability and support without Red Hat prices.
Long Support Schedule
Unlike many distros who feature spotty updates, unreliable release schedules and that might flame out soon, LinuxCentOS features reliable releases. CentOS follows the release schedule of its base, Red Hat. Since Red Hat is known for its frequent, tested and stable releases, the CentOS version of LInux is a very safe bet.
Scheduled releases are just part of the reliable update plan for CentOS. To truly see the benefit, one need only look at CentOS’ planned lifecycle. Just like Red Hat Enterprise Linux, LinuxCentOS has a planned life cycle of ten years. This means that CentOS users can rely on updates and support until 2014.
Widespread Use
The final key benefit of LinuxCentOS is its widespread acceptance. A large number of the world’s web servers run CentOS, meaning it has a vibrant online support community. THius OS is actually named based on its community roots and support. CentOS stands for “Community ENTerprise Operating System.” What this means to anyone considering LinuxCentOS is that there’s no need to rely on commercial paid support; there is a rabid user community willing to help.