Managing IT infrastructures is becoming increasingly complex with the growing use of the cloud. A unified approach in environments and infrastructures provides organizations with coherence to reduce complexity and costs. A centralized Linux operating system can be an effective solution, as long as it meets fundamental criteria such as flexibility, security, portability, and the support of a solid ecosystem.
The adoption of the cloud is on the rise for many organizations, seeking efficiency, innovation, and cost reduction. However, maximizing the benefits of this investment requires a plan that mitigates security risks, inefficient operations, and high budgets. This is where choosing the right Linux becomes crucial.
### Eight key criteria for choosing a Linux for the cloud
1. **Flexibility to choose cloud providers:** The Linux system should offer freedom in choosing providers, allowing deployment of applications on multiple certified providers. This includes global hyperscalers and regional providers. This flexibility enables leveraging different services, optimizing costs, and configuring systems for disaster recovery.
2. **Portability as a basic requirement:** Portability is essential for moving workloads between the cloud and the data center quickly and without changes. The right Linux should provide a foundation that allows deploying applications and data where it is most convenient.
3. **Security and regulatory compliance:** An ideal Linux should guarantee security and regulatory compliance in the cloud. This includes integrated security features, compliance with regulations, and modular packaging to reduce the attack surface. Additionally, tools are required to perform predictive analysis, apply patches in real-time, and conduct vulnerability audits.
4. **Support for developers:** A consistent environment from development to production reduces deployment time and minimizes errors. A Linux system should include access to reliable images, libraries, and tools to accelerate development. Furthermore, providing resources and specific programs for developers enhances performance and profitability.
5. **Strong IT ecosystem:** An extensive and connected ecosystem that includes partnerships with cloud, hardware, and software providers allows synergies for users. Certification to integrate with SAP S/4HANA can be particularly valuable for organizations operating critical workloads.
6. **Consistent IT experience:** The Linux system should provide a seamless experience for managing environments, whether data centers, public clouds, or private clouds. A single interface enables optimizing administration, automation, and security at all levels.
7. **Scalability:** As companies grow, their technological infrastructure must adapt. A Linux system should be able to expand to support an increase in workloads without compromising performance or security.
8. **Integration with automation tools:** The ability to integrate with automation tools helps reduce manual workload in cloud management. Linux systems that offer compatibility with configuration management and orchestration platforms like Ansible, Terraform, or Puppet allow a higher level of automation, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
### Opportunity for CentOS Linux users
The CentOS project stopped updating CentOS Linux 7 in June 2024, forcing its users to migrate to another operating system to continue receiving updates. This is an excellent opportunity for organizations to reconsider their needs and benefit from standardizing on a single operating system for both data centers and cloud environments.
Choosing the right Linux system provides the flexibility to respond to a changing market while offering coherence and security. Portability and a unified experience across different environments provide clear advantages for efficiently managing workloads and applications. A Linux system that meets these criteria will allow organizations to be better prepared to face the challenges of the current and future market.