The end of 2023 saw the release of the latest RHEL versions (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) 9.3 and 8.9.
The new releases are designed to provide enterprises with an understandable, accessible Linux platform to bridge existing IT operations with containerised innovation whilst also providing strong security.
Previous RHEL releases included the capabilities for Podman, a tool for deploying, running and building Linux containers. Web console enhancements in the new releases 9.3 and 8.9 further integrate Podman into workflows via automation. This enables remediation to be automated should a Podman container fail a health check.
The latest RHEL versions also support Quadlet which reduces the complexities of using Systemd for container management.
Proactively detect and resolve potential system issues
The latest RHEL versions 9.3 and 8.9 (and all Red Hat subscriptions) include Red Hat Insights, a suite of hosted services that proactively detect, analyze and mitigate potential system issues.
The latest updates to Red Hat Insights also increase security, resilience and aid compliance by providing users with:
- Greater visibility into system access
- Enhanced system vulnerability oversight
- The ability to group and edit compliance rules directly from the Insights console
Simplified storage management
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.3 also offers full support for Stratis.
Stratis is a Linux storage system whose features include: dynamic scaling, robust encryption, optimised resources allocation, plus more advanced capabilities such as thin provisioning, snapshots and caching. As the entire system can be managed through a user-friendly RHEL web console, this simplifies management, even for novice users.
Latest RHEL version: a smoother pathway to future innovation
Gunnar Hellekson, RHEL vice president and general manager, commented:
“Containerized and cloud-native applications are the future of computing and the job of the operating system is to bridge that future with today’s demands. The latest versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux continue to support current IT needs while creating a smoother pathway to future innovations without requiring a wholesale change in skills, tools or workflows, thanks to the new Stratis storage system, expanded Podman capabilities and enhancements to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux web console.”
Considering a move to Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
On June 30, 2024, CentOS Linux 7 will reach End of Life (EOL) meaning many organisations are considering their options for migration. This means This means current CentOS Linux users will need to choose a migration path in order to continue receiving security patches and updates.
Current users of CentOS Linux, Oracle Linux, Alma Linux, or Rocky Linux can move to Red Hat® Enterprise Linux with the convert2RHEL tool.
Conversions from CentOS Linux 6 and Oracle Linux 6 to Red Hat Enterprise Linux are unsupported but guidance is provided in this documentation.
Learn about the path from CentOS Linux to RHEL in the video below:
Minimise the need for costly redeployment
Convert2RHEL is an officially supported component of RHEL which analyses your system’s readiness and converts RPM-based Linux operating systems (OS) to Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It’s an automated way to standardize on Red Hat Enterprise Linux instead of manually redeploying all your workloads.
Convert2RHEL minimizes the need for costly redeployment projects and reduces administrative burden by maintaining existing OS customisations and preferences during the conversion. This allows enterprises to retain existing applications and configurations.
When the conversion and upgrade are complete, you will have access to all the latest Red Hat Enterprise Linux updates—as well as all the performance, support, management, and security capabilities that Red Hat Enterprise Linux includes.
Considering a migration to Red Hat Enterprise Linux? The Red Hat blog provides more information on Convert2RHEL plus answers to frequently asked questions.
For more information on Red Hat, visit our Red Hat product pages.