Linux Options
April 23, 2021
The Plan as of November 2020
2020 2020 2021 2021 2022 2022 2023 2023 2024 2024 2025 2025 2026 2026 2027 2027 2028 2028 2029
H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1
SLF6
SL7
C8
SLF6: Scientific Linux Fermi 6
SL7: Scientific Linux 7
C8: CentOS Linux 8
Thanks to Ben Morrice of CERN for the calendar format idea.
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CentOS Change
On December 12, 2020, CentOS announced:
“The future of the CentOS Project is CentOS Stream, and over the
next year we’ll be shifting focus from CentOS Linux, the rebuild of
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), to CentOS Stream, which tracks
just ahead of a current RHEL release. CentOS Linux 8, as a rebuild of
RHEL 8, will end at the end of 2021.”
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So, as of December 2020:
2020 2020 2021 2021 2022 2022 2023 2023 2024 2024 2025 2025 2026 2026 2027 2027 2028 2028 2029
H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1
SLF6
SL7
C8
CS8
CS9
SLF6: Scientific Linux Fermi 6
SL7: Scientific Linux 7
C8: CentOS Linux 8
CS8: CentOS Stream 8
CS9: CentOS Stream 9
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For discussion today:
• What is CentOS Stream, exactly?
• Implications of this change
• Possible options, pros and cons
• Path forward
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CentOS Stream
• Not a beta version: Each package that goes into Stream has
gone through Red Hat’s QA process and will appear as-is in
the next RHEL minor version release.
• Key differences from CentOS Linux:
– 5-year life cycle (vs. 10 years for CentOS Linux 7)
• Matches “Full Support” phase of RHEL
– More frequent, smaller updates: Once they pass QA, new
versions of packages are released immediately to CentOS
Stream. For CentOS Linux (and RHEL), they’re collected
internally until the next minor (dot) version is released.
– Adds a mechanism to feed changes into RHEL
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Requirements
What do you need in a Linux operating system?
• Lifetime: Is 5 years enough?
• Support for architectures other than x86, e.g., ARM?
• Stability (lack of change) vs. recent software (more change)?
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Options
We are working with CERN to arrive at a common decision.
Options currently considered:
• Use CentOS Stream
• Use a different RHEL rebuild, similar to the original CentOS
Linux: Springdale Linux, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, …
• Other options can be considered for the long term, but aren’t
feasible in the next 1–few years.
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Options—comments
With any of the above: Aggressive containerization—run
everything in containers, or as much as possible. Then the
underlying OS will matter less.
With Stream (especially, though not exclusively): Further push
for CI/CD to mitigate more frequent changes in OS.
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Discussing Options
CentOS Stream
Pros:
• Supported by Red Hat & CentOS
• Very similar to CentOS Linux
• Quick availability of new package versions
Cons:
• 5-year life cycle
• Loss of trust in RH/CentOS
• Possible compatibility questions for applications: If a 3rd-party
application is certified for RHEL, will it work on Stream (and
vice versa)?
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Discussing Options
RHEL rebuilds/clones
Pros:
• 10-year life cycle, matching RHEL (assuming Red Hat
continues to release software as they have)
• We (FNAL, CERN, HEP) could contribute and have influence
Cons:
• Still depend on Red Hat
• Except for Springdale, no track record, so hard to judge
stability and support
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Near-term Plan
• Where 8 is needed now, run CentOS Stream 8
– Many experiments may be able to go directly from SL7 to
Stream 9
• Watch progress of rebuilds (Rocky, Springdale, Alma, …), do
some testing
• Migrate to either Stream 9 or a rebuild, depending on our
experience with Stream and on how the rebuilds have
developed.
Longer-term plan: Consider more fundamental changes
(Debian? A new HEP build from sources? Other distributions?)
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Discussion?
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Extra slides…
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Installing CentOS Stream 8
Main Stream download page:
https://www.centos.org/centos-stream/
Goes to a list of mirrors, including:
http://linux-mirrors.fnal.gov/linux/centos/8-stream/isos/x86_64/
Fermilab customizations (Kerberos, etc.):
https://linux-mirrors.fnal.gov/linux/fermilab/centos/8/notes.html
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