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+---
+title: Re-evaluating RHEL
+date: June 25, 2023
+description: Responding to RedHat's latest rug-pull.
+---
+
+Last Wednesday, I woke up to news that IBM's RedHat was [ceasing public releases
+of source code for RedHat Enterprise Linux](https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/furthering-evolution-centos-stream).
+Going forward, "[CentOS Stream](https://www.centos.org/centos-stream/) will now
+be the sole repository for public RHEL-related source code releases."
+
+Prior to last week, all the source RPMs for each RHEL release were published on
+[git.centos.org](https://git.centos.org/). When RedHat abruptly killed CentOS as
+we knew it in 2019 (*requiescat in pace*), the availability of these sources allowed
+fledgeling distros like [Rocky](https://rockylinux.org/) and [Alma](https://almalinux.org/)
+Linux to quickly take its place.
+
+Presumably, the bean-counters at RedHat were none too pleased with the proles'
+clever workaround, and have decided to take their toys and go home. (I'm sure
+[Rocky's recent NASA contract](https://twitter.com/rocky_linux/status/1668781190520918019)
+didn't help either.)
+
+Much pontification has taken place on Twitter and the Fediverse regarding
+the ethical and legal implications of this move. I'm not going to rehash them,
+as I honestly find such things tedious and boring. The Software Freedom Conservancy
+has written a detailed analysis of the situation [here](https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2023/jun/23/rhel-gpl-analysis/).
+
+To summarize: RedHat almost certainly has the right to do this, even if it is
+against the spirit of most free software licenses. At the moment, I'm more
+concerned about how this will affect my own projects.
+
+## I'm heavily invested in Rocky Linux.
+
+I self-host my entire digital footprint on Rocky Linux. Email, XMPP, Matrix, VOIP,
+Mastodon, git repositories, network storage, web servers, desktops...everything
+runs on Rocky virtual machines.
+
+I've spent the last year or so building out an [Ansible framework](https://github.com/sacredheartsc/selfhosted)
+to manage it all. Just as I was getting everything dialed in and perfected,
+RedHat pulled the rug yet again.
+
+Switching to another Linux flavor is not trivial, since my entire infrastructure
+depends on [FreeIPA](https://freeipa.org/) for identity management. User accounts,
+groups, internal DNS records, sudo rules, and access control are all handled by FreeIPA.
+My Ansible framework is tightly coupled to the FreeIPA [Ansible modules](https://github.com/freeipa/ansible-freeipa).
+
+FreeIPA is developed and tested on RedHat-based distributions: Fedora, CentOS,
+and RHEL. While packages do exist for other distros, they're definitely second-class
+citizens. I'd rather not depend on them for production use.
+
+## So what's next?
+
+With nearly all of my digital life dependent on a RHEL derivative, it's time to
+re-evaluate my choice of operating system. Some options:
+
+### Stick with Rocky Linux?
+
+This is definitely the easiest course of action, since it requires no additional
+work on my part. After all, Rocky and Alma have
+[both](https://rockylinux.org/news/brave-new-world-path-forward/)
+[assured](https://almalinux.org/blog/impact-of-rhel-changes/)
+us that updates will keep coming as usual, that this is a minor setback, and that
+everything will be fine. But realistically, what else *could* they say at this point?
+
+It seems like both distros have currently found a way to keep pushing updates, but
+I haven't seen any public statements about how exactly they're accomplishing this (perhaps
+a strategic omission?).
+
+To me, there's three major downsides to sticking with a RHEL-derivative:
+
+- What's stopping RedHat from doing another rug-pull that thwarts whatever
+  future workarounds that Rocky, Alma, *et al.* are using to grab the source RPMs?
+
+- This may be the final straw that causes various FOSS projects to drop RHEL
+  support altogether ([Exhibit A](https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2023/removing-official-support-red-hat-enterprise-linux)). 
+
+- By sticking with a RHEL-based distro, I'm giving my implicit support to RedHat's
+  alleged mistreatment of the wider FOSS community. Maybe it's just time to move on?
+
+First, **immediately after** everyone got done migrating the CentOS 8, RedHat
+pulled the plug on CentOS.
+
+Then, **immediately after** the CentOS replacements gained critical mass, RedHat
+pulled the rug on public source code!
+
+*Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.*
+
+All that being said, I'd really like to stick with Rocky if possible. It's an
+incredible distro and really hits a sweet spot for professional features (SELinux,
+FreeIPA, RPM packaging), stability, active community, and long support cycles.
+
+### RHEL Developer Program?
+
+Won't work for me. I currently have no fewer than 37 Rocky Linux installs (mostly KVM
+virtual machines), but RedHat's [free tier](https://developers.redhat.com/articles/faqs-no-cost-red-hat-enterprise-linux)
+only gives you a license for 16 hosts.
+
+### CentOS Stream?
+
+My understanding of [CentOS Stream](https://www.centos.org/centos-stream/) is that it's
+essentially a beta branch for the next point-release of RHEL. I'd like a distro where I
+run automatic updates and not concern myself with stuff breaking. It doesn't *sound*
+like this is the case for Stream. Am I wrong?
+
+RedHat [asserts](https://blog.centos.org/2020/12/centos-stream-is-continuous-delivery/) that
+"To the untrained eye, CentOS Stream is already as stable as RHEL." If that is really the case,
+why did so many people jump to Rocky/Alma? Spite? (This is not sarcasm--I'm genuinely curious.)
+
+CentOS Stream gets security updates through the RHEL "full support" phase (5.5 years). If Stream
+is truly "as good as RHEL, but only for 5 years," then I'd consider this a viable option.
+
+### Ubuntu LTS?
+
+Hard pass. `/dev/null` will soon be provided by a Snap package at the rate things are going.
+
+### Switch to Debian?
+
+If Rocky disappears, Debian is probably the most logical choice. It's been around
+forever with no corporate ties, and has near-universal package availability. In addition,
+I already run a Debian-based hypervisor ([Proxmox](https://www.proxmox.com/)).
+
+There are some downsides though:
+
+- Debian Stable is only supported for 5 years, compared to RHEL's 10 years (this
+  doesn't actually bother me *that* much).
+
+- `apt` is annoying compared to `dnf`...but this is a minor complaint.
+
+- Janky FreeIPA support. I'm sure you can `apt-get install freeipa-server` and
+  have things *mostly* work, but roughly no one runs a FreeIPA domain on Debian. I'd
+  definitely be off the beaten path.
+
+Maybe I'm exaggerating the issues with Debian-based FreeIPA, but I haven't had good
+experiences with it in the past. I've also run Samba 4 in [domain controller mode](https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Setting_up_Samba_as_an_Active_Directory_Domain_Controller)...don't
+think I can go through that again.
+
+Another option would be to roll a poor-man's FreeIPA with
+[OpenLDAP](https://www.openldap.org/),
+[BIND](https://www.isc.org/bind/),
+a [Kerberos KDC](https://web.mit.edu/kerberos/),
+and
+[nslcd](https://github.com/arthurdejong/nss-pam-ldapd). This seems like a lot
+of work, but maybe it would pay off in the long run to be totally decoupled from RHEL?
+
+### FreeBSD? Illumos?!
+
+A move to [FreeBSD](https://www.freebsd.org/) or an Illumos-based distro like
+[OmniOS](https://omnios.org/) does have a certain Unix nostalgia appeal.
+
+FreeBSD has [jails](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/jails/), and each release
+is supported for 5 years. OmniOS has Solaris [zones](https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19455-01/817-1592/zones.intro-1/index.html),
+which are amazing, but the LTS release only has a 3-year support window.
+
+I would honestly prefer to use a real Unix, since Linux has run on the [CADT model](https://www.jwz.org/doc/cadt.html)
+since the 2000s. Unfortunately, since we live in a Linux monoculture, using anything
+not-Linux means you must also become a package maintainer, and spend your days
+filing issue reports for your bespoke hipster Unix in various bug trackers.
+
+I actually used to run my entire infrastructure on [SmartOS](https://www.tritondatacenter.com/smartos),
+but it feels like betting on a losing horse at this point. Debian will almost certainly be
+around 10 years from now. *Illumos*...?
+
+## I'm mostly just annoyed.
+
+The classic CentOS model was stable, reliable, and boring: the perfect platform
+for my self-hosted fiefdom. I have a regular `$DAYJOB` and a growing family--three
+small kids and counting! I need a low-maintenance distro that
+stays out of my way for long periods of time. So far, Rocky Linux has provided
+exactly that.
+
+In the short term, I'll keep my eyes on the RHEL situation and continue maintaining
+[sacredheart-selfhosted](https://github.com/sacredheartsc/selfhosted) as a
+Rocky Linux-based framework.
+
+I don't really care about bug-for-bug compatibility with RHEL. If Rocky, Alma, or
+Stream manages to emerge as some kind of community-favorite "almost-RHEL" with a
+longish support cycle, that's what I'll stick with. Otherwise, I see Debian in my future.
+
+<aside>
+*P.S. I wrote this article on the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, patron of
+the Diocese of Charleston and of unborn children. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!*
+</aside>