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diff --git a/src/blog/reevaluating-rhel/index.md b/src/blog/reevaluating-rhel/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f236133 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/blog/reevaluating-rhel/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,182 @@ +--- +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> |