Enterprise vs Regular flavored Linux

[MurphCID]

I have been reading and hearing the term "Enterprise" Linux, so how does an Enterprise spin differ from a "regular" spin of linux? Are there additional software items? Does it use an old and outdated Kernel? If Mint came up with an "Enterprise" version, I assume it would be off of LMDE rather than regular Mint? So what exactly is Enterprise Linux? Red Hat? The old Cent OS? rpm based distros rather than apt based distros?

[Hoser Rob]

Basically, enterprise linux involves paying a license fee and thus getting paid tech support people who are obligated to answer support questions. Whereas with non enterprise diatreos like Mint, the support sites are volunteer based, and there is no obligation whatsoever to answer questions.

You won't get more software packages or newer software, it's the opposite. This is actually necessary for proper support.

[MurphCID]

Basically, enterprise linux involves paying a license fee and thus getting paid tech support people who are obligated to answer support questions. Whereas with non enterprise diatreos like Mint, the support sites are volunteer based, and there is no obligation whatsoever to answer questions.

You won't get more software packages or newer software, it's the opposite. This is actually necessary for proper support.

Yes, I understand, but are there "Enterprise" applications that are different from the run of the mill normal Linux applications as well? I know that Red Hat makes most of its money off of the tech support fees, which in turn helps Linux overall.

[Avraham Tsaban]

I think there are paid proprietary packages somewhere in the Linux world, but they are not necessarily tied to enterprise distributions (for example, everything works on enterprise RedHat Linux will work on equivalent versions of Rocky/CentOS/Alma Linux).

[Avraham Tsaban]

rpm based distros rather than apt based distros?

The difference between RPM and dpkg is not very related to the topic - both package managers are open sourced and are redistributed by many community distributions.

[MurphCID]

rpm based distros rather than apt based distros?

The difference between RPM and dpkg is not very related to the topic - both package managers are open sourced and are redistributed by many community distributions.

I was not sure since it seems "Enterprise" Linux seems to be heavily biased in favor of .rpm distributions.

[Hoser Rob]

rpm based distros rather than apt based distros?

The difference between RPM and dpkg is not very related to the topic - both package managers are open sourced and are redistributed by many community distributions.

There is something to it, though. Red Hat uses the rpm format, and there is some business software only packaged for it. But I wouldn't over generalize.

[ivar]

Suse Enterprise Linux is also rpm based. But I think its more coincidal that 2 of the biggest actors here uses rpm, and not that it is superior for enterprise use...

[Petermint]

"Enterprise" has weird definitions that are based on how much you charge. If a company charges massive fees then they will look for suppliers that change massive fees.

When I worked for an "Enterprise", a customer, an "Enterprise", offered my Enterprise $50,000 per week to have me work as on site support. I was leaving at the time. As an independent, the same customer said they could pay only $3000 per week and that would have to go to a contracting company who would pay me only $1000 per week.

Another example. When Sun was fashionable, I worked on a project where a company paid $12,000 for a Sun server so they could advertise that they used only Sun systems. I developed the application on a generic desktop with Linux that cost less than $2,000. The $12,000 Sun server could not run the application because the disks and everything else were inadequate. The application was destroyed to make it fit the Sun server just so they could advertise their "Enterprise" systems.

Enterprise software might have a new feature a few years before the open source community develops it. There were some advantages in server clusters a few years ago. Mostly it is just charging in advance for support you might not use.

[ivar]

.. and having someone to blame - or hold accountable for CYA purposes

[MurphCID]

Does Enterprise Linux = Server Linux? Are they essentially the same thing?

[JoeFootball]

https://www.suse.com/suse-defines/defin ... ise-linux/

[kc1di]

Does Enterprise Linux = Server Linux? Are they essentially the same thing?

Not necessarily many servers use Debian because it is so stable. Redhat is use also but it is mostly used for workstations and production work. Enterprise simply means It's very stable slow to change and never on the cutting edged unless the software has been thoroughly tested. Big business see extreme change say in DE's and software as time and money wasters. It's one thing in General linux to push a software change when it only effects one or two people at a time. But when you have hundreds or thousands of people who will have to learn the new system it becomes almost overwhelming. Thus software /system stability is the main feature of Enterprise editions.

some companies / maybe many do not want to invest in their own IT personal and thus depend on Redhat and others to do that job for them when they need it. So I would say if anything Enterprise editions lag quite a bit behind the ebb and flow of general linux distros.
Their system are more robust in stability than others. As for why .rpm package mangers seem to be predominate in Enterprise I think that just simply goes back to the fact that Redhat and others who first sold enterprise systems had chosen that as their base before debian came along. Just my opinion

[Hoser Rob]

Does Enterprise Linux = Server Linux? Are they essentially the same thing?

Not necessarily many servers use Debian because it is so stable. ...

Especially since Ubuntu since 14.04 has been shipping LTS distros without an LTS kernel. Daft. They have enough to do without having to do all the kernel backports themselves.

[kc1di]

Especially since Ubuntu since 14.04 has been shipping LTS distros without an LTS kernel. Daft. They have enough to do without having to do all the kernel backports themselves.

I stopped using ubuntu a while ago because they make arbitrary choices I don't agree with.

[ivar]

Not necessarily many servers use Debian because it is so stable. Redhat is use also but it is mostly used for workstations and production work. Enterprise simply means It's very stable slow to change and never on the cutting edged unless the software has been thoroughly tested. Big business see extreme change say in DE's and software as time and money wasters.

and companys with, say a couple 1000 servers rely heavily on automation to keeps things running, so concistency is king here.

(Also why many CentOS users got a bit pissed when CentOS 8 EOL was changed from 2029 to 2021

[Portreve]

I think there needs to be MurphCID OS. That way, you could start milking Corporate America for tens or even hundreds of millions a year, and if you were feeling a bit generous, you could funnel a part of that towards Linux Mint. I'm sure Clem would be happy.

(Also why many CentOS users got a bit pissed when CentOS 8 EOL was changed from 2029 to 2021

That's why there's CentOS Stream 9, Alma, Rocky, and (gasp!) even Fedora.

[ivar]

for those centOS users I referred to, I think only Alma and Rocky gives what they want...?

There's also Oracle Linux, which also is supposed to be "bug level" compatible with RedHat

[MurphCID]

I think there needs to be MurphCID OS. That way, you could start milking Corporate America for tens or even hundreds of millions a year, and if you were feeling a bit generous, you could funnel a part of that towards Linux Mint. I'm sure Clem would be happy.

(Also why many CentOS users got a bit pissed when CentOS 8 EOL was changed from 2029 to 2021

That's why there's CentOS Stream 9, Alma, Rocky, and (gasp!) even Fedora.

LOL. The MurphCID OS would not have any nagware, and would tell users: Do it the way that you work best. I am getting ready to make another donation RSN.

[MurphCID]

Also I have discovered that it appears that "Enterprise/Server" distros do not ship with a DE, you have to add one if you want it. That could be rough for newbies like me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at4HNRLDERs