Two open-source projects, ALMALINUX and Rocky Linux, have released statements announcing that they are publishing binary compatible assemblies with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This comes after Red Hat restricted public access to the source texts of RHEL packages, which means that publicly available RHEL code can now only be obtained through the continuously updated repository centos stud.
However, transitioning ALMALINUX and Rocky Linux to Centos Stream has presented challenges, including difficulties with synchronizing Hel and Centos Stream. For example, not all the initial texts of the packages present in RHEL are transferred to Centos Stream at the same time and in the same order, and package versions in Centos Stream and RHEL do not always coincide. Additionally, the Centos Stream is updated within five years after its release, while the RHEL distribution is updated for ten years.
Red Hat has left an option for RHEL customers to download the package code through its closed site section. However, using in ALMALINUX and Rocky Linux SRPM packets loaded through the Red Hat client portal is seen as risky due to an additional user agreement prohibiting RHEL redistribution.
As a solution, ALMALINUX has decided to switch to tracking changes from the CentoS Stream repository, as well as using Oracle Linux repositories to continue the formation of packet updates that eliminate vulnerabilities. The formed updates will be additionally checked and adjusted to achieve full compatibility with RHEL updates, without violating the conditions of licensing set by Red Hat.
Both projects, ALMALINUX and Rocky Linux, will continue to form assemblies that reproduce the RHEL packages, completely binary compatible, identical in behavior (at the error level), and suitable for use as a replacement of RHEL. Distributions will have to process the internal processes of release formation, but nothing will change for users and partners, projects as before will continue to quickly form assemblies. To avoid a break in the supply of updates, both projects will initially use the temporary bypass version of the rim of restrictions, after which they plan to determine a long-term strategy and implement a more thoughtful long-term decision, the options of which are still being discussed.