Which OS is better regarding Ubuntu vs. RHEL (Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux)?

We introduce two distinct operating systems in the Ubuntu vs. Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux com­par­i­son. Ubuntu excels with its open-source approach and high com­pat­i­bil­i­ty, while RHEL stands out for its stability and support.

What are the different ap­proach­es of Ubuntu and RHEL?

Ubuntu and Red Hat are among the best and most popular Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions currently available. While there are some sim­i­lar­i­ties between the two, their dif­fer­ences are more sig­nif­i­cant, starting with their histories. Ubuntu based on Debian was released in 2004 to provide an easy-to-use operating system com­pat­i­ble with numerous programs. It’s open source, main­tained by the Canonical Foun­da­tion, and offers new versions twice a year for both desktop and server use.

Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux (RHEL), developed by the US software company Red Hat, is the market leader in Linux dis­tri­b­u­tions for busi­ness­es. Launched in 2002, RHEL is known for its ro­bust­ness, security, and flex­i­bil­i­ty, with com­pat­i­bil­i­ty across numerous software packages. It evolved from Red Hat Linux, which has been in de­vel­op­ment since 1995. Unlike Ubuntu, RHEL is pro­pri­etary and offers versions for desktop, server, and cloud ap­pli­ca­tions. Its releases are announced every two to five years, rather than following a fixed schedule.

What are their purpose and target group?

As evident from the brief in­tro­duc­tion, Ubuntu and Red Hat target different user groups with distinct ap­proach­es. Ubuntu, known as “Linux for everyone,” excels in user-friend­li­ness, simple con­fig­u­ra­tion, and a vast range of software. With over 25 million users, this free system is popular and versatile. In contrast, RHEL is preferred for com­mer­cial use due to its stability and re­li­a­bil­i­ty, making it ideal for both large and small companies. However, it may not be the best choice for newcomers.

What are their repos­i­to­ries and package managers

Ubuntu and RHEL have sig­nif­i­cant dif­fer­ences in their repos­i­to­ries and package managers. RHEL uses the RPM package manager and its own file format, along with tools like YUM (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) and DNF (Dandified Yum). Its primary repos­i­to­ries are AppStream, BaseOS, EPEL, and Pow­er­Tools. On the other hand, Ubuntu offers four main repos­i­to­ry types: Main, Universe, Re­strict­ed, and Mul­ti­verse. For package man­age­ment, Ubuntu uses apt and dpkg.

How do they use container solutions?

As container man­age­ment gains im­por­tance, both Ubuntu and Red Hat offer relevant tools. Ubuntu provides MicroK8s, a light­weight Ku­ber­netes dis­tri­b­u­tion for container-based services. Red Hat counters with OpenShift, an open-source ap­pli­ca­tion platform based on Ku­ber­netes and licensed under the Apache license. Ad­di­tion­al­ly, Red Hat offers Podman, an open-source tool for container de­vel­op­ment and man­age­ment, though Docker on Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux can also be installed on Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux.

What are the dif­fer­ences in their security systems?

Both Ubuntu and RHEL are known for their strong security and stability, receiving regular updates and security patches. Ubuntu uses AppArmor for its security framework, while Red Hat relies on SELinux.

Doc­u­men­ta­tion, courses and training

Both Ubuntu and Red Hat are well-doc­u­ment­ed. Ubuntu provides extensive online tutorials from the Canonical Foun­da­tion for users of all ex­pe­ri­ence levels, along with official doc­u­men­ta­tion in HTML and PDF formats. Ad­di­tion­al­ly, the large community con­tributes to its doc­u­men­ta­tion. Red Hat offers a free course for newcomers and provides doc­u­men­ta­tion in HTML, PDF, and EPUB formats, with ad­di­tion­al paid training and online courses available.

What are the support options?

Support for Ubuntu is divided into two phases. Regular support for a new version is available for five years from release. This also includes important updates. Users can book an ad­di­tion­al five years of support via the paid Ubuntu Advantage model. Red Hat dis­tin­guish­es between three different support models: “Full Support” is available for five years from the date of initial release, “Main­te­nance Support” can be claimed for the following five years and the “Extended Life Phase” model starts at the end of “Main­te­nance Support” and lasts another two years. Bug fixes can be booked as an option.

How do they differ in licensing and payment models?

A key dif­fer­ence between Ubuntu and RHEL is their payment models. Ubuntu is basically free; no license is required for its use, and most services are provided at no cost. The paid Ubuntu Advantage model offers ad­di­tion­al, per­son­al­ized support. In contrast, Red Hat requires reg­is­tra­tion to access plans, and all licenses come with a fee. Prices vary by service, with the server model starting at $384 and a virtual data center priced at $2,749. However, Red Hat does offer a free trial version of its dis­tri­b­u­tion.

Which dis­tri­b­u­tion is better, Ubuntu vs. Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux?

Ul­ti­mate­ly, the choice between Ubuntu and Red Hat En­ter­prise Linux depends on your specific needs. For a free, user-friendly solution, par­tic­u­lar­ly for private use, Ubuntu is a strong choice. It offers high com­pat­i­bil­i­ty, a sup­port­ive community, and extensive doc­u­men­ta­tion. Ubuntu can also be a good option for smaller companies.

Con­verse­ly, RHEL is the market leader in com­mer­cial­ly used Linux systems for good reason. Although it may not be ideal for private in­di­vid­u­als, companies benefit from ex­cep­tion­al stability, strong per­for­mance, and top-notch support. For busi­ness­es seeking the optimal solution, investing in RHEL is likely to be worth­while.