CIQ Offers Long-Term Support for AWS Rocky Linux  Images 

People and IT companies hate change. Once they're committed to something that works well, they don't want to move to something new and potentially unstable. That's why so many companies were unhappy when Red Hat dropped traditional CentOS. Now, CIQ, whose founder Gregory Kurtzer created the popular CentOS Linux clone, Rocky Linux, has announced it's introducing long-term support (LTS) for Rocky Linux 8.6, 8.8, and 9.2 point releases on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace.

If your enterprise prioritizes stability and security in its software infrastructure--as it should--these new LTS versions deserve your attention. These releases will provide extended life for discontinued major and minor operating system versions and maintain point release operating system life for at least two years. 

CIQ Rocky Linux releases, by the way, typically come with ten years of support.  You won't be left high and dry like the CentOS 8 users who saw its end of life prematurely arrive on December 31, 2021.

These images, available for both x64 and aarch64 architectures, are also optimized for AWS and seamlessly integrated into CIQ Mountain,  the company's secure delivery platform, to ensure continuous access to crucial security updates and bug fixes.

Beyond AWS, CIQ provides LTS support for non-zero, even-numbered point releases (8.6, 8.8, 9.2, 9.4, etc.). LTS support lasts 18 months after the release is retired from the public project. For example, Rocky 8.6 was retired in November 2022, so CIQ’s LTS 8.6 support will last 18 more months, or May 2024.

The CIQ LTS for Rocky Linux AWS offering provides a subscription-based model. Typically, prices range from $0.01 to 0.044 per hour. This subscription also eliminates the need for direct contact with CIQ. Nor, will you need an enterprise-level support license for updating Rocky Linux images. Subscribers to this service can effortlessly maintain their operating system's version beyond the open-source Rocky Linux project's support period,

In other words, as Gregory M. Kurtzer, CIQ's CEO, said. “Now that CIQ LTS for Rocky Linux is available on AWS Marketplace, AWS users can self-service their Rocky Linux images whenever they’d like — no tickets to open, no license required, just click to use the most updated version.” Now, that's easy. This new offering empowers users with a hassle-free, self-service option to access the most updated versions of Rocky Linux images without needing tickets or additional licenses.

Beyond the LTS offering, CIQ also provides comprehensive enterprise-level support directly from its engineers. One feature I really like with this offering is that the first person you talk with will be the person who stays with you until your issue is resolved.  As CIQ states, "We don’t route you to a call center or Level 1 support technician who doesn’t have the knowledge to solve your issue."

This support includes escalation support, customization, optimization, integration, and professional services. This support meets the needs of organizations that require a stable and secure operating system with a support lifecycle that extends ten years after each release date

If you need even more, such as a custom version of Rocky Linux for your particular use case, CIQ will work with you to create that custom offering and support it as if it were the base Rocky Linux.

Put it all together, and whether you plan on running Rocky Linux on AWS, or on your own hardware, the CIQ support options are very attractive. 

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