Top 10 Benefits of CentOS over Fedora

CentOS or Community ENTerprise Operating System is often compared to Fedora in various Internet forums. CentOS is essentially a community supported free and open source operating system based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It’s targeted at people looking for enterprise-class operating system stability without the cost of certification and support. Whereas Fedora is a Red Hat sponsored, RPM based, free and open source operating system that runs the latest versions of software.When it comes to commercial use CentOS scores highly over Fedora. Let’s see 10 benefits of CentOS over Fedora.

1. Operating Environment

Fedora is essentially a deskop oriented operating system. It has short release cycles and is a less stable in that respect.  On the other hand CentOS has longer release cycles. This results in a more stable system and matured releases. Fedora has just 18 months of support cycle where as CentOS offers 5 years of support cycle. The last that needs to be calculated is that the average life cycle of a web browser is over 3 years.

For a server based environment use of short life cycle operating system is not recommended. Obviously, CentOS is a better choice than Fedora in such environment.

Further, CentOS strives to achieve RHEL package compliance, Fedora doesn’t show much concern about that.

2. Speed

Fedora comes with a lot more programs than CentOS. However, when it comes to commercial application CentOS offers far more compatibility with commercial application, which is not the case with Fedora. Reducing the overload and sticking to more user centric programs makes CentOS faster.

3.  Stability

That’s the most discussed issue between the two Operating Systems. Alhough Fedora is a great OS for desktop environment but lacks the stability built into CenOS. CentOS is proven, built around enterprise OS. Unlike Fedora that runs the latest version of software CentOS enures optimal stability allowing only most stable versions of software to run.Evidently, Fedora updates too fast to be considered a stable server OS.

4. Beta OS

Fedora is often referred as redhat’s testing ground for RHEL. It’s somewhat like a dumping ground where the bugs are found and fixed. I
As Fedora is a Beta code, it is unstable and might break at anytime.

5. Virtualization

CentOS 5 came up with Xen virtualization. It allows you to run a virtual PC server on your host server that shares its CPU and memory. With Xen multiple copies of CentOS 5 can be run from a server on the same hardware. In case your CPU supports hardware virtualization you can even host arbitrary unmodified guest operating systems like Windows. Unfortunately, Fedora 10 doesn’t include Xen Dom0 host even after Red Hat’s declaration of new virtualization strategy.

6. Hardware Compatibility

Fedora has better hardware compatibility than CentOS, as it uses the current kernel unlike CentOS that uses a antique kernel. However, in CentOS 5 the Kernel is 2.6.18 that would stay through 2014 when the support ends. Even when kernel updates would be available the kernel version stays at 2.6.18, the latest drivers are included. So the hardware compatibility might not be a problem.

7. Running Programs

Although most of the programs available for Fedora are also found for CentOS,  but the later won’t run all the updated versions. Unlike Fedora,  CentOS always runs that most stable version. Well, in order to run the latest version of programs Fedora is  resort.

8. Evolution

In F10, Evolution is a key offender. Fedora 10 Evolution’s virtual folders are a complete mess and the performance is worst.
CentOS has a working version of Evolution. Although you won’t expect any new feature, you can be assured that it will always work.

9. Software Integration

CentOS offers a better software integration than Fedora. We would like share our own experience with you. Using xfce desktop in Fedora 10 we found that while running a Genome session and using xfce we got no panel (the top horizontal bar) with the applications drop down. Trying the same in CentOS we found that the panel is acting as it should be.

10.  Backporting

For server class systems Redhat backports a limited set of drivers. However they don’t seem to mind backporting drivers for Desktop hardware. CentOS offers great backporting options.

Conclusion

Overtly, those looking to run the latest and the greatest programs shouldn’t mind the risk of working with Fedora. When it comes to  server environment involving commercial purposes CentOS provides a more feasible option that can run for years with reinstalling.

In case you wanna run all upgrade programs without loosing CentOS programs take the middle path. Use the Fedora as the host OS and with VMware run the CentOS. Most of the application would run on native Fedora and those that don’t you can run them on CentOS VM.