Linux distributions

CentOS Migration & Support

CentOS Linux 7 and 8 have reached end of life and no longer receive security updates, yet many servers still run them. We keep your CentOS server safe for now and move it to a supported, compatible system: AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CloudLinux or Ubuntu.

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19 yrsRunning servers
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What we manage

Your CentOS servers, handled.

Audit of what runs on the CentOS server
Interim hardening while it’s still on CentOS
In-place conversion to AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux
cPanel servers upgraded with cPanel’s ELevate
Or a fresh server and zero-downtime migration
PHP, database and app compatibility checks
Email, DNS, SSL and cron carried over
Old server kept as a fallback
Post-migration monitoring
Documentation of the new setup

We convert CentOS 7 and 8 in place where the tooling allows (ELevate, migrate2rocky, cPanel’s ELevate) or rebuild on a fresh supported OS and migrate every site, database and mailbox with zero downtime.

Version history

CentOS versions: why each came, and what changed.

Each release, the one it replaced, the one that followed, and the features that mattered for servers.

  1. CentOS 6

    2011

    Why it came: Free rebuild of RHEL 6.

    Followed by CentOS 7 ⟶

    • SysV/Upstart init
    • ext4 default

    End of life (2020)

  2. CentOS 7

    2014

    Why it came: Free rebuild of RHEL 7 with systemd and XFS; the most widely deployed CentOS.

    ⟵ Replaced CentOS 6 Followed by CentOS 8 ⟶

    • systemd
    • XFS
    • firewalld

    End of life (June 2024)

  3. CentOS 8

    2019

    Why it came: Free rebuild of RHEL 8, cut short when the project moved to CentOS Stream.

    ⟵ Replaced CentOS 7 Followed by CentOS Stream ⟶

    • dnf and AppStream
    • nftables

    End of life (December 2021)

  4. CentOS Stream

    2019–now

    Why it came: A rolling preview of the next RHEL minor release, not a stable rebuild, which is why most servers moved elsewhere.

    ⟵ Replaced CentOS 8 Followed by Successors: AlmaLinux & Rocky Linux ⟶

    • Upstream of RHEL
    • Faster updates
    • Shorter, rolling lifecycle

    Different model: not a CentOS 7 replacement

  5. Successors: AlmaLinux & Rocky Linux

    2021

    Why it came: Community projects created to continue the free, stable, RHEL-compatible model CentOS used to provide.

    ⟵ Replaced CentOS Stream

    • Drop-in RHEL compatibility
    • In-place conversion tools
    • Long support windows

    Supported

Release years and support windows as published by the vendor; check their lifecycle page for exact dates. We track them for you on every server we manage.

Problems we fix

What goes wrong on CentOS, and how we fix it.

No more security updatesEvery day on an end-of-life OS adds unpatched vulnerabilities. We reduce the risk now and plan the move.
Old PHP and MySQLApps stuck on old versions. We test them on the new stack before switching.
Compliance failuresPCI and customer audits flag end-of-life systems. Migration closes the finding.
Failed conversion attemptsA conversion that stopped half-way. Recovered and completed.

How it works

Free auditWe review your CentOS server: updates, security, backups and performance. Plain-English report within 24 hours.
Fix & stabiliseUrgent issues first, every change explained, nothing risky without your sign-off.
Take overMonitoring, patching and backups move onto our 24/7 rota.
ImproveMonthly reports, upgrade planning before end of support, and capacity advice.
FAQ

CentOS questions.

Not for internet-facing servers: CentOS 7 no longer receives security updates. Plan a migration; we can harden it in the meantime.

AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux are the closest match and the easiest move for cPanel and RHEL-style setups. Ubuntu suits stacks built around Debian tooling. We’ll recommend one after the audit.

Yes. Either the conversion happens in a short maintenance window, or we build a new server and switch DNS once everything is tested.

cPanel provides ELevate to upgrade CentOS 7 cPanel servers to AlmaLinux. We run it, fix the inhibitors and check every account afterwards.

Also managed

Other Linux distributions

Ubuntu Debian AlmaLinux Rocky Linux Red Hat Enterprise Linux CloudLinux

Related services

Server Migration cPanel Server Management India Server Hardening & Security Backup & Restore Service

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