Navigating TuxCare’s Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux

Rohan Timalsina

January 31, 2024 - TuxCare expert team

Get an additional 6 years of lifecycle support after the standard 10-year lifecycle

Includes automated live patching tools (KernelCare Enterprise and LibCare)

Enterprise-grade assistance for AlmaLinux and various open-source packages

AlmaLinux is a popular Linux distribution among enterprises. Its stability and reliability have made it an excellent choice for small to large organizations. While this dependable distribution is made secure by a growing, sophisticated community of users, some organizations need a little more support for their enterprise’s needs.

Therefore, many businesses opt for a dedicated enterprise support service to gain an extra layer of protection and to ensure seamless operation. Third-party commercial support for AlmaLinux typically includes swift troubleshooting, proactive security updates, and expert guidance, giving IT teams peace of mind knowing their critical systems are backed by specialists – leaving them free to focus on their core business goals.

This article will discuss how the enterprise support for AlmaLinux provided by TuxCare is different from other typical AlmaLinux support.

Typical AlmaLinux Support

There are multiple support options available for AlmaLinux on the market. Most of them include troubleshooting technical issues related to packages, dependencies, updates, migration processes, and others.

In addition, they often offer extra help directly from Linux experts, which simplifies the management of critical AlmaLinux deployments.

TuxCare’s Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux

Unlike other AlmaLinux support options available, TuxCare’s Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux includes various services that enterprise users can’t get anywhere else, like:

Essential Support with a 16-Year Lifecycle

Users will have access to the TuxCare-vetted repository for AlmaLinux updates with extended support for up to 16 years. That means an additional 6 years of lifecycle support is provided after a standard 10-year lifecycle, ensuring uninterrupted service and speedy break-and-fix support.

Essential Support also includes technical support, such as:

AlmaLinux installation issues

Package update issues, (repositories issues, package conflicts, missing dependencies)

Migration issues between OSs with the same major version (e.g., from CentOS/OL/RHEL 8 to AlmaLinux 8)

Operating system bugs troubleshooting

Kernel crash issues (root cause analysis and escalations to upstream)

Extended Security Updates (ESU)

When it comes to FIPS deployments, TuxCare’s Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux incorporates FIPS-compliant security patches tailored for certain AlmaLinux minor versions.

This feature is called Extended Security Updates (ESU), and it ensures ongoing security for FIPS-certified AlmaLinux 9.2 deployments by providing FIPS-compliant security patches specifically designed for the FIPS-validated kernel and OpenSSL packages.

These patches maintain the validated cryptography, making them suitable for organizations that do not require rigid, static FIPS-certified implementations, such as military or intelligence agencies. If there is a cryptographic vulnerability requiring a security patch that alters the validated cryptography, TuxCare addresses it by delivering a new packaged kernel. This kernel will go through a quick FIPS 140-3 recertification process to ensure it meets the requirements of FIPS 140-3.

Live Patching with KernelCare and LibCare

Automated live patching tools (KernelCare Enterprise and LibCare) enable the quick deployment of security patches to the kernel and critical userspace packages like glibc and openssl. This helps to minimize the vulnerability windows and potential threats, while also enabling enterprises to minimize reboots, downtime, and disruptions.

Learn more about these live patching technologies here.

Enhanced Support

This service includes enterprise-grade assistance for AlmaLinux and various open-source applications operating on AlmaLinux, along with a self-service portal. It also features pay-as-you-go pricing available in 5, 10, and 20-hour bundles.

Some technical support available are:

Operating system migration (e.g, from Oracle to AlmaLinux)

Operating system upgrades (e.g, from CentOS 7 to AlmaLinux 8)

Design & Architecture (e.g., review)

Data storage, backup assistance

Configuration assistance

There is much more available than what’s listed above. For more detailed information on how TuxCare’s enterprise support helps organizations, read this datasheet.

Final Thoughts

Organizations often require the security and peace of mind offered by commercial support. TuxCare’s Enterprise Support for AlmaLinux provides this reassurance, offering several benefits, including extended security updates, FIPS-certified compliance, live patching, as well as technical support for various packages, package update issues, migration issues, and many more.

Each service is independent and can be purchased according to your unique requirements and preferences, making this a budget-friendly commercial support option for organizations that only want to pay for the support their unique environment needs.

Reach out to a TuxCare Linux security expert to get started with TuxCare.

Summary