Explained: Amid Red Hat controversy, rivals join hands to offer open and free enterprise Linux source code

Last week, companies like SUSE, Oracle, and CIQ formed a non-profit called the Open Enterprise Linux Association (OpenELA). The founding companies are Linux entities that make Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). This collaboration seeks to develop distributions that are compatible with RHEL by offering open and free enterprise Linux source code.

What is OpenELA

OpenELA calls itself a community repository for enterprise Linux sources. The association aims to provide open and free enterprise Linux source code to encourage the development of RHEL-compatible distributions. It will start offering sources for building RHEL 8 and 9. OpenELA’s tagline on its website says, “No subscriptions. No passwords. No barriers. Freeloaders welcome.”

The association said in the announcement blog that it commits to “swift updates and secure fixes, transparency, community, and ensuring the resource remains free and redistributable for all”. OpenELA seeks to build a community-driven standard that ensures impartiality and equilibrium in the enterprise Linux ecosystem, the blog added. The association would also be accepting other organisations and community members to join and contribute.

“We strongly believe that collaboration is critical to innovation and that becoming more proprietary should not be something we compete against one another as open source companies. By working with Oracle and CIQ, and opening this up to the broader open source community, we will be able to work with a diverse global contributors from around the world to help ensure that organizations have a choice when it comes to choosing the right Linux distribution," Thomas Di Giacomo, chief technology and product officer of SUSE told TechCircle in an email statement.

For context, enterprise Linux is an open-source Linux operating system that comprises software tools and services. It is designed for servers, desktops, mobile devices, and cloud servers, and can be used for both academic and business use. While Red Hat is the largest player, other major enterprise Linux distributors include SUSE, Oracle, CIQ, and Ubuntu.

What led to OpenELA

Last month, IBM-owned Red Hat announced a change to its existing rules, making its Linux distribution CentOS Stream the sole repository for public RHEL-related source code releases. This means that the source code would be available freely only for Red Hat customers and partners.

This means that RHEL clone distributors including AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux (CIQ is its service partner), and Oracle Unbreakable Linux would face problems in creating RHEL-compatible operating systems. 

Many, including the founders of OpenELA, feel that it goes against the free and open spirit of the enterprise Linux ecosystem, while some even suggest that it may be in violation of the general public licence (GPL).