Scientific Linux

Last updated

Scientific Linux
Scientific Linux logo and wordmark.svg
Scientific Linux 7.png
Scientific Linux 7.0 with GNOME
Developer Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) / European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
OS family Linux (Unix-like)
Working stateDiscontinued
Supported until RHEL 7 EOL
Source model Open source
Initial releaseMay 10, 2004;19 years ago (2004-05-10)
Latest release 7.9 [1] / 20 October 2020;3 years ago (20 October 2020)
Marketing targetScientific purpose / High Performance Computing / Servers / Desktops [2]
Update method Yum (PackageKit)
Package manager RPM Package Manager
Platforms x86, x86-64
Kernel type Monolithic (Linux)
Default
user interface 		GNOME
License GNU GPL & Various others.
Official website www.scientificlinux.org

Scientific Linux (SL) is a discontinued Linux distribution produced by Fermilab, CERN, DESY and by ETH Zurich. It is a free and open-source operating system based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. [3]

Contents

This product is derived from the free and open-source software made available by Red Hat, but is not produced, maintained or supported by them.

In April 2019, it was announced that feature development for Scientific Linux would be discontinued, but that maintenance will continue to be provided for the 6.x and 7.x releases through the end of their life cycles. Fermilab and CERN will utilize CentOS Stream [4] and AlmaLinux [5] for their deployment of 8.x release instead.

History

Fermilab already had a Linux distribution known as Fermi Linux, a long-term support release based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. CERN was creating their next version of CERN Linux, also based on RHEL. CERN contacted Fermilab about doing a collaborative release. Connie Sieh was the main developer and driver behind the first prototypes and initial release. [2] The first official release of Scientific Linux was version 3.0.1, released on May 10, 2004.

In 2015, CERN began migrating away from Scientific Linux to CentOS. [6] [7]

Scientific Linux is now maintained by a cooperative of science labs and universities. Fermilab is its primary sponsor. [2]

Design philosophy

The primary purpose of Scientific Linux is to produce a common Linux distribution for various labs and universities around the world, thus reducing duplicated effort. The main goals are to have everything compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux with only minor additions and changes, and to allow easy customization for a site, without disturbing the Linux base. [8] Unlike other distributions such as Poseidon Linux, it does not contain a large collection of scientific software as its name may suggest. [3] [9] However, it provides good compatibility to install such software.

Features

Scientific Linux is derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux without protected components such as Red Hat trademarks, thus making it freely available. [10] New releases are typically produced about two months after each Red Hat release. [2] As well as a full distribution equal to two DVDs, Scientific Linux is also available in LiveCD and LiveDVD versions. [10]

Scientific Linux offers wireless and Bluetooth out of the box, and it comes with a comprehensive range of software, such as multimedia codecs, Samba, and Compiz, [9] as well as servers and clients, storage clients, networking, and system administration tools. [2]

It also contains a set of tools for making custom versions, thus allowing institutions and individuals to create their own variant. [2]

Release history

Historical releases of Scientific Linux are the following. [11] [12] Each release is subjected to a period of public testing before it is considered 'released'.

Scientific Linux releaseCodenameArchitecturesRHEL baseScientific Linux release dateRed Hat Enterprise Linux release dateDelay
3.0.1Lithium i386, x86-64 3.12004-05-102004-01-16106d
4 [2] Beryllium42005-04-202005-02-1465d
5 [13] [14] Boron52007-05-142007-03-1461d
6 [15] [16] [17] [18] Carbon62011-03-032010-11-10113d
7 [19] [20] Nitrogenx86-6472014-10-132014-06-10125d

Support

Security updates are provided for as long as Red Hat continues to release updates and patches for their versions. [21]

End of support schedule
Scientific Linux releaseFull updatesMaintenance updates
3Old version, no longer maintained: 2006-07-20Old version, no longer maintained: 2010-10-31
4Old version, no longer maintained: 2009-03-31Old version, no longer maintained: 2012-02-29
5Old version, no longer maintained: Q1 2014Old version, no longer maintained: 2017-03-31
6Old version, no longer maintained: Q2 2017Old version, no longer maintained: 2020-11-30
7Old version, no longer maintained: Q4 2019Current stable version:2024-06-30

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linux distribution</span> Operating system based on the Linux kernel

A Linux distribution is an operating system made from a software collection that includes the Linux kernel and often a package management system. Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading one of the Linux distributions, which are available for a wide variety of systems ranging from embedded devices and personal computers to powerful supercomputers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandriva Linux</span> Linux distribution

Mandriva Linux is a discontinued Linux distribution developed by Mandriva S.A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hat Enterprise Linux</span> Linux distribution developed by Red Hat

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is a commercial Linux distribution developed by Red Hat for the commercial market. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is released in server versions for x86-64, Power ISA, ARM64, and IBM Z and a desktop version for x86-64. Fedora Linux and CentOS Stream serve as its upstream sources. All of Red Hat's official support and training, together with the Red Hat Certification Program, focuses on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PCLinuxOS</span> Linux distribution

PCLinuxOS, often shortened to PCLOS, is a rolling release Linux distribution for x86-64 computers, with KDE Plasma, MATE, and XFCE as its default user interfaces. It is a primarily FOSS operating system for personal computers aimed at ease of use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaconda (installer)</span> Free and open-source system installer for Linux distributions

Anaconda is a free and open-source system installer for Linux distributions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CentOS</span> Linux distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

CentOS is a discontinued Linux distribution that provided a free and open-source community-supported computing platform, functionally compatible with its upstream source, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). In January 2014, CentOS announced the official joining with Red Hat while staying independent from RHEL, under a new CentOS governing board.

Technical variations of Linux distributions include support for different hardware devices and systems or software package configurations. Organizational differences may be motivated by historical reasons. Other criteria include security, including how quickly security upgrades are available; ease of package management; and number of packages available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hat Enterprise Linux derivatives</span>

Red Hat Enterprise Linux derivatives are Linux distributions that are based on the source code of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fermi Linux</span>

Fermi Linux is the generic name for Linux distributions that are created and used at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). These releases have gone through different names: Fermi Linux, Fermi Linux LTS, LTS, Fermi Linux STS, STS, Scientific Linux Fermi, SLF. For the purposes of this entry they can be used interchangeably to designate a version of Linux specific to Fermilab.

Rocks Cluster Distribution is a Linux distribution intended for high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. It was started by National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure and the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) in 2000. It was initially funded in part by an NSF grant (2000–07), but was funded by the follow-up NSF grant through 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fedora Linux</span> Linux distribution by Fedora Project

Fedora Linux is a Linux distribution developed by the Fedora Project. It was originally developed in 2003 as a continuation of the Red Hat Linux project. It contains software distributed under various free and open-source licenses and aims to be on the leading edge of open-source technologies. It is now the upstream source for CentOS Stream and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RPM Package Manager</span> Package management system

RPM Package Manager (RPM) is a free and open-source package management system. The name RPM refers to the .rpm file format and the package manager program itself. RPM was intended primarily for Linux distributions; the file format is the baseline package format of the Linux Standard Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ClearOS</span> Linux distribution

ClearOS is a Linux distribution by ClearFoundation, with network gateway, file, print, mail, and messaging services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chakra (operating system)</span> Linux distribution

Chakra was a Linux distribution originally based on Arch Linux and focused on KDE software, intending to provide a KDE/Qt minimizing use of other widget toolkits where possible. It was well received by critics during its existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FreePBX Distro</span> Software system

The FreePBX Distro is a freeware unified communications software system that consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring, controlling, and managing Asterisk PBX software. The FreePBX Distro includes packages that offer VoIP, PBX, Fax, IVR, voice-mail and email functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ROSA Linux</span> Software distribution

ROSA Linux is a Linux operating system distribution, developed by the Russian company 'LLC NTC IT ROSA'. It is available in three different editions: ROSA Desktop Fresh, ROSA Enterprise Desktop, and ROSA Enterprise Linux Server, with the latter two aiming at commercial users. Its desktop computer editions come bundled with closed-source software such as Adobe Flash Player, multimedia codecs, and Steam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Linux</span> Operating system by Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation

Rocky Linux is a Linux distribution developed by Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation, which is a privately owned benefit corporation that describes itself as a "self-imposed not-for-profit". It is intended to be a downstream, complete binary-compatible release using the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system source code. The project's aim is to provide a community-supported, production-grade enterprise operating system. Rocky Linux, along with RHEL and SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), has become popular for enterprise operating system use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AlmaLinux</span> Linux distribution based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

AlmaLinux is a free and open source Linux distribution, developed by the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, a 501(c) organization, to provide a community-supported, production-grade enterprise operating system that is binary-compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The name of the distribution comes from the word "alma", meaning "soul" in Spanish and other Latin languages. It was chosen to be a homage to the Linux community.

References

  1. ↑ "Scientific Linux 7.9 x86_64 is now available". October 20, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Carla Schroder (March 23, 2012). "Scientific Linux, the Great Distro With the Wrong Name". Linux.com.
  3. 1 2 "General Questions about Scientific Linux (Community)". Scientific Linux.
  4. ↑ Cooper, Glenn (October 25, 2021). "Fermilab/CERN recommendation for Linux distribution". listserv.fnal.gov. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Fermilab/CERN recommendation for Linux distribution". news.fnal.gov. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Scientific Linux @ CERN: Next Version". CERN. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  7. ↑ "CC7: CERN CentOS 7". CERN . Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Welcome to Scientific Linux (SL)". Scientifix Linux.
  9. 1 2 "Scientific Linux – It blinded me with science!". Dedoimedo. February 3, 2010.
  10. 1 2 "Scientific Linux 5.6 Live released". The H. July 11, 2011. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013.
  11. ↑ "News Archives". Scientifix Linux. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  12. ↑ "S.L. Distribution Roadmap". Scientifix Linux. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  13. ↑ Scientific Linux – It blinded me with science!, Dedoimedo
  14. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 351, 26 April 2010
  15. ↑ Scientific Linux 6 – Another great distro, but, Dedoimedo
  16. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 419, 22 August 2011
  17. ↑ Scientific Linux 6.1 Carbon review – Almost there, Dedoimedo
  18. ↑ Scientific Linux 6.5 Carbon – Fast and dubious, Dedoimedo
  19. ↑ Scientific Linux 7.1 review – More fiasco, Dedoimedo
  20. ↑ Download Scientific Linux 7.5, Softpedia Linux
  21. ↑ "End of life dates for SL versions". Scientifix Linux. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.