Hi Team,
I know is too early in the roadmap, but it would be great to have a script that converts CentOS to Rocky when we get to a release state. Thoughts?
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This is on the roadmap. The gist is that the centos*release packages would need to either be updated/obsoleted or swapped with a rockylinux-release like package. Similar-ish of converting RHEL to CentOS or otherwise.
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Glad to hear this will be incorporated, looking forward to the first buildā¦Lets get Rocking!
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Just to give you an example - these commands will migrate a CentOS 8 install to a Springdale Linux 8 (from Princeton University) install (tested this on a basic VM earlier today):
dnf update -y
rpm -e --nodeps centos-backgrounds centos-indexhtml centos-gpg-keys centos-linux-release centos-linux-repos centos-logos
rpm -ivh \
http://springdale.princeton.edu/data/springdale/8/x86_64/os/BaseOS/Packages/springdale-appstream-8-0.sdl8.2.noarch.rpm \
http://springdale.princeton.edu/data/springdale/8/x86_64/os/BaseOS/Packages/springdale-core-8-0.sdl8.2.noarch.rpm \
http://springdale.princeton.edu/data/springdale/8/x86_64/os/BaseOS/Packages/springdale-release-8.3-0.42.el8.x86_64.rpm
dnf distro-sync -y
Rocky will probably be a very similar process.
7 Likes
Canāt wait to try out the first buildā¦so exiting!
2 Likes
Its good to hear such a function is already on the roadmap.
I tried on a testbed a CentOS-8 to CentOS-stream migration and was astonished how easily this goes. OK, I found no working way back (Stream to regular CentOS-8). But, if the CentOS-8 to Rocky migration works is in similar way, we all would be very happy!
To be honest, I think this (planned) migration tool or script is really important in the beginning-phase. We can all setup new servers based on different distros. But it costs a lot time and money (in regards of working hours). For the success of Rocky and a broad and wide CentOS-to-Rocky migration, a good tool doing this task is important.
As the person above wrote: Cant wait for the first build!!
3 Likes
check out this little tool in epel made by redhat
convert2rhel.noarch
itās git repo is here: https://github.com/oamg/convert2rhel
with some modifications it might be very usefull
Rob
2 Likes
I wanted to pop in and add that there is a related conversation here: CentOS to Rocky migration tooling. 
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See my proposal - Configuration Management Options - one day I could upload ātransitionā scripts to https://sparrowhub.io so that user can use them ā¦
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The future will certainly surpass CentOS
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Hi,
Just like to know, if I would like to install new Centos and in the future I can convert to Rockylinux, should I install CentOS 7 or CentOS 8.
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I am pretty sure the best path is starting with Centos8. Then the command utility provided really only has to change the repositories (and maybe one or two other bits).
I do not know if the same procedure is applicable to Centos7 (my guess- no?)
But a working/tested/documented migration path from CentOS 7 would be usefull too.
3 Likes
The reason for Rocky Linux is the lack of support of CentOS 8 Linux. CentOS7 has a ānormalā support path until 2024.
At that time it might be nice to have a migration path from CentOS7 to Rocky Linux, but for now I donāt see why the current limited resources should be put into a migration path from CentOS7
3 Likes
Agreed. We should focus on the primary use case, support for CentOS 8 migrations.
I feel any discussion, scripts, documentation or testing of a Major upgrade from CentOS 7 to Rocky Linux 8 should only come after initial deadlines and/or the road map goals have been achieved.
I think that the main goal is to have a independent OS from Centos 8 / Centos Stream, so you are right when you want to make the Centos 8 Migration .
Canāt wait for the RC isoās to test them in my laboratory for all the services that i work with for production use.
Cheers,
Andrei
Ahh from the replies, my personally thinks, I would go for new installation with CentOS 7 first until end of year 2021, then would see the migration tools for CentOS8 to RockyLinux. I actually got a bunch of CentOS8 server to go for. Hopefully it smooth.
Yeah, later would do for CentOS7 as well.
It would be great to have an āofficialā opinion on what to for new servers.
Install CentOs 7 or CentOs 8 ?
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C7 for longevity, C8 for ease of transition. Iām aware that this is the Rocky forum, but there is also Springdale and Alma if you absolutely cannot wait for Rocky and need to avoid any potential disruption later in the year.
1 Like