CentOS 9 on Microsoft Azure

Deploy CentOS 9 on Azure Virtual Machines with this lightweight, continuously delivered, and RHEL-upstream image. Packaged and maintained by ProComputers, it is optimized for cloud-init automation, fast boot, and development or pre-production workloads — the perfect choice for users who need early access to features before they appear in Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Key Features of CentOS 9 in Azure

• Cloud-init enabled: CentOS 9 automates provisioning, delivering faster and repeatable Azure workflows.
• Optimized for fast boot: Workloads on Azure Managed Disks boot quickly with a tuned CentOS 9 base image.
• Secure by default: SELinux enforced and SSH hardened to reduce attack surfaces in Azure workloads.
• Accelerated Networking: High-throughput, low-latency apps scale smoothly with CentOS 9 on Azure VMs.

Benefits of Using CentOS 9 on Azure Cloud

• Future-ready development: Developers can preview features before they land in the next RHEL release.
• Rolling-release lifecycle: Continuous updates make CentOS 9 ideal for CI/CD and agile workflows.
• Community-driven distribution: Built with CentOS and Red Hat, ensuring transparency and open contribution.
• Lightweight and efficient: Designed for fast boot times and lean operation in dev/test environments.

Use Cases for CentOS 9 on Azure VM

• Develop and test apps aligned with upcoming RHEL releases using CentOS 9 as the upstream environment.
• Build CI/CD pipelines with Ansible, Terraform, or Jenkins to validate workloads ahead of RHEL releases.
• Run container workloads in Kubernetes or OpenShift clusters on a rolling-release Linux base.
• Experiment with new features in the Linux ecosystem before production hardening in RHEL.

Frequently Asked Questions for this CentOS 9 image

1. Is CentOS 9 RHEL-compatible? It is upstream of RHEL 9. It provides a rolling preview of the next RHEL minor release. While closely aligned, it is not bug-for-bug identical with RHEL.
2. Can I use it for production? Best suited for development, testing, and pre-production. For stable, long-term support in production, consider Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, or RHEL itself.
3. Who maintains this image? This CentOS 9 VM image is packaged and maintained by ProComputers, ensuring quality, reliability, and ongoing updates for Azure users.

Why Choose ProComputers Packaged Images?

With over a decade of Microsoft Azure expertise, ProComputers delivers secure, optimized, cloud-ready Linux VM images — including this CentOS 9 on Azure VM. Each virtual machine image is minimal, hardened, and engineered for fast performance and enterprise-grade flexibility.

Explore our other Azure Marketplace VM images

• Oracle Linux 8
• Oracle Linux 9
• RHEL 8
• RHEL 9
• AlmaLinux 8
• AlmaLinux 9
• Rocky Linux 8
• Rocky Linux 9
• CentOS 9
• CentOS 10

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