CentOS 8 Latest image

This is a minimal ready to use ProComputers packaged CentOS 8 image, mainly used as a common base system on top of which other appliances could be built and tested. It contains just enough packages to run within Azure, bring up an SSH Server and allow users to login.

CentOS 8 – Stable, RHEL-Compatible, and Production-Ready Linux for Enterprise Workloads

CentOS 8 is a free, open-source, and enterprise-grade Linux distribution that was built from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8 sources. Designed for stability and long-term support, it provided a binary-compatible alternative to RHEL, suitable for production systems and mission-critical applications. Though CentOS 8 reached end of life on December 31, 2021, it remains a widely recognized and trusted platform for legacy workloads and environments requiring strict RHEL 8 compatibility.

This CentOS 8 image is tailored for Microsoft Azure, including cloud-init support, optimized VM performance, and a secure default configuration - making it suitable for legacy applications and transitional infrastructure.

Key Features of CentOS 8

• Binary-compatible with RHEL 8 (up to version 8.5).
• Cloud-init enabled for provisioning and automation in Azure.
• Optimized for fast boot on Azure virtual machines.
• Secure by default: SELinux enforced, SSH hardened, minimal base install.
• Compatible with Azure Accelerated Networking for enhanced throughput and low latency.

Benefits of Using CentOS 8

• Production-ready for RHEL 8-compatible workloads.
• Trusted and stable for enterprise deployment environments.
• Lightweight base image ideal for VM scaling, CI/CD, and dev/test pipelines.
• Familiar to sysadmins, with extensive documentation and ecosystem support.

Use Cases for CentOS 8

• Deploy traditional LAMP/LEMP stacks using Apache/Nginx, PHP, and MariaDB.
• Host legacy applications requiring RHEL 8 compatibility without RHEL licensing.
• Operate CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla.
• Run open-source databases: PostgreSQL, MariaDB, MongoDB.
• Deploy configuration-managed systems via Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.

Important Note on Lifecycle

CentOS Linux 8 reached End of Life (EOL) on December 31, 2021, and no longer receives official updates or security patches. This image is intended for legacy compatibility, transitional workloads, or environments where migration to an actively supported platform (such as CentOS Stream, Rocky Linux, or AlmaLinux) is planned.

Conclusion

This CentOS Linux 8 Azure image delivers a stable, RHEL-compatible environment ideal for legacy applications and systems. While no longer maintained upstream, it remains a critical part of many existing infrastructures. Use it for backward compatibility, migrations, or continued support of established enterprise Linux deployments on Azure.

Other minimal ready-to-use images:

If this CentOS 8 image does not suit your needs, please choose another one from our popular image list below:

• Oracle Linux 8 image on Azure
• Oracle Linux 9 image on Azure
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8 image on Azure
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 image on Azure
• AlmaLinux 8 image on Azure
• AlmaLinux 9 image on Azure
• Rocky Linux 8 image on Azure
• Rocky Linux 9 image on Azure
• CentOS Stream 9 image on Azure

Why choose ProComputers?

With over 10 years of experience working with Microsoft Azure, ProComputers provides open-source software bundled together into solutions ready to be launched on-demand in the cloud.

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