CentOS Stream 8 Generation 2 image

This is a minimal ready to use ProComputers packaged CentOS Stream 8 Generation 2 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.

Generation 2 virtual machines (Gen2 VMs) use the new UEFI-based boot architecture instead of BIOS-based architecture and have a simplified virtual hardware model and improved boot and installation times.

CentOS Stream 8 – RHEL-Aligned, Secure, and Cloud-Optimized Linux Platform

CentOS Stream 8 is a continuously delivered, enterprise-class Linux distribution that tracks just ahead of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8. It offers a stable, open-source, and developer-friendly environment that previews upcoming RHEL 8 minor releases. Backed by the CentOS community and maintained by Red Hat, CentOS Stream 8 is ideal for building, testing, and running cloud-based Linux workloads.

This image is optimized for Microsoft Azure, with built-in cloud-init support for provisioning, rapid boot performance, and hardened security defaults suitable for production-adjacent use.

Key Features of CentOS Stream 8

• Rolling-release model delivering updates slightly ahead of RHEL 8.
• Cloud-init enabled for seamless provisioning in Azure.
• Quick boot times and optimized defaults for Azure VMs.
• Secure by default: SELinux in enforcing mode, SSH hardened, minimal package footprint.
• Supports accelerated networking for low-latency, high-throughput applications.

Benefits of Using CentOS Stream 8

• Ideal for developing and validating workloads targeting RHEL 8.
• Maintained by Red Hat with strong upstream alignment to RHEL.
• Stability suitable for dev/test and pre-production environments.
• Lightweight and efficient image for CI/CD, DevOps, and cloud-native workloads.

Use Cases for CentOS Stream 8

• Build and test applications with visibility into upcoming RHEL 8 changes.
• Host scalable web apps using Nginx, Apache, PHP, or Python.
• Run containerized workloads using Podman and systemd integration.
• Launch CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, Ansible, GitLab CI, or Terraform.
• Deploy relational and NoSQL databases like PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or MongoDB.
• Power LAMP/LEMP stacks or custom backend services in the Azure cloud.

Conclusion

This CentOS Stream 8 Azure image provides a reliable, cloud-ready platform for developers and sysadmins working on RHEL-aligned projects. With strong compatibility, security defaults, and ongoing updates, CentOS Stream 8 bridges the gap between innovation and enterprise stability-making it an ideal choice for teams building the future of enterprise Linux on Azure.

Other minimal ready-to-use images:

If this CentOS Stream 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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