Each CentOS release is supported for 10 years, which makes it an ideal choice in environments where low maintenance, security and reproducibility are key concerns.

As a freely available clone of RHEL, CentOS reaps the benefits of RHEL’s business Linux development efforts without the costs involved. As with RHEL, it is conservative with regards to software upgrades, and often does not include latest versions - favoring consistency and security over new features. All Red Hat branding is removed from software by the CentOS team before release

CentOS 7 release includes SELinux as standard. Initially developed by the NSA, and released into the public domain - SELinux is an advanced access control mechanism that brings increased security for Linux protects systems from malicious intruders.

CentOS is the only Linux distribution which officially supports the CPanel web hosting control panel, making it a very popular choice for shared web hosting environments.

CentOS is most commonly used as an operating system for web servers in enterprise environments where long term support and stability is needed. It is also frequently used as the distribution of choice for web hosting companies.

It is a popular operating system for desktop users who require a Red Hat compatible environment, without the ‘bleeding edge’ features and software offered by Fedora Linux. It is an excellent choice of distribution for students who want to pursue a career in Linux systems administration for the same reasons.