CERN Shifts Over 2,200 Computers from Red Hat Enterprise Linux to Debian Due to Hardware Compatibility Issues
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is transitioning more than 2,200 specialized computers from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) to Debian. This significant move is driven by RHEL's evolving hardware requirements, which would render a substantial portion of CERN's older, specialized hardware obsolete. Specifically, newer RHEL releases, such as RHEL 9 and the upcoming RHEL 10, are built with compiler flags like "-march=x86-64-v2" and "x86-64-v3." These flags introduce architectural changes that break compatibility with 64-bit CPUs released before 2009 and 2015, respectively. CERN engineers estimate that this would force them to replace 47% of their embedded control computers for RHEL 9 and an additional 17% for RHEL 10. The decision to move to Debian 13 aims to avoid a massive IT replacement job and associated costs, as Debian offers broader compatibility with older hardware. CERN had previously used AlmaLinux, a free variant of RHEL, and considered CentOS Stream before deciding to abandon ... 
