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Amazon Linux 2

Website

Last updated on

Ratings

G2
4.5/5
(45)

Amazon Linux 2 description

Amazon Linux 2 is a free operating system designed by Amazon for its cloud platform. It's secure, reliable, and engineered for optimal performance with other Amazon services. While designed for cloud applications, you can use it locally for development to ensure consistency between testing and deployment. Amazon guarantees long-term support and updates, giving your IT team stability and peace of mind.


Who is Amazon Linux 2 best for

Amazon Linux 2 is a free, secure operating system optimized for AWS. Users love its seamless AWS integration, performance, regular updates, and ease of use on EC2. Some find limited external library availability and less YUM documentation as drawbacks. Ideal for developers and IT admins deploying on AWS.

  • Ideal for enterprise companies deploying cloud and enterprise applications.

  • Best fit for companies operating on AWS.


Amazon Linux 2 features

Supported

Amazon Linux 2 supports standalone containers and Kubernetes, including tools like Rancher, RKE2, SUSE Storage, and K3S, with configuration.

Supported

Amazon Linux 2 provides regular security updates and patches for vulnerability protection.

Supported

Amazon Linux 2 receives regular security patches and updates, including live patching.

Supported

Amazon Linux 2 offers long-term support, including security updates and bug fixes for core packages.

Supported

Amazon Linux 2 can run on KVM as a guest operating system, but managing virtual machines requires separate KVM components.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Value and Pricing Transparency

Strongly positive
+1

Ease of Use

Strongly positive
+1

Reliability and Performance

Rather positive
+0.6

Amazon Linux 2 reviews

We've summarised 43 Amazon Linux 2 reviews (Amazon Linux 2 G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of Amazon Linux 2
  • Seamless integration with AWS services.
  • Optimized performance on AWS infrastructure.
  • Cost-effective (free with AWS subscription).
  • Regular security updates.
  • Easy to launch and use on EC2.
  • Long-term support from Amazon.
  • Enhanced performance compared to other AMIs.
Cons of Amazon Linux 2
  • Limited external library availability in yum repositories.
  • Lack of a desktop version.
  • Potential vendor lock-in.
  • Some Ubuntu-based packages are unavailable.
  • Less documentation and support for YUM compared to APT.
  • Limited external library availability in yum repositories.

Amazon Linux 2 pricing

The commentary is based on 11 reviews from Amazon Linux 2 G2 reviews.

Amazon Linux 2 is free to use, offering cost savings and long-term support from AWS. It's well-integrated with AWS services, resulting in optimized performance. While some users mention potential vendor lock-in, the overall pricing sentiment is positive.

Users sentiment

Strongly positive
+1

See the Amazon Linux 2 pricing page.


Amazon Linux 2 alternatives

  • Logo of Ubuntu Server
    Ubuntu Server
    Reliable and secure operating system for servers and cloud.
    Read more
  • Logo of Oracle Linux
    Oracle Linux
    Enterprise-grade Linux: stable, secure, and cost-effective.
    Read more
  • Logo of Debian
    Debian
    Stable, secure, and free operating system. A community-built foundation.
    Read more
  • Logo of CentOS
    CentOS
    Free, stable enterprise Linux rebuilt for the community.
    Read more
  • Logo of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux
    Stable, secure operating system for businesses seeking flexibility.
    Read more
  • Logo of Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS - Enterprise Ready
    Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS - Enterprise Ready
    Stable, secure server operating system optimized for business cloud use.
    Read more

Amazon Linux 2 FAQ

  • What is Amazon Linux 2 and what does Amazon Linux 2 do?

    Amazon Linux 2 is a free, secure, and high-performing Linux distribution optimized for the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. It offers long-term support, regular security updates, and seamless integration with other AWS services. It's ideal for cloud and enterprise applications, ensuring consistency between development and deployment.

  • How does Amazon Linux 2 integrate with other tools?

    Amazon Linux 2 is engineered for optimal performance with other Amazon services. It supports standalone containers and Kubernetes, including tools like Rancher, RKE2, SUSE Storage, and K3S. It also offers seamless integration with AWS services, ensuring optimized performance on AWS infrastructure.

  • What the main competitors of Amazon Linux 2?

    Top alternatives to Amazon Linux 2 include Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Debian, Ubuntu Server, and other Linux distributions. These competitors offer similar features like security, reliability, and performance, often with broader community support and package availability.

  • Is Amazon Linux 2 legit?

    Yes, Amazon Linux 2 is a safe and legitimate operating system. It's built and maintained by Amazon, offering regular security updates and long-term support. It's specifically designed for optimal performance on AWS, ensuring a secure environment for your cloud applications.

  • How much does Amazon Linux 2 cost?

    Amazon Linux 2 is a free-to-use operating system. However, costs may be incurred depending on the chosen instance type and other AWS services used with it. So, while the OS itself is free, consider overall AWS usage for total cost.

  • Is Amazon Linux 2 customer service good?

    Based on the reviews, Amazon Linux 2's customer service, specifically AWS support, is highly regarded. Users appreciate the readily available technical assistance and the regular security updates that ensure a secure and reliable environment for their applications.


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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