Red Hat has introduced Red Hat Partner Subscriptions, which is a no-cost subscription model that enables partners to gain deeper access to Red Hat's open hybrid cloud portfolio.



This new model replaces the traditional Not-for-Resale subscriptions and provides partners with comprehensive access to platforms such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat OpenShift, and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, among others. Red Hat Partner Subscriptions are available for all Red Hat Ready, Advanced, and Premier Business Partners, including technology partners who have completed or are in the process of completing product certifications with Red Hat.

The new subscription model offers a range of benefits to partners, including access to hundreds of self-support subscriptions and the ability to mix and match product subscriptions. Partners can use these subscriptions for various purposes, such as software development, testing, internal training, demonstrations, proofs-of-concept, and more. The subscriptions are also enabled for on-premises or public cloud use. Red Hat Partner Subscriptions provide complimentary Red Hat Standard support for up to five contacts, with the option to upgrade for additional contacts or Red Hat Premium support. They are applicable for all generally available Red Hat product versions, variants, package updates, and add-ons, as well as public Beta versions.

According to Stefanie Chiras, Senior Vice President of Partner Ecosystem Success at Red Hat, the company is committed to catalyzing open-source innovation with partners through a collaborative and knowledgeable partner ecosystem. By introducing the new Red Hat Partner Subscriptions, the partners will have more visibility than ever before into the Red Hat open hybrid cloud portfolio to fuel ecosystem innovation.

Previously, Red Hat Developer program only allowed free use of the distribution for software development and debugging on one virtual machine or PC. Nonetheless, the latest changes to this program now include whole development teams, allowing deployment on servers and "clouds". The free version is identical to the paid version, with the only limitation being the number of RHEL copies a team can install. The company's technical support is exclusively available to those who pay for Red Hat services. To join the program, all one needs is an account on the Red Hat portal, which can be accessed by logging in via social media platforms.

The decision to abandon the CentOS 8 distribution, along with the developers shortening the period of support for it, led to dissatisfied users, having built their networks around CentOS 8's stable system. With the introduction of CentOS Stream as an alternative, there are now concerns about the stability of the computer infrastructure. As a result, users started seeking alternative solutions, leading to Greg Kurtzer's plan to create a fork of RHEL called Rocky Linux, scheduled to be released in Q2.

The Developer Subscription includes access to the latest versions of Red Hat software, updates, patches, and security fixes. It also gives you access to Red Hat's extensive dоcumentation, knowledge base, and support forums.

However, it's important to note that the free use under the Developer Subscription is specifically for development and testing purposes only. If you decide to deploy your applications in production using Red Hat software, you will need to upgrade to a paid subscription.

Red Hat's subscription model is designed to provide customers with a stable and reliable platform for running their applications, along with timely support and ongoing updates. The paid subscriptions include benefits such as unlimited support, certifications, and access to additional Red Hat products and services.

Red Hat's subscription model offers several benefits beyond the free Developer Subscription for software development and testing. Here are some additional details:

1. Enterprise-Grade Support: When you upgrade to a paid subscription, you gain access to Red Hat's world-class support services. This includes comprehensive technical assistance, proactive monitoring, and troubleshooting by experienced professionals.

2. Access to Updates and Patching: With a paid subscription, you receive regular updates, patches, and security fixes for your Red Hat software. This ensures that your applications remain secure, reliable, and up to date.

3. Certification and Training: Red Hat offers a variety of certifications and training programs that can enhance your skills and validate your expertise in using their software. These certifications can boost your career and demonstrate your proficiency to potential employers.

4. Extended Product Portfolio: Along with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), a paid subscription gives you access to a broader range of Red Hat products and solutions. This includes middleware, virtualization, cloud management, storage, and more, allowing you to build and deploy complex enterprise applications and infrastructure.

5. Flexible Deployment Options: Red Hat's subscription model allows you to deploy your applications on a variety of environments, including physical servers, virtual machines, private clouds, public clouds, and containers. This flexibility enables you to choose the deployment option that best suits your needs.

6. Vendor Lock-In Mitigation: Red Hat's commitment to open source software ensures that you are not locked into proprietary technologies. The company actively contributes to upstream open source projects and supports interoperability with other systems, giving you the freedom to integrate with different tools and platforms.

7. Roadmap and Innovation: By having a subscription, you gain visibility into Red Hat's product roadmap and future developments. This helps you plan for future upgrades and take advantage of new features and innovations as they become available.

In summary, Red Hat's subscription model goes beyond just free use for software development and testing. It provides a comprehensive suite of benefits, including support, updates, certifications, access to additional products, flexibility in deployment, and a commitment to open source collaboration.