CloudLinux OS: Enterprise Linux Ledger 2026 Scorecard
CloudLinux OS adds per-account limits and hosting-panel integration to an EL-compatible base and now tracks AlmaLinux 10 release for release.
Where CloudLinux put its effort, 2016 to 2026
Each square is one capability area in one year. The brighter it is, the more the area gained in the Enterprise Linux Ledger that year; 1, 2 and 3 mark that year's biggest pushes.
| ’16 | ’17 | ’18 | ’19 | ’20 | ’21 | ’22 | ’23 | ’24 | ’25 | ’26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifecycle and upgrades | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Security and compliance | 2 | ||||||||||
| Hardware and architectures | |||||||||||
| Virtualization and cloud images | |||||||||||
| Containers and Kubernetes host | 1 | ||||||||||
| Software currency and packaging | 2 | ||||||||||
| Fleet management and automation | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| Storage and filesystems | |||||||||||
| Enterprise integration and certifications | |||||||||||
| AI and GPU readiness |
Biggest pushes overall: Lifecycle and upgrades (+1), Fleet management and automation (+1), Security and compliance (+0.5). Already strong in 2015: Storage and filesystems, Lifecycle and upgrades, Security and compliance.
Top focus each year: 2023 Containers and Kubernetes host; 2024 Lifecycle and upgrades; 2026 Lifecycle and upgrades. 8 of 11 years show no gain in any area.
Part of the Enterprise Linux Ledger (edition 2026-10-16). How the scores work: methodology.
Snapshot
- Type: product
- Owner: CloudLinux Inc. (private, USA); TuxCare is the company's enterprise brand since 2021-05
- Engine: RHEL-compatible base; CloudLinux 10 tracks the AlmaLinux 10 kernel and point releases
- Licence: Commercial subscription, USD 4 to 18 per server per month by edition and volume (pricing page read 2026-10-15); KernelCare priced separately
- Latest release: Repository directories for 9.8 and 10 dated 2026-07-02 and for 9.7 dated 2025-11-14; CloudLinux 10 kernel 6.12.0-211.47.1.el10_2 in the stable repository 2026-08-17
- Support lifecycle: Versions 7, 8, 9 and 10 receive updates (signing key post 2026-09-10; CloudLinux 10 kernel post 2026-08-17); no lifecycle page found
- Next milestone: Package signing key switch on 2026-12-01
- Support window: Not published on the vendor pages read; the lines follow RHEL majors and extended lifecycle support was sold for 6 and 7; a third-party tracker's end dates are unverified
- Tier: Commercial subscription
- Archetype: Dependable builder
- Evidence grade: C. The vendor blog (dated kernel, CVE and upgrade posts), the package repository listing and the pricing page were read from primary sources. The product page is an image, the documentation home returns navigation only and the changelog page returned no entries, so lifecycle windows and most pre-2023 capability states are inferred from the EL base.
Scope of the scores: Hosting specialist: CloudLinux OS is sold to shared hosting providers and adds per-account resource limits and panel integration rather than general fleet features. Inclusion confirmed on 2026-10-15 from vendor sources: repository directories for 9.7 (2025-11-14), 9.8 and 10 (2026-07-02) and a CloudLinux 10 kernel update dated 2026-08-17 on the vendor blog.
Scorecard
| Dimension | Score | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Capability today | 46.5 / 100 | higher is better |
| Momentum since end of 2022 | +8.5 points (2015 to 2022: +0.0) | higher is better |
| Credibility | 14.0 / 25 | higher is better |
| Commercial risk | 9.0 / 25 | lower is better |
| Technical lock-in | 7.5 / 25 | lower is better |
| Integrator fit | 9.5 / 20 | higher is better |
| AI leverage | 1.0 / 20 | higher is better |
| Ledger Index | 48.3 / 100 | balanced weights; see the methodology |
Capability by domain, 2015 to today
Scores 0 to 5 against fixed anchors; total is weighted to 100.
| Domain (weight) | 2015 | 2019 | 2022 | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifecycle and upgrades (15) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| Security and compliance (15) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3 |
| Hardware and architectures (10) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Virtualization and cloud images (10) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Containers and Kubernetes host (10) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Software currency and packaging (10) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3 |
| Fleet management and automation (10) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Storage and filesystems (5) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Enterprise integration and certifications (5) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| AI and GPU readiness (10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total / 100 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 46.5 |
Year by year: 2015: 38.0 · 2016: 38.0 · 2017: 38.0 · 2018: 38.0 · 2019: 38.0 · 2020: 38.0 · 2021: 38.0 · 2022: 38.0 · 2023: 40.0 · 2024: 42.5 · 2025: 42.5 · 2026: 46.5
What moved the score
| Year | Domain | Change | Points | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Containers and Kubernetes host | 1 → 1.5 | +1.0 | CloudLinux 9 (beta 2023-01-17): EL 9 container tooling inherited; no Kubernetes documentation |
| 2023 | Software currency and packaging | 2.5 → 3 | +1.0 | CloudLinux 9: EL 9 base plus the vendor's alt-* runtime packages and selectors (alt-php-ea4 and EA4 repositories; Node.js Selector) |
| 2024 | Fleet management and automation | 2 → 2.5 | +1.0 | cPanel 118 integration production ready (2024-03-12) |
| 2024 | Lifecycle and upgrades | 2.5 → 3 | +1.5 | ELevate in-place upgrade 7 to 8 with DirectAdmin support (2024-07-03) |
| 2026 | Fleet management and automation | 2.5 → 3 | +1.0 | Staged kernel rollouts in numbered slots with published completion dates (2026-10-06); per-site resource limits in beta |
| 2026 | Lifecycle and upgrades | 3 → 3.5 | +1.5 | ELevate 8 to 9 including Plesk (2026-10-08); CloudLinux 10 tracks AlmaLinux 10 point releases; windows still unpublished |
| 2026 | Security and compliance | 2.5 → 3 | +1.5 | Per-CVE status posts with kernel versions, staged rollout dates and KernelCare livepatch dates (2026-08 and 2026-09); FIPS and Common Criteria not found |
Direction, 2023 to 2026
Each release item carries one theme and one driver (V vision, C customer need, M market window, U upstream, P portfolio).
| Date | Item | Theme | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-01 | CloudLinux 9 beta for non-panel installations | Lifecycle | U |
| 2023-08 | CloudLinux 9: experimental cPanel integration | Enterprise integration | C |
| 2024-03 | CloudLinux 9 and cPanel 118 integration stable for production | Enterprise integration | C |
| 2024-07 | ELevate 7 to 8 with DirectAdmin support | Lifecycle | C |
| 2025-01 | LTS kernel for CloudLinux 9 | Lifecycle | C |
| 2025-03 | Plesk support for CloudLinux 9 | Enterprise integration | C |
| 2025-11 | 9.7 repository published (2025-11-14) | Lifecycle | U |
| 2025-12 | CloudLinux 10 tracks AlmaLinux 10 point releases; 10.1 offered by hosting providers | Lifecycle | U |
| 2026-07 | 9.8 repository published; OVSwrap mitigation covers CloudLinux 9, 10 and CloudLinux for Ubuntu | Packaging | V |
| 2026-08 | Community forum discontinued | Governance | P |
| 2026-08 | BadGarbage: CloudLinux 10 kernel in the stable repository on the day of the post | Security | C |
| 2026-09 | Package signing key switch announced for 2026-12-01 | Security | C |
| 2026-09 | Isolates phase 3: per-site resource limits in beta | Fleet management | V |
| 2026-09 | Node.js Selector shared node_modules store in beta | Packaging | C |
| 2026-10 | ELevate 8 to 9 includes Plesk | Lifecycle | C |
- Centre of gravity: Lifecycle (6), Enterprise integration (3), Packaging (2)
- Blind spots (no items): Hardware, Virtualization and cloud, Containers, Storage, AI, Licensing
- Driver mix: Vision 13%, Customer need 60%, Market window 0%, Upstream 20%, Portfolio 7%
- Idea-to-need index: 0.18 (0 = demand-pulled, 1 = thesis-pushed)
Credibility: 14.0 / 25
| Criterion | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | 3 | 10.x tracks AlmaLinux 10 minors; 9.7 and 9.8 directories at 2025-11 and 2026-07; no schedule published |
| Roadmap transparency | 2.5 | Blog posts carry dated updates and kernel versions; no public roadmap; the documentation home shows navigation only and the changelog page returned no entries |
| Say-do | 3 | CloudLinux 9 went from beta (2023-01) to GA; ELevate steps and the LTS kernel shipped as posted; few items are announced ahead of time |
| Velocity | 2.5 | One or two substantive items a year: ELevate steps, the LTS kernel, Isolates phases |
| Lifecycle stability | 3 | Lines follow RHEL majors with in-place upgrades; no renames; support windows not published |
Commercial risk: 9.0 / 25 (lower is better)
| Criterion | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Price and licence volatility | 1.5 | Per-server monthly prices in three editions with volume tiers; price history not found |
| Purchase constraints | 2 | Subscription only, per server per month; no free or perpetual edition; download needs a licence key or trial |
| Channel and access | 2 | Sold direct and through panel vendors and hosts; repositories need a licence; community forum discontinued 2026-08-03 |
| Owner stability | 1.5 | Private, founder-led since 2010; TuxCare brand added 2021-05; no acquisition found |
| Cost of staying supported | 2 | In-place upgrades are free with ELevate; KernelCare live patching and extended lifecycle support are priced separately |
Technical lock-in: 7.5 / 25 (lower is better)
| Criterion | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Formats | 1 | RPM; CloudLinux-specific kernel and LVE modules |
| Export path | 2 | Conversion back to AlmaLinux is not documented; leaving means giving up LVE and CageFS limits |
| Stack coupling | 2 | Value depends on cPanel, Plesk or DirectAdmin integration |
| Hardware / cloud coupling | 1 | Any x86-64 server; no cloud attach |
| Skills and tooling coupling | 1.5 | EL skills plus CloudLinux selectors and limits tooling |
Integrator fit: 9.5 / 20
| Criterion | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Partner programme openness | 3 | Reseller channel through hosting providers and panel vendors; terms not read |
| Multi-tenancy and self-service | 3 | Per-account resource limits and isolation are the product; per-site limits in beta |
| API and infrastructure-as-code | 2 | Standard EL tooling; licence API not read |
| Skills and certification | 1.5 | No certification found; EL skills transfer |
AI leverage: 1.0 / 20
How the product uses AI, scored per year like capability. Only GA counts.
| Criterion | 2019 | 2022 | Today | Latest step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI workload support | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2015: None |
| AI platform stack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2015: None |
| AI-assisted operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2015: None |
| Agent openness | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2015: Standard Linux APIs; licence API not read |
Year by year: 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1
AI say-do, 2023 to 2026: 0 AI items announced; 0 GA, 0 still preview, 0 pending, 0 dropped. No AI item was found on the vendor blog from 2023 to 2026.
CloudLinux OS has no AI workload support, no AI stack and no assistant of its own. Its only AI-relevant surface is the standard Linux API, which any agent can drive.
Reading
CloudLinux OS is a hosting product scored against general server anchors, so its numbers are modest where it does not compete (hardware, cloud images, containers, AI) and solid where it does (per-account limits, panel integration, patch rollout discipline). Since 2023 the vendor has mostly delivered what hosts asked for: in-place upgrades between majors, an LTS kernel, panel support and same-day kernel fixes with staged rollouts. The gap is documentation: no lifecycle page, an empty changelog and an image for a product page. A buyer should get the support end dates for 9 and 10 in writing before relying on the EL pattern.
Open questions and items to re-score
- Support windows for 7, 8, 9 and 10 are not published on the vendor pages read; third-party tracker dates (9 to 2032-05-31, 10 to 2035-05-31) are unverified.
- Dated release notes for 9.7, 9.8 and 10.x were not found; the repository directory dates stand in for them (grade B).
- FIPS or Common Criteria status not found.
- Reseller terms, the licence API and the CloudLinux for Ubuntu offering were not read.
- Per-site resource limits (Isolates phase 3) and the Node.js shared store are in beta as of 2026-09-28.
Related reading
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