Red Hat, Inc.
History
Red Hat, Inc. is an American multinational software company founded in 1993. It is known for its contributions to open-source software, particularly the Linux operating system. Red Hat's primary product is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), a distribution of the Linux operating system designed for enterprise use. The company has played a significant role in the development and popularization of open-source software, making it a cornerstone of the modern IT landscape.
The company was founded by Bob Young and Marc Ewing. Young had previously founded a catalog business that sold Linux and UNIX software accessories, while Ewing created his own Linux distribution, which he named Red Hat Linux. The two entrepreneurs merged their efforts, and Red Hat, Inc. was born. The company went public in 1999, and its IPO was one of the most successful in the history of the technology sector.
Products and Services
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the company's flagship product. It is designed for enterprise environments and is known for its stability, security, and scalability. RHEL is used by a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and government. The operating system is available in several versions, each tailored to different types of workloads and hardware architectures.
OpenShift
OpenShift is Red Hat's Kubernetes-based platform for containerized applications. It provides a comprehensive solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications in a cloud environment. OpenShift supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, making it a versatile tool for modern software development.
Ansible
Ansible is an open-source automation tool that Red Hat acquired in 2015. It is used for configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. Ansible is known for its simplicity and ease of use, which has made it a popular choice among system administrators and DevOps engineers.
JBoss Middleware
JBoss is a suite of middleware products that includes application servers, data management tools, and integration platforms. JBoss products are designed to support the development and deployment of enterprise applications. They are widely used in industries that require robust and scalable middleware solutions.
Satellite
Red Hat Satellite is a system management solution that provides tools for managing the lifecycle of Red Hat systems. It includes features for provisioning, configuration management, and patch management. Satellite is designed to help organizations maintain compliance and security across their IT infrastructure.
Contributions to Open Source
Red Hat is a major contributor to the open-source community. The company sponsors and participates in numerous open-source projects, including the Fedora Project, CentOS, and GlusterFS. Red Hat's commitment to open source extends beyond software development; the company also advocates for open standards and open governance models.
Fedora Project
The Fedora Project is a community-driven project that produces the Fedora Linux distribution. Fedora serves as the upstream source for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, meaning that many of the features and improvements in RHEL are first developed and tested in Fedora. The project is known for its focus on innovation and the rapid adoption of new technologies.
CentOS
CentOS is a free, community-supported computing platform that is functionally compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Red Hat acquired CentOS in 2014, and the project has since become an integral part of the company's open-source ecosystem. CentOS is widely used in environments where a free, stable, and enterprise-grade operating system is required.
GlusterFS
GlusterFS is a scalable, distributed file system that Red Hat acquired in 2011. It is designed to handle large amounts of data and is used in environments where high availability and performance are critical. GlusterFS is part of Red Hat's storage solutions portfolio, which also includes Ceph, another open-source storage platform.
Business Model
Red Hat's business model is based on the sale of subscriptions for its software products. These subscriptions provide customers with access to software updates, security patches, and technical support. The company also offers consulting, training, and certification services to help organizations implement and manage their Red Hat solutions.
Red Hat's focus on open-source software allows it to leverage the collective expertise of the global open-source community. This collaborative approach enables the company to deliver high-quality software that meets the needs of its customers while also contributing to the advancement of open-source technology.
Acquisition by IBM
In 2018, IBM announced its intention to acquire Red Hat for $34 billion, making it one of the largest software acquisitions in history. The acquisition was completed in July 2019. IBM's acquisition of Red Hat was driven by a desire to strengthen its position in the hybrid cloud market. Red Hat continues to operate as an independent subsidiary of IBM, maintaining its commitment to open-source principles and practices.