CentOS (Community Enterprise Operating System) is a community-operated Linux distribution. CentOS is a free and open source Linux distribution that provides a stable, predictable, manageable and reproducible platform based on RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) sources.
This year CentOS has released the new version “CentOS 8”. In the new version CentOS 8 there are some important changes, e.g. in the distribution, package manager, software version, kernel version, file system and storage, network, etc.
The new version of CentOS offers two variants of Linux distributions. The CentOS Linux Platform, which is suitable for a wide range of uses. And the new CentOS Stream (Rolling Release), which only follows the development of RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). The CentOS Stream (Rolling Release) is basically a live version between Fedora Linux and RHEL.
What’s new in CentOS 8
- Introducing of two content/applications distribution: the BaseOS and the AppStream
- DNF or ‘Dandefied Yum’ is now replaced the ‘YUM’ as the Package Manager
- Wayland is now the default display server, replaced the Xorg
- Cockpit Server Management Tool is now installed by default
- New Kernel version 4.18
- Firewalld backend replaced by the ‘nftables’
- Systemwide Crypto Policies using the ‘update-crypto-policies’
- Shell and Command-line tools updated
- New Packages such as PHP 7.2, Nodejs 10, Python 3.6, PostgreSQL 10, and Nginx 1.14 are available on the AppStream
1. Requirements
For this guide, we’re going to install the CentOS 8 server on the virtual machine with the RAM 2GB, 2 CPUs, and 25Gb of Hardisk. If you’re on production, you must use more than that. And make sure you have the CentOS 8 DVD ISO image and the bootable media.
You can download the CentOS 8 DVD ISO using the Links below.
For the CentOS 8 Linux version.
http://isoredirect.centos.org/centos/8/isos/x86_64/
For the CentOS 8 Stream Rolling Release.
http://isoredirect.centos.org/centos/8-stream/isos/x86_64/
2. Boot to CentOS 8 DVD ISO
If you’re installing the CentOS 8 on the real hardware, make sure you have the bootable device and insert it into your computer. Once it’s successfully, you will see the CentOS 8 boot menu as below.
Install CentOS Linux 8.0
Choose the option ‘Install CentOS Linux 8.0‘ on the top menu.
3. Setup Language
Now you will get the CentOS 8 welcome page.
Select your preferred language for the installation, the default is ‘English (United States)‘ and click ‘Continue‘ button.
4. Base Installation Setup
After that, you will be shown the CentOS 8 ‘Installation Summary’ page. In this stage, we’re going to configure the Base CentOS 8 installation, including the localization, software, and system.
– LOCALIZATION
In the ‘LOCALIZATION’ section, you will need to configure the Keyboard Layout, Language Support, and Time & Date.
For the Keyboard Layout, you can leave it as default. Because the installer will automatically check the keyboard layout that you’re using during the installation.
And for the Language Support, it will automatically select the language chosen on the CentOS 8 welcome page.
Now for the ‘Time & Date‘, click on the menu and select your ‘Region‘ and ‘City‘.
And click the ‘Done‘ button on the top left.
– SOFTWARE
Now move to the ‘SOFTWARE’ section, choose the installation source and select the software that you’re going to install.
If you’re using the DVD version of CentOS 8 ISO, the default ‘Installation Source’ is a ‘Local Media’. And if you’re using the boot ISO version, you will need to configure the URL source for the installation.
For the ‘Software Selection’, click on the menu and you will get a list of CentOS 8 Base Environment and its Add-ons.
Choose the Base Environment and Add-ons as you need. And for this guide, we’re going to install the ‘Server‘ base environment with additional Add-ons ‘Container Management’ that provides Podman and Buildah as an alternative for Docker.
Now click the ‘Done‘ button and move to the ‘SYSTEM’ section.
– SYSTEM
On the ‘SYSTEM’ section, we’re going to configure the Installation Destination and Network & Hostname configuration.
Click on the ‘Installation Destination’ menu to set up the disk for our installation.
On the Device Selection option, click your disk for the CentOS 8 installation. And for the storage configuration, you can use the ‘Custom’ option to create custom disk partition as you need or using the ‘Automatic’ option for automatically partition the disk.
For this guide, we’re going to use the ‘Automatic‘ option for our CentOS 8 installation.
Now click the ‘Done’ button.
Next, we will configure Network & Hostname for our installation. Click on the ‘Network & Hostname‘ menu and type your server hostname on the field, then click ‘Apply‘. For the ethernet network configuration, leave it as default and click the ‘Done‘ button.
At this stage, the ‘SYSTEM’ configuration has been completed.
5. Start the CentOS 8 Installation
At this stage, we’re ready to start the CentOS 8 installation. Basically, the ‘Begin Installation’ button will not activate until the ‘Installation Destination’ has been set up.
Now click the ‘Begin Installation‘ button to start the installation.
The CentOS 8 installation has been started.
6. Setup Root Password
During the installation, you will need to set up the root password for your CentOS 8 system.
Click on the ‘Root Password‘ menu.
Now type your strong root password and click the ‘Done‘ button. And the root password configuration been completed.
7. Setup New User
After configuring the root password, we’re going to create a new user.
Click on the ‘User Creation‘ menu.
Now type details username and password with your own, and give a ‘check‘ on the ‘Make this user Administrator’ to grant the user root privileges.
Now click the ‘Done‘ button and the new user with root administrator privilege has been created.
8. Finishing
Once the CentOS 8 installation is finished, you will get the result as below.
Click the ‘Reboot‘ button and remove the ISO image or media bootable installer from your machine.
9. Testing
Once the server rebooted, you will get the CentOS 8 server login.
Type your username and password to log in, then run the ‘sudo su’ command to gain the root privilege.
sudo su TYPE YOUR PASSWORD
Now check the version of our installed CentOS server version.
cat /etc/redhat-release uname -a
You will get the CentOS 8 with the kernel 4.18 and the system architecture x86_64-bit has been installed.
