From Proprietary To Open The Migration Path From Aix To Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Enterprises relying on IBM AIX face increasing challenges due to high licensing costs, limited flexibility, and difficulties in integrating with modern cloud and open-source technologies. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) provides a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective alternative, enabling organizations to modernize workloads and adopt hybrid cloud architectures. This review examines the strategic, technical, and operational considerations involved in migrating from AIX to RHEL. Key topics include assessment and planning, system provisioning, data and application migration, automation using Kickstart and Ansible, testing, validation, and post-migration optimization. Real-world case studies highlight best practices, lessons learned, and strategies for both large enterprises and mid-sized organizations. Additionally, emerging trends such as hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, containerization, and advanced security models are explored to guide future-ready, resilient, and secure enterprise infrastructures. This review serves as a comprehensive roadmap for IT architects, system administrators, and decision-makers seeking to transition from proprietary UNIX systems to open-source Linux platforms effectively.