I am new to Linux and found on the Redhat web, it cab be downloaded from redhat web. REDHAT said,

To evaluate Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (up to 2 sockets), simply fill out your contact information below. You will shortly receive a confirmation letter with instructions on how to download your 30-day unsupported evaluation

What will happen after 30 days?
- Will not allow to login?/ - Will all services stop? /- Work, but license violation?

Can anyone please reply with detail?

Redhat provide RHEL under a free license and sell support contracts which include access to their servers. When your evaluation time runs out, you lose access (amongst other things) to automated updates - including security updates.

You still have the software under GPL and related licenses. These licenses typically allow you to use, copy, modify and redistribute the software, so continuing use does not violate these licenses.

If you like RHEL but do not want to purchase a support contract, then you are urged to consider a community-supported distribution like CentOS (which is RHEL - but gratis) or fedora.

Thank you very much for the clear explanation. Is there any possibility to do the update manually, periodically with updates only as Windows provides? Or.. do I download full RHEL DVD and update?

Yes, you can either update manually or automatically online. Access to the RedHat network is dependent on your support subscription, though. As SimonBridge pointed out...if you don't want to pay for support, use CentOS. You can still update online...

The update manager is quite configurable, you are free to use it or not as you see fit. To reinforce TBOne, access to RHN depends on your support contract.

Note: gnu/linux updates are usually handled differently from MSN updates:

You will be familiar with the MSN process - MS gets your computer to send it details of software you have installed, then provides you with a list of updates that are available.

RedHat (and practically all gnu/linux support services) instead send you a list of all software available, your computer notifies you of updates to what you have installed, you choose which to update, then your computer requests the updates.

Hopefully you can see the difference this makes.

Your next step is to actually try out a distribution.
It is a very good idea to try out one of the community support distros first, unless you have some special reason for requiring a commercial support contract.

Bear in mind that it is usual for new users to try several distros before settling on their preference. Don't be scared to experiment.

Agreed....try several, and pick one that seems best for you. But bear in mind that while a community-supported OS (like OpenSuSE or CentOS), may be almost 100% identical to the 'official', paid-for version, third parties may not support it at all.

For example, you CAN get Oracle to install and work perfectly on CentOS...but if you call Oracle for support, you will NOT get it, even though you bought and paid for it. That's because you're running an unsupported/uncertified distro. They only support a certain number of configurations, so do some careful research on third-party products.

eg.

Aside:
This can be a problem with fielding questions about commercial distros - there is seldom any indication that there are commercial reasons for choosing one, so it is difficult to balance advice. Often, new-folk choose a commercial distro because they are used the the Microsoft (and other) "pro" label. This label usually means that it is, in same way, more complete than, say, the "home" or "student" labeled product.

Curiously, this is exactly opposite to the case for FOSS "products". In the gnu/linux world, it is the commercial (pro) distributions which are less feature-rich. This is often because businesses have a limited set of needs (depending on the business) and are more interested in stability and support-costs. Reducing support costs and increasing stability naturally means updating less often and excluding the less stable (and more recent) features. Businesses often don't need them - does the typing pool need internet access? Does 3D-design need a media player? Does accounts need high-end video drivers? Do servers need a 3D desktop?

(Cost-benifit for private use depends on wants more than needs.)

Anecdote:
I have also met people asking for help who are cagey about their distro and how they got it - finally admitting that they have a "pirate edition". It is a pleasure to give them the good news on this score

RHEL has a high commercial profile, so we seem to get this thinking with that distro more than the others.

On the Redhat License, is it basically just a support subscription? From what I read here, if your subscription runs out, you can continue to use the RHEL product without updates or support. Also, do I need to have one subscription for each workstations and servers (20 workstations and 2 Servers) or can I live with 3 (2 WS and 1 Server) subscriptions?

FWIW....



If you don't want/need support...use Centos (trust me...it's EXACTLY like Red Hat without the Red Hat logos...I even got my RHCE only using Centos)

If you need it...pay for it!

It's pretty simple

At work; on the servers that don't need service, we install Centos. On the servers that do...we install Red Hat...

-C

HTH

It is helpful in these situations to distinguish between the license and the support contract - they are different things.

RHEL is a bundle of software which is distributed under a range of licenses - mostly free software licenses.

Red Hat also sells support contracts.

As a promotion, Redhat offer you a limited support contract with a download of RHEL - free of charge. If you want anything else, you need to see one of their sales staff.The licences in the distribution will allow unlimited copies for any purpose.

The support contracts can vary - you need to talk about your particular needs with a Redhat sales rep.

Depending on the kind and extent of support you want, there will be different prices. You cannot expect an outside contractor to provide full-service support for hundreds of installations at the same price as one or two ... but if all you want is access to automated updates, then you'll be fine with just the one.

The trouble here is when you start talking around your subject like this - you seem to be asking "how much can I skrew these guys for and get away with it?" - a common approach in the proprietary world, and who can blame you?

Don't do that here. You have the luxury of being honest about your needs and seeing what is available. Work out where you actually need commercial support and then talk to the different suppliers about what they can do for you.

If you do not need third party support - go for a community distribution. It's the same software.