This version of Realm Linux is based on Red Hat's commercial product family called Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Because this is a commercial product there are a few differences that are very important to understand in how these versions of Realm Linux differ from versions based on non-commercial products of Red Hat.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is not free in the same since that Red Hat Linux or Fedora Core is free. The GNU General Public License only applies to source code not to binaries. All the source code for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and versions of Realm Linux based off that product are free as we are used to. However, binaries, ISOs, install trees, etc. are not publicably available and cannot be made so.

As of this writing, the UNC Office of the President has aquired a site license for the entire UNC system for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. This license is only valid for university owned equipment and departments will be charged a fee per installed machine to cover NCSU's part of the license subscription every year. Due to how the Red Hat Network controls licenses and the various parts thereof, Realm Linux clients that are based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux must be registered under this license.

Unfortunately, this puts students wanting to use Realm Linux in a pinch. Folks are free to apply the source RPMs to one of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux rebuild projects. Also, development of Realm Linux will continue to use the Fedora Core project from Red Hat and the Fedora Community.