Chapter 4. Introduction to non-containerized product certification

The Red Hat Software certification program for traditional, non-containerized products helps Independent Software Vendors (ISV) to build, certify and distribute their application software on systems and server environments running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in a jointly supported customer environment. A strong working knowledge of RHEL is required.

Partner Validation - Select this type of certification, if you want to validate your product using your own criteria and test suite on Red Hat platforms. This partner validation allows you to publish your software offerings on the Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog more quickly. However, validated workloads may not incorporate all of Red Hat integration requirements and best practices. We encourage you to continue your efforts toward Red Hat certification.

Certified - Select this type of certification, if you want your product to undergo thorough testing by using Red Hat’s test suite, and benefit from collaborative support. Your products will meet your standards and Red Hat’s criteria, including interoperability, lifecycle management, security, and support requirements.

It is critical for partners to understand the distinction between Partner Validation and Red Hat Certification. Find below a clear differentiation between Validation and Certification programs: