Operating System Updates
Configuration Operating System Updates
If you login with a Sysadmin Account and go to Admin → System → Updates, you'll see the following configuration with the following options:
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| None | Neither the LiquidFiles application nor any System Security Updates will automatically be installed. |
| Autoupdate System Security Updates | During the nightly maintenance the LiquidFiles system will attempt to update any system
packages like OpenSSL, OpenSSH and similar with newer versions if there's any security
related updates to any such packages. General operating system updates will not be
installed. The LiquidFiles application will not be automatically updated. |
| Autoupdate the LiquidFiles Application | During the nightly maintenance the LiquidFiles system will check if there's a newer
version of the LiquidFiles application and update to this release. When LiquidFiles updates to a newer release, the latest compatible version of the operating system will be updated at the same time, and when LiquidFiles is ready to move from one Ubuntu release to the next, it will happen as part of a major LiquidFiles release. Also note that automatic updates are delayed by about a week for minor releases to typically several weeks for major updates to ensure stability for everyone that's on automatic updates (that we recommend). |
| Autoupdate LiquidFiles Application + System Security Updates | This is the default and most secure way to run LiquidFiles. Any system security updates are installed as part of the nightly maintenance, and any LiquidFiles application + operating system updates are installed when they are ready to be automatically installed. |
Check for Beta Releases
If you enable Check for Beta Releases, any available Beta release will be presented when you manually check for LiquidFiles updates on the Admin → System → Update page. If Check for Beta Releases is selected you will have the option to install a Beta release when we make them available. If you are currently on a non-beta release you will never be automatically updated to a beta release regardless of this setting.
If you have installed a beta release, you will always be automatically updated during the beta release cycle, at least until your system has reached the next stable release.
Reboot when Required
Sometimes the system needs to be restarted, like when a new kernel has been installed. You can either automatically do this as part of the nightly maintenance, or if you don't, you will be prompted in the Admin interface that the system has detected that a reboot is required.
When we update to a major new LiquidFiles release that also updates to a major new Ubuntu release, the system will be automatically restarted regardless of this setting. This should not happen any more often than once every few years.
Manually Updating the Operating System to a later release
Ever so often we get questions like I noticed that there's a later version of Ubuntu available and we want to update to this release, how do we do that?. If you have this question imagine the following conversation with LiquidFiles support:
Q: I noticed that there's a later version of Ubuntu available and we want to update to this release, how do we do that?
A: LiquidFiles comes as a virtual appliance, it's not possible to update to a later version of the operating system other than what it's currently using.
Q: Do you mean that it's not properly tested but it will probably work just fine, or do you mean that it's guaranteed to break?
A: It's guaranteed to break.
Q: Are you sure?
A: Yes, there are binaries distributed with the LiquidFiles application that are linked to corresponding libraries in current version of the operating system. If you update the operating system to a later version, those libraries no longer match and the LiquidFiles application will not load. The only thing you'll see is a "waiting for the system to start" page but it will not actually start.
Q: Hmm, we're still not sure it won't work? If we test this anyway, can we rollback if it indeed doesn't work?
A: No, it's not possible to rollback to a previous version of the operating system. We have put configuration inside each LiquidFiles system that will prevent OS upgrades. If you were to circumvent those configuration changes and update anyway, your system will end up in a state where it won't start and it will not be recoverable. Your only option at that point is to reinstall a new LiquidFiles system and restore from any previous backup, or if you have no backups you will have to start over from scratch.
Q: How do we manage operating system updates then?
A: There's nothing to manage as such, please see the configuration above. Our recommendation is to enable Autoupdate LiquidFiles Application + System Security Updates, that will always get you to the latest supported LiquidFiles application and operating system, including the latest security fixes.
Also, LiquidFiles will always be using Ubuntu Long Term Support (LTS) releases that have a minimum of 5 years support, 10 years if you enable an Ubuntu Pro license. LiquidFiles will never use any of the newer interim releases. Also, after a new Ubuntu LTS version has been released, it will typically be many months before Ubuntu provide an official upgrade path between LTS releases. Depending on circumstances, when this happens is the earliest possible time we can look at changing to the next LTS release as part of the next major LiquidFiles release.