Upgrading Your Ubuntu Server: A Step-by-Step Guide
Upgrading an Ubuntu server or cloud image involves several essential steps and considerations. It is advisable to use a Long Term Support (LTS) version, which offers five years of support and security updates. Users can upgrade from one LTS to the next in a sequential manner, ensuring that the system is fully updated and has enough disk space beforehand. It is crucial to back up data, disable third-party software repositories, and be prepared for potential configuration changes during the process. The upgrade can be initiated using the sudo do-release-upgrade command, and a reboot is necessary to complete the upgrade.
- Long Term Support (LTS) versions provide five years of support.
- Upgrades from one LTS to another must be done sequentially.
- A pre-upgrade checklist includes system updates, disk space, and backups.
- Use the
sudo do-release-upgradecommand to initiate the upgrade. - A system reboot is required to finalize the upgrade process.
What should I check before upgrading Ubuntu?
It's important to check the release notes for known issues, ensure your system is fully updated, verify there is enough free disk space, and back up your data.
Can I upgrade directly to the latest LTS release?
No, you must upgrade sequentially from one LTS release to the next; for example, from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to 18.04 LTS, and then to 20.04 LTS.
What command is used to start the upgrade process?
The upgrade process can be initiated using the command sudo do-release-upgrade.