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Contact UsEnsure security and compliance beyond the EOL date with ongoing long-term updates for Critical and High-risk vulnerabilities
The Ubuntu 20.04 end-of-life date is almost here! To keep using this version safely for years to come, stay protected with Endless Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 20.04
Ubuntu 20.04
Endless Lifecycle Support
Standard support of Ubuntu version 20.04 is on the verge of running out. You need to act fast, but – at the
same time – avoid rushing your migration.
Unlike the costly Ubuntu Pro subscription for extended security maintenance, TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support gives you an affordable option to continue receiving as many additional years as you need of vendor-grade security patches so you can migrate safely at your own pace.
Pricing as low as $42.50 per year or $4.25 per month for each system
(guaranteed price lock for the term of your contract)
TuxCare has successfully resolved more than 5000 CVEs in open-source products to date (and counting), ensuring robust security and compliance for enterprise systems.
Not All Ubuntu 20.04 EOL Solutions Are Equal -
See How We Compare
 TuxCare Endless Lifecycle Support |
 Canonical Ubuntu Pro |
|
|---|---|---|
| Security updates for packages in Ubuntu Main repository past the EOL date |
 |
Up to 5 years |
| Support for packages in Ubuntu Main repository |
24/7 break/fix ticket support1 | Available in higher tiers |
| Rebootless patching for Ubuntu kernels with complete CVE coverage |
 Yes. Optional component. |
 Limited. Canonical Livepatch coversless than 10% of Ubuntu kernel CVEs. |
| Pricing | $92 annually per server (or as low as $42.50 per server without the rebootless patching) |
$225 and up / annually per server |
1 For a list of base packages
Ubuntu 20.04 receives Ubuntu Standard Support from Canonical with security patches until May 2025.
Ignoring the fact that this distribution will stop receiving security patches and not doing anything is the only option you don’t have. After May 31, 2025, unsupported Ubuntu 20.04 versions will be at far greater risk of a successful cyberattack.
To stay secure, you need to switch to Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 as soon as possible. Because the time to plan a migration before it reaches end of life is running out, you’ll need to sign up for a costly Ubuntu Pro subscription with extended security maintenance.
Fortunately, there’s a more affordable option with TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support.
Don’t risk it.
Sign up for TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support (ELS) to migrate to Ubuntu 22.04 on your
own schedule – without the risks involved in a rushed migration
With Endless Lifecycle Support, you can:
Achieve maximum security for your Ubuntu 20.04 systems with support for a comprehensive list of essential server packages
Track security updates, selected bug fixes, and affected packages across all architectures with qualified errata advisories
Verify your Ubuntu 20.04 system update status using our OVAL patch definitions with OpenSCAP or other OVAL-compatible tools
Precision-Engineered Patch
Development
Our patches are designed with surgical precision and are rigorously tested to provide businesses with the assurance that their legacy systems remain secure, stable, and compliant in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Support for a Comprehensive
List of Packages
When you sign up for TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support, you’ll get patches for an
extensive package list, providing maximum security for your operating system.
Switching to TuxCare for Ubuntu 20.04
Support is Simple
Step 1
Connect to the TuxCare repository with a simple
script – and no reboot
Step 2
You’re fully protected with regular ongoing security
patches for as long as your organization needs them!
Why TuxCare?
The TuxCare team combines 450+ years of in-depth technical knowledge
of Linux and kernel development
We have a proven track record of security patching with over 120,000 patches to date – and growing
You can request support for additional server packages that are not currently on our list
TuxCare can support environments that run multiple types of end-of-life Linux distributions
ELS gives you an affordable option to maintain the security and stability of your EOL systems
Every major end-of-life enterprise Linux
distribution is covered by TuxCare's ELS
TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support is also available for other operating systems, including:
Endless Lifecycle Support for CentOS Stream 8
End of life: June 2024You can rely on Endless Lifecycle Support for CentOS Stream 8 to continue receiving security updates for as long as you need – so that you have enough time to migrate to another Linux distribution securely.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support
for Oracle Linux 7
End of life: December 2024
Give your team plenty of time to upgrade to Oracle Linux 8 or 9 with ELS for Oracle Linux 7, which continues to deliver security patches for as long as you need at a much more affordable cost than an Oracle Premier Support plan.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for .NET 6.0
End of life: November 2024Keep using .NET 6 while continuing to receive security updates on both Windows and Linux, for as many years as you need, so your .NET applications remain secure, stable, and compatible until you’re ready to upgrade.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for CentOS 6
End of life: December 2020TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support gives you the same official security patches you used to get with CentOS 6, and we’ll continue to provide you with ongoing security support for as many years as you need.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for CentOS 7
End of life: June 2024CentOS 7 is going end of life in June 2024, but you can enjoy ongoing security updates for as long as you need with our Extended Lifecycle Support – buying time to plan your migration, while keeping your workload safe.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for Oracle Linux 6
End of life: March 2021TuxCare will deliver Extended Lifecycle Support for Oracle Linux 6 for as many years as you need, saving you significantly on costs compared to Oracle Linux Premier Support while providing the same vulnerability coverage.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for PHP
End of life:Buy yourself and your organization time to develop new production code while receiving ongoing security patches for out-of-support PHP versions with Endless Lifecycle Support to maintain the safety of your systems.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for Python 2.x
End of life: January 2020Python Extended Lifecycle Service from TuxCare breathes new life into code written for Python 2.7 so you can continue using your existing software on AlmaLinux, Rocky, or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 as before.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for Spring
End of life: Varies for Spring ProjectsWith ongoing end-of-life security updates for various Spring projects, including Spring Framework, Spring Boot, and more, TuxCare’s ELS for Spring enables you to ensure long-term security, compatibility, and compliance for your Spring applications.
Learn More
Endless Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 18.04
End of life: June 2023Choose TuxCare for Ubuntu 18.04 endless support and save significantly over an Ubuntu Pro subscription from Canonical, with security updates for your Ubuntu workloads lasting as long as you need.
Learn More
Extended Lifecycle Support for CentOS 8
End of life: December 2021All the way through January 2026, you can rely on TuxCare for Extended Lifecycle Support to cover security updates for your CentOS 8 Linux distribution – so that you have enough time to migrate to another distro.
Learn More
Ubuntu 16.04 End of Life Endless Lifecycle Support
End of life: April 2021Save on costs compared to Ubuntu Pro for Ubuntu 16.04 when you choose TuxCare Endless Lifecycle Support for ongoing security maintenance, which will keep you protected for as many years as you need beyond the end-of-life date.
Learn MoreUnderstanding Ubuntu End
of Life (EOL)
An operating system (OS) reaches EOL when the software vendor no longer produces patches for updates and problems found in the OS – including security risks.
With Ubuntu, EOL happens in two stages: first, when free standard support ends, then five years after a long-term support (LTS) release is published. At that point, anyone relying on free support for Ubuntu will lose that service.
Only Ubuntu users paying for Ubuntu Pro, a relatively expensive and comprehensive support package, will continue to receive security updates for another five years – thanks to the included extended security maintenance, after which support under Ubuntu Pro also ends.
Ubuntu release 20.04 (Focal Fossa) is now at the point in the Ubuntu release cycle where standard support is about to be suspended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but not for long. That’s because in the Ubuntu release cycle every Ubuntu LTS release has a fixed support window.
In the case of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, the free support window ends in June 2025 when Ubuntu users stop receiving patches for critical security vulnerabilities – unless they choose to pay for Ubuntu Pro, which comes at a substantial cost. For many users, this essentially means Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa machines reach end of life in June 2025.
If you’re using Ubuntu 20.04, you need to upgrade to Ubuntu release 22.04 LTS or another distribution as soon as you can to receive security support after the end-of-life date. To keep your systems secure in the meantime, consider using TuxCare’s Endless Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 20.04, which will give you the time you need to upgrade to Ubuntu 22.04.
For the time being, yes. After May 2025, however, any Ubuntu 20.04 machines not switched to a newer version of Ubuntu will lose free support from the Ubuntu team. Servers using Ubuntu 20.04 will continue to work, but the Linux kernel will be vulnerable to threats that emerge after 31 May 2025 because there are no ongoing security updates.
With no vendor security updates forthcoming after 31 May 2025, it’s critical that Ubuntu 20.04 users migrate – or find a partner to extend support until they’re ready to migrate.
Ubuntu Pro is one of the alternatives, but the price is relatively high, which is not ideal if all you need is patching. TuxCare offers Endless Lifecycle Support that is much more affordable than Ubuntu Pro.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS released in April 2022, which is called Jammy Jellyfish, and still has several years of ongoing support left with free standard support security updates through April 2027. You have the option to pay for Ubuntu Pro extended security maintenance through 2032. However, in 2025, you should start planning for a migration for when the next LTS version is released, so that you’re not forced to migrate in a rush.
Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS Focal Fossa was released in April of 2020, in line with the usual Ubuntu release schedule. At release, Ubuntu’s standard support started and will continue to receive security updates for Focal Fossa right through the end of May 2025.
The next LTS versions of Ubuntu, Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish and Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat, were released on April X, 202X and April X, 202X respectively.
The Ubuntu release schedule dictates that Ubuntu releases a new long-term support (LTS) release every two years. For example, Focal Fossa was preceded by Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver in 2018, and before that came Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus, which was released in 2016.
There are also regular Ubuntu interim releases, but these don’t enjoy the full five years of free support given to LTS versions. Only the LTS versions in the release cycle, such as Focal Fossa, Jammy Jellyfish, and Noble Numbat, get Ubuntu’s standard support – while interim releases only enjoy nine months of support.
For example, while Ubuntu 21.10 (Impish Indri), Ubuntu 21.04 (Hirsute Hippo), and Ubuntu 20.10 (Groovy Gorilla) are all production-quality releases, the fact that they’re interim releases and only include a limited support window means that Impish Indri, Hirsute Hippo, and Groovy Gorilla are not fit for enterprise use.
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