An unsupported operating system is a ticking time bomb.
Linux kernels, libraries, and packages are no longer getting updated when a Linux distribution enters into an end of life state. That puts your servers, your data, and your business at risk of a cyberattack.
Protect your servers and stay compliant with Extended Lifecycle Support services from TuxCare. A simple, affordable monthly fee buys you the time you need to migrate to a supported operating system or to upgrade to the newest version of your current Linux flavor.
What is included in Extended Lifecycle Support?
- Patches available soon after CVEs go public
The TuxCare team is famous for quickly delivering patches for critical CVEs right after the CVE goes public. - Easy setup, no migration required
Run a single script. No reboot is necessary, never interrupt your operations. Simply sync to a new repository file. - Kernel and critical package updates
Any Extended Lifecycle Support subscription includes regular kernel updates plus updates for critical packages including Apache, PHP, MySQL, Glibc, OpenSSL/SSH. - Years of support
Extended Lifecycle Support by TuxCare lasts 4 years beyond end of life dates at a minimum. It gives you ample time to migrate.
Extended Lifecycle Support for Major
Enterprise Linux Distributions
Extended Lifecycle Support is currently available for
CentOS
6, CentOS 8, Oracle Linux 6, and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
Extended Lifecycle Support for CentOS 6
End of life date – November 2020
Extended Lifecycle Support will last until November 2024, giving you enough time to switch your server fleet to an alternative distribution or upgrade to the newest version of your favourite Linux flavor.
Extended Lifecycle Support for CentOS 8
End of life date – December 2021
Extended Lifecycle Support will last until December 2025, keeping end of life Linux systems secure and compliant, giving IT teams more time to make informed migration decisions.
Extended Lifecycle Support for Oracle Enterprise Linux 6
End of life date – March 2021
Extended Lifecycle Support will last until March 2025. Save significantly on Oracle’s Linux Subscription by choosing Extended Lifecycle Support for ongoing Oracle Linux 6 maintenance.
Extended Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 16.04
End of life date – April 2021
Save significantly on Ubuntu 16.04 Subscription by choosing Extended Lifecycle Support for ongoing Ubuntu 16.04 maintenance.
FAQs
Extended Lifecycle Support services provide updated security patches for:
- The Linux kernel
- Common shared libraries like glibc, openssh, openssl, and zlib. httpd, mysql, php.
- Userspace packages.
- Other packages, including: acl, acpid, at, attr, audit, authconfig, basesystem, bash, bc, blktrace, bridge-utils, busybox, bzip2, crash, cyrus-imapd, cyrus-sasl, db4-utils, device-mapper, dhclient, dhcpv6, dmidecode, dos2unix, dovecot, ed, gcc, gd, gdb, glib2, groff, info, Iptstate, logrotate, lslk, lvm2, makedev, nfs4-acl-tools, nfs-utils, nspr, ntp, opensp, pam, perl, procmail, procps, python, rcs, rds-tools, rhnlib, rsync, rsyslog, setroubleshoot, setserial, setup, sos, stunnel, tzdata, vim, wget, yum-metadata-parser, yum-rhn-plugin
We currently support CentOS 6, Oracle Linux 6, and Ubuntu 16.04. If you have a specific use case for a distribution that is not yet supported, get in touch with us and we’ll see if we can help you keep your unique systems running smoothly and safely.
Applying our Extended Lifecycle Support service only requires running a single command that changes the location of key repositories. Full implementation instructions are provided when your servers are registered with TuxCare.
The pricing starts from $4.25/month per Operating System Image (OSI) with a 10% discount if you opt for an annual subscription. Volume discounts and bundle pricing is available, so contact the TuxCare team today to find out the best pricing for your organization.
Before each package goes into the production repository, we run extensive testing to verify that our updates have zero unintended consequences. We also maintain a stable beta repository that we use for testing.
The installation is completed through a simple script that exchanges your current, no longer maintained, repositories for TuxCare’s ELS repositories. Your system will continue receiving updates just as it did up to that point, using exactly the same tools and commands, but now directly from TuxCare.
Extended Lifecycle Support service varies depending on the Linux OS that you are covering with extended support. Commonly, you can expect Extended Lifecycle Support to last for at least three years – for example, at the time of writing, CentOS 6 Extended Lifecycle Support support lasts until November 2024.
No. You are not migrating your operating system or making any changes to the way your workload is handled. Enabling Extended Lifecycle Support involves a single command that changes the location of repositories. There is no reboot, downtime, disruption of operations, or degradation of server performance.
TuxCare continuously monitors critical Linux kernel vulnerabilities and security concerns associated with the OS covered by your Extended Lifecycle Support contract. We release patches for security risks and general maintenance issues as soon as they are completed and tested.
KernelCare Enterprise will automatically apply our patches live in memory while your systems are in operation. However, if you prefer to patch manually, you can simply continue to do so using yum as you normally would.
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