You may have previously seen our blog CentOS 7 End-of-Life: Don’t panic! last year, when we announced our plan to provide an in-place upgrade path to AlmaLinux 8.
But why is it necessary to upgrade an EOL operating system?
An end-of-life (EOL) operating system signifies the end of support, updates, and patches from the software provider, usually due to the completion of its lifecycle.
Upgrading from an EOL system is crucial for many reasons:
- Safeguards against security vulnerabilities – Outdated systems are prime targets for malware and cyberattacks.
- Stability issues – When newer software and hardware arise, functionality and performance are hindered if left on EOL systems.
- Compliance requirements – You may also be required to mandate the use of supported software versions for your business compliance.
Key things to consider
Certain requirements need to be met to upgrade the server and one of the major ‘blockers’ for this upgrade is PHP. The new OS, AlmaLinux 8, does not support PHP below version 7.2, which means sites running older software are not compatible with the upgrade.
We have been proactively reaching out to customers running these older PHP versions to let them know and encourage them to think about upgrading their sites. In many cases, the process is straightforward and easy to do.
CloudLinux Hardened PHP
If you cannot upgrade your website software to a compatible PHP version in time, we can offer a workaround with the installation of Cloudlinux onto your server.
Cloudlinux ensures ongoing support for legacy PHP versions, as well as securing against vulnerabilities in PHP as best as possible. This license is a paid addition, allowing your server’s operating system to be safely upgraded to AlmaLinux 8.
The Elevate Rundown
The upgrade entails the following steps:
- We schedule an appropriate time window (approximately one hour) for the upgrade to take place. We generally recommend this is done when traffic levels are lowest but we can accommodate different times to suit you.
- We verify your server has a recent backup (these are done automatically) and that everything is ready for the upgrade to take place.
- Our engineers run the upgrade process. This takes approximately 40 minutes and entails a series of reboots. During this time your sites may be down as the various services are updated and restarted.
- Once complete, we run a series of post-upgrade checks to ensure everything went smoothly. This includes verifying sites are working.
Do you need to do anything?
No. We take care of everything and will keep you informed via support ticket throughout the process.
Migrate to ProStack’s AlmaLinux 8 servers
Concerned about your current hosting provider’s process on CentOS 7 EOL?
All our new cPanel servers are already set up with AlmaLinux 8. So all you need to do is reach out to us and we’ll do the rest with our simple Managed Migration Service!