From 50b1611cac9b9e39db4ff89f8e76968648c6b3fe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Andrew David Wong Date: Mon, 10 May 2021 12:50:50 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Clarify release upgrades; add section headings --- user/common-tasks/updating-qubes-os.md | 22 ++++++++++++++++++---- 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/user/common-tasks/updating-qubes-os.md b/user/common-tasks/updating-qubes-os.md index 8ba8f6ea..07f87b0c 100644 --- a/user/common-tasks/updating-qubes-os.md +++ b/user/common-tasks/updating-qubes-os.md @@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ If you're instead looking to upgrade from your current version of Qubes OS to a (By contrast, installing packages using direct package manager commands is fine.) -It is very important to keep your Qubes OS system up-to-date to ensure you have the latest [security](/security/) updates, as well as the latest non-security enhancements and bug fixes. +## Routine updates + +It is very important to keep your Qubes OS system up-to-date to ensure you have the latest security updates, as well as the latest non-security enhancements and bug fixes. Fully updating your Qubes OS system means updating: @@ -43,11 +45,23 @@ Even if no updates have been detected, you can use this tool to check for update Advanced users and developers: For the command-line equivalents of using the Qubes Update tool, see the Salt formulae update.qubes-dom0 and update.qubes-vm. -The final step is to make sure that all of your VMs are running a supported operating system so that they're all receiving upstream security updates. +## Upgrading to stay on a supported release + +The above covers routine updates. +Eventually, however, most operating system releases will reach [end-of-life (EOL)](https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/End_of_life), after which point they will no longer be supported. +This applies to [Qubes OS itself](/doc/supported-versions/#qubes-os) as well as operating systems used for TemplateVMs and StandaloneVMs, such as [Fedora](/doc/templates/fedora/) and [Debian](/doc/templates/debian/). +It is very important to use only supported releases, since generally only supported releases receive security updates. +This means that you must periodically upgrade to a newer release before your current release reaches EOL. + +In the case of Qubes OS itself, we will always [announce](/news/categories/#releases) when a given Qubes OS release is approaching and has reached EOL, and we will provide [instructions for upgrading to the next stable supported Qubes OS release](/doc/upgrade/). +Again, you can always see the current support status for all Qubes OS releases [here](/doc/supported-versions/#qubes-os). + +Periodic upgrades are also important for TemplateVMs and StandaloneVMs. For example, you might be using a [Fedora TemplateVM](/doc/templates/fedora/). The [Fedora Project](https://getfedora.org/) is independent of the Qubes OS Project. -They set their own [schedule](https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_Release_Life_Cycle#Maintenance_Schedule) for when each Fedora release reaches [end-of-life](https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/End_of_life) (EOL). +They set their own [schedule](https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_Release_Life_Cycle#Maintenance_Schedule) for when each Fedora release reaches EOL. You can always find out when an operating system reaches EOL from the upstream project that maintains it, but we also make EOL [announcements](/news/categories/#announcements) and publish guides for official TemplateVM operating systems as a convenience to Qubes users. When this happens, you should make sure to follow the guide to upgrade to a supported version of that operating system (see the [Fedora upgrade guides](/doc/templates/fedora/#upgrading) and the [Debian upgrade guides](/doc/templates/debian/#upgrading)). -The one exception is dom0, which [doesn't have to be upgraded](/doc/supported-versions/#note-on-dom0-and-eol). + +The one exception to all this is the specific release used for dom0 (not to be confused with Qubes OS as a whole), which [doesn't have to be upgraded](/doc/supported-versions/#note-on-dom0-and-eol).