What does a deprecated distribution image mean?
Linode
Linode Staff
I went to deploy a new Linode and saw that it was deprecated. Does this mean that it will be removed at a later date, but can be used for now? Does it mean that those images aren't updated anymore?
2 Replies
mauterson
Linode Staff
When we set a distribution to "deprecated", it means that we no longer are actively ensuring that it is compatible on our platform. It also means that we will remove it soon. Defining exactly how soon this occurs is difficult, as it can vary greatly between the distributions. It is recommended that you begin to deploy on a newer version to ensure future reliability.
After we remove it from our list of available images, it could still be used on our platform using a custom distribution. Below is a guide on how to install a custom distribution.
rdaniels
Linode Staff
I wanted to add some additional guidance on top of what @mauterson mentioned. The below Community Questions post is a great resource for upgrading your Linode to a newer distribution release.
Some things to keep in mind:
- ALWAYS backup your data before making any changes.
- It's best to create a new Linode in order to make sure everything works well on the newly deployed one first.
- You can swap IPv4 addresses between between both Linode. This way you can keep your IP address.
- Secure the new server.
- Delete the old Linode to stop being billed for it, once you confirm everything is working as expected.
Hope this helps!