Updates for Managed Linux Computers

Fully Managed (Tier 1) vs Self-Managed (Tier 2)

If your Linux computer is managed by the College of Engineering Linux Team (Tier 1), then the device is subject to the following update procedures. If your system has been approved and is handled under the Tier 2 Self-Managed option, you are responsible for your own updates and compliance with security update requirements from the university (with the exception of our virus/malware protection software, Endgame, which is required on all systems. You will be contacted to update that software when necessary.)

Security Updates

Any updates released for supported operating systems or software packages that are marked for security are processed each night on all machines. This update process typically does not require a system reboot, so the process should be completed overnight without issue.

Feature Updates

Updates for your operating system or software packages that are marked as feature updates are processed on a semesterly basis. This will often require a reboot, and for research machines, you will be contacted to schedule the downtime for your devices. For general workstations, the updates are sent out, and a 1-week reboot timer is enabled to allow ample time for users to reboot their device.

Major OS Version Changes

If you would like to upgrade your system from one OS (LTS) version to another (Ex: Ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04), the process involves completely reinstalling the OS on your device. This is to help prevent system instability issues seen in the past during the OS upgrade process. It is recommended that you back up any data from the machine (especially user folders) so that you can restore this data to the newly configured OS. You may also want to record a list of software that you had installed, and any configurations or data not stored within your user folders.