1. Upgrading Systems With Leapp
  2. About Leapp

1 About Leapp

The Leapp utility is a framework for updating and upgrading operating systems and applications. The utility's component packages enable the creation of different workflows into profiles for updating software.

Leapp operations consist of two phases:

  • The preupgrade phase, where system checks are performed to verify if the software can be upgraded.
  • The actual upgrade, which process is based on configuration files that map packages between previous and current versions of the software packages.

Caution:

The Leapp utility is used to upgrade the OSs only, namely, from the current Oracle Linux 8 release to the current Oracle Linux 9 version. The procedures in this document don't apply to and are unsupported on any other OSs or versions.

Supported Leapp Features

The Leapp utility can be used to upgrade local or remote Oracle Linux 8 systems and instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure that are based on the Oracle Linux 8 image.

Upgrading Oracle Linux 8 Systems

For Oracle Linux systems, the following table lists supported and unsupported features by the Leapp utility.

Upgradeable With Leapp Not Upgradeable With Leapp
Platforms (latest shipping updates)

  • x86_64 (RHCK, UEKR6 , and UEK7 kernels)1

  • Arm (aarch64) (UEK kernel)2

Operating Systems

  • Current Oracle Linux 8 version only

Profiles

  • Server with GUI

  • Workstation

  • Server

  • Custom Operating System

  • Minimal Install

  • Virtualization Host

Supported Stacks

  • Oracle KVM Stack

  • Oracle applications

  • Oracle RDMA stack

  • Oracle DB products

  • Anything not installed by using an ISO image (Ceph, GlusterFS, OCNE, OCI image, and so on)

  • Migration of disks that are encrypted with LUKS

  • ULN integration

  • Upgrading with FIPS mode (not supported upstream)

1Latest shipping kernel versions

2Limits exist on auto upgrading for Arm with UEK because the kernel page size changes from UEKR6 to UEKR7.

Upgrading Oracle Linux 8 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Instances

The Leapp utility can also upgrade both the x86_64 and Arm (aarch64) platforms that are running Oracle Linux 8 instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

The following table lists available and unavailable features:

Supported with Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

Images

  • Oracle Linux 8

See https://docs.oracle.com/iaas/Content/Compute/References/images.htm

Images
Shapes Shapes
Features Features

Upgrading Oracle Linux 8 KVM Hosts

The Leapp utility can be used to upgrade Oracle Linux 8 systems that host KVM virtual machines. Systems must fulfill the other Leapp criteria listed in the previous sections. The following table lists the scope of KVM host support.

Note:

The Oracle Linux KVM Image isn't an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure platform image and not supported by Leapp.

Supported with Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

  • Upgrading the Oracle Linux 8 Latest KVM packages to the Oracle Linux 9 KVM AppStream

  • Upgrading the Oracle Linux 8 KVM Utilities to the Oracle Linux 9 KVM AppStream

  • Switching between default KVM stack and Oracle KVM stacks

  • KVM packages or Appstream packages from developer repositories

  • Packages or features not included with the shipping product

  • Upgrading KVM hosts while KVM virtual machines (guests) are running.

For repository mappings between preupgrade stage and postupgrade stage that involve KVM clients, see Supported Repositories in Leapp Upgrades.

Requirements for Upgrading

To upgrade an Oracle Linux 8 system or instance, ensure that either one meets the following requirements:

  • The minimum installation requirements as listed in System Requirements in Oracle Linux 9: Installing Oracle Linux are met.

    In particular, ensure that the system has disk space to complete the Leapp upgrade. Disk space in the /boot partition is especially paramount. The partition must have at least 250 MB of disk space to accommodate the installation of the Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK) and Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel (UEK), initramfs, kdump images, and so on. Examine the preupgrade report which might notify you if insufficient disk space is detected. For more information about the preupgrade phase, see Assessing the Capability of the System for Upgrading.

  • Only packages provided by Oracle are installed. Upgrade stability isn't guaranteed if third-party packages are present in the system.

  • Oracle Linux yum server at https://yum.oracle.com or a corresponding yum mirror is accessible.

    If accessing repositories from a mirror or a local repository, ensure that both Oracle Linux8 and Oracle Linux 9 channels are mirrored.

  • x86_64 deployments are running at least Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6 or the Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK).

  • aarch64 deployments are running at least the Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6.

Check the following references for information that might have an impact on the upgrade process:

Kernels Upgradeable With Leapp

The following table provides guidance about which kernel upgrades can be performed with the Leapp utility. The table assumes that the Oracle Linux 8 host satisfies the requirements listed in Requirements for Upgrading.

  Starting Kernel (Oracle Linux 8) Ending Kernel (Oracle Linux 9) Supported

x86_64 not using Btrfs file system

RHCK

RHCK

Yes1

 

RHCK

UEK

No

 

UEK

UEK

Yes

 

UEK

RHCK

No

x86_64 using Btrfs file system 2

UEK

UEK

Yes

 

UEK

RHCK

No

aarch643

UEK R7

UEK4

Yes

aarch64 not using Btrfs file system

UEK R6

UEK4

Yes 5

aarch64 using Btrfs file system

UEK R6

UEK4

No5

1Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release remains on the system or instance after the upgrade. If preferred, the administrator can remove this kernel.

2Beginning with Oracle Linux 8, RHCK doesn't support the Btrfs file system.

3RHCK isn't distributed nor available for the aarch64 platform.

4For aarch64 systems, Oracle Linux 9 ships with UEK R7.

5The Arm page size changes from UEK R6 to UEK R7. For details, see Btrfs File System Issue.