LTS release tier should not update faster than STABLE

a289 shared this idea ago

Completed

LTS (11.52.2.1 Mon Jan 4 16:28:20 2016) is on a newer version than STABLE (11.52.1.3 Tue Dec 1 18:45:09 2015) per http://httpupdate.cpanel.net/, and in fact cPanel support confirmed it tracks with RELEASE rather than STABLE (though it won't automatically update you to the next major version like RELEASE does).

I think LTS should not update faster than stable because when 11.52 hit RELEASE (10/12/15) but before it hit STABLE (11/9/15), quite a few bugs were fixed (see https://documentation.cpanel.net/display/ALD/11.52+Change+Log). If LTS is being pitched as an alternative to disabling updates altogether (per https://documentation.cpanel.net/display/ALD/cPanel%2520&%2520WHM%2520Long-Term%2520Support), it doesn't make sense that it'd be on track with RELEASE rather than STABLE.

Also, this is also different than how LTS releases typically behave for other software packages.

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Best Answer

benny@cpanel.net ●

This is now in practice as of version 62, and will continue next year as we move the next new version into the LTS tier. If you have questions about the next LTS version after 62, please see the cPanel blog article: New Plans for the LTS Tier

Replies (3)

Aila ●

The intent of LTS is not to determine when an update occurs in relation to RELEASE, STABLE, or CURRENT. Rather its intent is to give hosting providers more control over when they upgrade to a specific version (e.g. choosing when to upgrade from 11.52 to version 54), while still receiving update to the older version (e.g. 11.52).

That said I'm definitely open to hearing how LTS is used and understood by customers.

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a289 ●

To put it succinctly, someone who chooses LTS does so because they want to reduce the risk of updates breaking things. Having LTS track with STABLE instead of RELEASE would be most in keeping with that.

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Monarobase ●

I think that when you choose a LTS version you also disable major version upgrades untill you are ready to move.

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Aila ●

@monarobase: that is what I mean. Selecting LTS disables the major upgrade. That is its primary purpose.

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a289 ●

Right, but think about the reason for selecting disabling major upgrades - it's to reduce the chance that an update introduces an issue. For example, recently cPanel released an update which caused password protection and require all denied to stop working for certain sites and thus granting access when access should be blocked. Because of that, we switched from STABLE to LTS hoping to reduce the odds of something like that happening again, but LTS is conservative on major releases yet aggressive on minor releases unlike stable which is more conservative on minor releases.

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Monarobase ●

I'm beginning to see your point. This is not about major releases but about minor updates. I do agree that for minor updates it should follow stable and not release schedule. LTS should get minor updates only when they make it to stable. Either this or we would be able to choose between LTS release and LTS stable.

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Aila ●

Beginning with version 62 we will intend to update the LTS tier when STABLE is updated. That will only happen when the LTS version is also in CURRENT, RELEASE, and/or STABLE.

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benny@cpanel.net ● ●

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