Ubuntu Tech Support: It's All A Matter Of Timing

The next Ubuntu Linux server release is on its way. If your company decides to give it a try, be sure that you also understand some important points about how Ubuntu handles long-term tech support.In a recent post, I explained why the upcoming Ubuntu Linux desktop release is a boon for netbook and laptop users. As usual, however, when Ubuntu 9.04 launches in late April, it will offer both a desktop and a server edition.

(If you're wondering what distinguishes Ubuntu Linux Desktop Edition from its Server Edition sibling, check out this blog post where I outline the key differences.)

WorksWithU.com, a popular independent online guide to all things Ubuntu, just published a good summary of what to expect from Ubuntu 9.04 Server Edition. Many readers will notice right away that the single most prominent new feature in 9.04 suffers from two potential drawbacks: First, it's aimed primarily at larger companies that want to implement their own cloud-computing infrastructures.

Second, Ubuntu 9.04 Server Edition's "Eucalyptus" technology is billed as a "technology preview" rather than as a production-ready cloud computing implementation.

Don't let that fact deter your company from downloading Ubuntu server 9.04 and kicking the tires. Thanks to a new Linux kernel release sitting under the hood, there are plenty of other improvements worth checking out. That includes support for the ext4 file system, improvements to Ubuntu's memory management and updated KVM virtualization support.

Any company considering Ubuntu, however, should also pay close attention to how Canonical, Ubuntu's corporate shepherd, handles technical support. Once you understand Canonical's support strategy, you will also understand why this version of Ubuntu server looks a bit more appealing to bleeding-edge surfers than to mainstream small-business IT users.

"Technical support" means two things here: professional technical support from Canonical, and maintenance updates for a particular release on an as-needed basis. The first form of support is available on a paid basis for those users who require it; the second form, like the Ubuntu Linux releases themselves, is always free.

Keeping that in mind, here is a quick summary of how Ubuntu support works:

- Ubuntu issues new desktop and server Linux releases every six months.

- Most of these releases are supported until they are superseded by the next six-month Ubuntu update.

- Every two years, Canonical issues what it calls a "Long Term Support" (LTS) release. Each LTS desktop release receives three years of support, including regular point-release updates, and each LTS server release gets five full years of support.

The most recent Ubuntu LTS release was version 8.04, which appeared in April 2008. And the next LTS release will be version 10.04, slated to appear in April, 2010.

Companies can always upgrade from a standard release to the next LTS release when it appears. Many Ubuntu server users, however, prefer for obvious reasons to stick with the LTS releases when it comes to performing major, production-level server upgrades. That makes the upcoming Ubuntu server 9.04 release less appealing, for obvious reasons, to companies that want to stick with Canonical's LTS releases.

Looking for more information about the Ubuntu update process? Check out this blog post from Ubuntu CEO Mark Shuttleworth which includes a chart that illustrates exactly how it works.