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:

Currently, the Leapp utility is used to upgrade the OSs only, namely, from the current Oracle Linux 7 release to the current Oracle Linux 8 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 7 systems and instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure that are based on the Oracle Linux 7 image.

Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 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

  • Arm (aarch64)

Operating Systems

  • Current Oracle Linux 7 version only

Profiles

  • Minimal Install

  • Virtualization Host

  • Server with GUI

  • Basic Web Server

  • Infrastructure Server

  • File and Print Server

Systems installed with the following:

  • ISV applications and middleware

    Note:

    ISVs must provide and validate Leapp actors to coordinate their application upgrades.

  • Oracle Linux Manager or Spacewalk for Oracle Linux

  • Installations that did not use ISO images such as Ceph and GlusterFS

  • Migration of disks that are encrypted with LUKS

  • Systems that are registered with ULN

  • Systems in FIPS mode or running SecureBoot

  • Systems configured with Docker or Podman containers

  • Systems configured with high-availability clustering software such as Pacemaker / Corosync or other 3rd party clustering solutions

Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Instances

The Leapp utility can also upgrade both the x86_64 and Arm (aarch64) platforms that are running Oracle Linux 7 instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

The following table lists available and unavailable features:

Supported with Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

Images

  • Oracle Linux 7 Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6 Platform Image

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

Images
Shapes Shapes
Features Features

Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 Systems That Use RDMA

The following table lists the scope of Leapp support for upgrading Oracle Linux 7 systems and instances that use Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) :

Supported with With Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

  • Oracle Linux 7 with UEKR5 Oracle RDMA (requires a kernel upgrade to UEKR6 )

  • Oracle Linux 7 with UEKR6 Oracle RDMA

  • Oracle Linux 7 with UEKR3 OFED 2.0

  • Oracle Linux 7 with UEKR4 OFED

For details and instructions on obtaining newer versions of RDMA packages, see the latest UEK release notes at Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel documentation.

Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 KVM Hosts

The Leapp utility can be used to upgrade Oracle Linux 7 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 Infrastructureplatform image and not supported by Leapp.

Supported with Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

  • Upgrading the Oracle Linux 7 Latest KVM packages to the Oracle Linux 8 KVM AppStream

  • Upgrading the Oracle Linux 7 KVM Utilities to the Oracle Linux 8 KVM AppStream

  • Upgrading from the Oracle Linux 7 Latest packages to the Oracle Linux 8 KVM AppStream packages

  • Upgrading from the Oracle Linux 7 KVM Utilities to the Oracle Linux 8 AppStream packages

  • 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.

Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 Systems with Oracle Databases

The Leapp utility can be used to upgrade Oracle Linux 7 systems that host Oracle Database both single host or in a Real Application Clusters (RAC) configuration across multiple hosts. Systems must fulfill the other Leapp criteria listed in the previous sections. The following table lists the scope of Oracle Database support.

Supported with Leapp Unsupported with Leapp

  • Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 running Oracle Database 19c to Oracle Linux 8 on x86_64

  • Upgrading Oracle Database 12c to 19c on Oracle Linux 7 before upgrading to Oracle Linux 8 on x86_64

  • Upgrading Oracle Database 18c to 19c on Oracle Linux 7 before upgrading to Oracle Linux 8 on x86_64

  • Upgrading from Oracle Database 21c on Oracle Linux 7 to Oracle Database 21c Oracle Linux 8

  • Upgrading directly from Oracle Database 12c on Oracle Linux 7 to Oracle Database 19c Oracle Linux 8

  • Upgrading directly from Oracle Database 19c on Oracle Linux 7 to Oracle Database 21c Oracle Linux 8

  • Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 with an Oracle Databases on a Bare Metal Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to Oracle Linux 8

  • Upgrading Oracle Linux 7 running any instant client to Oracle Linux 8

Requirements for Upgrading

To upgrade an Oracle Linux 7 system or instance, ensure that either one meets the following requirements:

  • The minimum installation requirements as listed in System Requirements in Oracle Linux 8: 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 Linux7 and Oracle Linux 8 channels are mirrored.

  • x86_64 deployments are running Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 5 or later versions or the Red Hat Compatible Kernel (RHCK).

  • aarch64 deployments are running 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 7 host satisfies the requirements listed in Requirements for Upgrading.

  Starting Kernel (Oracle Linux 7) Ending Kernel (Oracle Linux 8) 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

RHCK

RHCK

No2

 

RHCK

UEK

Yes

 

UEK

UEK

Yes

 

UEK

RHCK

No2

aarch64

UEK

UEK

Yes3

1Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 6 remains on the system or instance after the upgrade. If preferred, the administrator can remove this kernel.

2RHCK in Oracle Linux 8 doesn't support the Btrfs file system.

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