IBM releases regular updates for ECDN. For all of our users it is essential to keep all servers on the latest production versions. Besides continuously releasing new features, IBM is taking responsibility to provide regular fixes including security patches, where users need to perform the updates. Regular ECDN updates contribute to the overall security of your IT environment.
There are three ways to update ECDN servers. The preferred option is to use the built-in Maintenance window function under Software updates for ECDN servers. This is an easy-to-use tool to automate all updates.
Methods to update ECDN servers are:
- Automated updates by specifying a maintenance window - recommended
- On demand update - recommended
- Manual update via reinstall
Please, note that if you decide to use Manual update via reinstall option on an ECDN server instance that had an attached cache disk then, you will lose all cached VOD content on this disk.
1. Automated updates by specifying a maintenance window
This is the recommended way to keep your ECDN servers updated. All your existing configuration settings including the secondary VOD cache disk contents will be preserved.
Settings for your maintenance window can be reached in the ECDN portal via the Servers -> Software updates menu item.
Alternatively, whenever a new release is published, the portal also displays an alert banner with the link to the Software updates page.
On this page you will be able to set up your maintenance window under Your maintenance window section. In the Available software updates section, you can also find version numbers of all existing servers and other relevant details.
To set the maintenance window, you need to enter:
- Occurrence – This can be Daily, Weekly or Not set. For the weekly option, you will need to additionally specify the day of the week. To disable automated updates, select Not set.
- Start at – Time of day when the update will start. The update will complete within an hour of the start time.
- Timezone – Timezone for the start time.
Notes:
- This maintenance window time setting is an account-wide setting. All ECDN server instances in your account, regardless of location, will be upgraded at the specified time.
- Only ECDN servers running version 2.3.1 or later can be updated via this method.
2. On demand update
This is also a recommended way to keep your ECDN servers updated. All your existing configuration settings including the secondary VOD cache disk contents will be preserved.
On-demand update options can be reached in the ECDN portal via the Servers -> Software updates menu item.
Under the maintenance window settings, you will see two sections:
- Updates in progress
- Pending updates
Under Pending updates you will see the latest available ECDN version, the number of servers, where updates are pending and the list of these servers. This list can be filtered for:
- All pending updates
- Any issues
- Connection issues
- Version issues
- No issues
From this list you can select servers one by one with the checkboxes. You can select or unselect all of them by clicking the checkbox in the header of the column. The list of the selected servers can be copied to the clipboard with the Copy list options. The update of selected servers can be initiated by clicking on Update servers.
During update, the servers are listed under Updates in progress. The servers will be automatically restarted in order to apply the changes. This can cause interruption in the content delivery for up to 1 hour.
Notes:
- Only ECDN servers running version 2.2.4 or later can be updated via this method.
3. Manual update via reinstall
You can also update ECDN servers by deleting the older VM and reinstalling by using the latest virtual appliance image. You do not have to delete the server definition in the ECDN cloud. The latest virtual appliance image can be downloaded from the Support & downloads page in ECDN portal.
Note with the reinstall, if enabled, you will lose the VOD cache disk contents. For this reinstall, you will need to download the virtual cd configuration file from the ECDN portal.
The reinstall steps are:
- Download the Virtual appliance image for your hypervisor from the Support & downloads page in the portal.
- Download the virtual CD configuration file for each server.
- Go to Server page
- Click on Change Configuration
- Press Next until you reach Configure server
- Select Download virtual CD configuration file for your hypervisor.
- Then press Generate button to download the file.
- In your hypervisor console, shut down the ECDN server VM instance and delete it.
- Create new ECDN server VM instance using the hypervisor image and virtual CD configuration file. For more information on this see the Getting started with ECDN (https://support.video.ibm.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005182769-Getting-started-with-ECDN) support article.
Note, you may also start afresh for these manual upgrades. You can delete the ECDN server definition in the ECDN portal, and create a new entry. You will need to re-specify any custom parameters such as local DNS servers and NTP server again. In this case, you don’t need to download the old virtual CD configuration file, because a it will be generated again for the new definition.
Major OS update
ECDN virtual appliance version 3 is running on Ubuntu Linux version 18. This version will no longer be supported beginning April 30, 2023 and will no longer receive security patches or other software updates. From version 4, ECDN virtual appliances will move to Ubuntu Linux version 20.
Users will need to update their OS, which can be done in the ECDN portal under Software updates. Please keep in mind that the major OS update will not start automatically during a Maintenance window. This needs to be initiated by ECDN admins manually.
In the Software updates page, administrators can select one or multiple servers for update under the name of OS update. The update can be started with a single click. Updating an ECDN server can take up to an hour with server restart so don't schedule it near events.
OS update can also be completed by redeployment of ECDN servers.