{"id":8120,"date":"2024-11-28T18:55:52","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T17:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.credativ.de\/?p=8120"},"modified":"2025-11-28T19:02:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T18:02:09","slug":"extended-support-of-end-of-life-linux-distributions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.credativ.de\/en\/blog\/credativ-inside\/extended-support-of-end-of-life-linux-distributions\/","title":{"rendered":"Extended Support of End-of-Life Linux Distributions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having a Build Infrastructure for Extended Support of End-of-Life Linux Distributions
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Intro<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When it comes to providing extended support for end-of-life (EOL) Linux distributions, the traditional method of building packages from source may getting certain challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the need for individual developers to install build dependencies on their own build environments. This often leads to different alternative build dependencies being installed, resulting in issues related to binary compatibility. Additionally, there are other challenges to consider, such as establishing an isolated and clean build environment in parallel different package builds,\u00a0 implementing an effective package validation strategy, and managing repository publishing..etc<\/p>\n

To overcome these challenges, it is highly recommended to have a dedicated build infrastructure that enables the building of packages in a consistent and reproducible manner. With the build infrastructure, teams can address these issues effectively, and ensures that the necessary packages and dependencies are available, eliminating the need for individual developers to manage their own build environments.<\/p>\n

OpenSUSE’s Open Build Service (OBS)<\/a> offers a powerful build infrastructure that is already well known for teams working on customized or private software packages built on top of major Linux distributions, and we found it’s also useful to work on extended support for End-of-Life (EOL) Linux distributions. With support for RPM-based, Debian-based, and Arch-based Linux distributions, OBS proves to be a versatile solution capable of meeting the needs for Extended Support of End-of-Life(EOL) Linux distributions.<\/p>\n

On June 30, 2024, two major Linux distributions, Debian<\/a> 10 “Buster”<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and CentOS<\/a> 7<\/a>, are reaching their End-of-Life (EOL) status. These gained widespread adoption in numerous large enterprise environments. However, due to various factors, organizations may face challenges in completing migration processes in a timely manner, necessitating temporary extended support.<\/p>\n

Once a distribution reaches its End-of-Life(EOL). Upstream support, including mirrors and infrastructure are typically removed<\/a>. This makes a significant challenge for organizations seeking extended support, as they not only require access to a local offline mirror but also need the infrastructure to build packages in a manner consistent with the original upstream builds.<\/p>\n

To achieve the goal of providing extended support for end-of-life (EOL) Linux distributions, we choice to have a local mirror of the EOL Linux distribution and also have a private OBS instance. To have an private OBS instance. You can download OBS code from the upstream GitHub repository<\/a> and install it on your local Linux distribution, or alternatively, you can simply download the OBS Appliance Installer<\/a> to integrate a private OBS instance as an build infrastructure.<\/p>\n

By adopting a private OBS instance as the build infrastructure for extended support of EOL Linux distributions, teams can simplifies the package building process, minimize inconsistencies, and achieve reproducibility. This not only simplifies the development workflow but also enhances the overall quality and reliability of the packages being generated. Replicate the semi-original build process, ensuring that the resulting packages maintain the same quality, integrity, and compatibility as those generated upstream.<\/p>\n

Allow us to demonstrate how OBS can be utilized for extended support of end-of-life (EOL) Linux distributions. However, please note that the following examples are purely for demonstrate purpose and may not precisely reflect the specific approach nor EOL product used in our actual project.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Config local mirror as DoD Repository<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Once your private OBS instance is set up, you can login into OBS on it’s WebUI via https by ‘Admin’ with default password ‘opensuse’. You can only update some configurations with the Admin account. Including Manage Users and Groups, Add Download on Demand (DoD) Repository to establish a connection with the local mirror in Project created on private OBS instance.<\/p>\n

Add DoD Repository in Repository tab on your private OBS instance:<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Add
\nConfig DoD with url for internal local mirror of EOL Linux Distribution:<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Configure<\/p>\n

After you connected the local mirror with the EOL Linux Distribution in the private OBS instance. The private OBS instance became the build infrastructure, supporting various major distribution types, positions it as an ideal solution for a team seeking infrastructure to provide extended support for EOL Linux distributions.<\/p>\n

Benefits of build infrastructure<\/h2>\n

OBS ensures consistency and reproducibility in the build process. Also provide a customizable build environment, allowing teams to tailor the environment to specific project requirements.<\/p>\n