Deterministic upgrades through versioned repositories usage
Topics
Using a deterministic upgraded system
When you run the dnf upgrade command, the system checks for upgrades in the repository that the
releasever variable specifies. A valid releasever is either
latest or a date-stamped version such as
2023.5.20240624.
You can change the value of releasever using one of the following methods. These methods are listed
in descending system priority. This means that method 1 overrides methods 2 and 3, and method 2 overrides method
3.
-
The value in the command line flag,
--releasever=, if it's used.latest -
The value that's specified in the override variable file,
/etc/dnf/vars/releasever, if it's set. -
The currently installed version of the
system-releasepackage.
In the following example, the version is 2023.0.20230210:
$rpm -q system-releasesystem-release-2023.0.20230210-0.amzn2023.noarch
In a newly installed system, the override variable is not present. No upgrades are available because
the system is locked to the installed version of system-release.
$cat /etc/dnf/vars/releasevercat: /etc/dnf/vars/releasever: No such file or directory
$sudo dnf upgradeLast metadata expiration check: 0:00:02 ago on Wed 15 Feb 2023 06:14:12 PM UTC. Dependencies resolved. Nothing to do. Complete!
You can get packages of a specific version by using the releasever flag to
provide the version that you want.
$rpm -q system-releasesystem-release-2023.0.20230222-0.amzn2023.noarch
$sudo dnf upgrade --releasever=2023.0.20230329Amazon Linux 2023 repository 26 MB/s | 12 MB 00:00 Dependencies resolved. ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: kernel aarch64 6.1.21-1.45.amzn2023 amazonlinux 26 M Upgrading: amazon-linux-repo-s3 noarch 2023.0.20230329-0.amzn2023 amazonlinux 18 k ca-certificates noarch 2023.2.60-1.0.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 828 k cloud-init noarch 22.2.2-1.amzn2023.1.7 amazonlinux 1.1 M ... [ list edited for clarity ] system-release noarch 2023.0.20230329-0.amzn2023 amazonlinux 29 k ... [ list edited for clarity ] vim-data noarch 2:9.0.1403-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 25 k vim-minimal aarch64 2:9.0.1403-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 753 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 1 Package Upgrade 42 Packages Total download size: 56 M
Because the --releasever option overrides both system-release and
/etc/dnf/vars/releasever, the result of this upgrade is the following:
-
The upgrade replaces all installed packages that changed between the previous and new versions.
-
The upgrade locks the system to the repository for the new version of
system-release.
Selective update of a deterministic upgraded system
You might want to install selected packages from a recent release, while leaving the system locked to the original release version.
You can use dnf check-update to identify the packages that you want to upgrade.
$sudo dnf check-update --releasever=latest --securityAmazon Linux 2023 repository 13 MB/s | 10 MB 00:00 Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:02 ago on Wed 15 Feb 2023 02:52:21 AM UTC. bind-libs.aarch64 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux bind-license.noarch 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux bind-utils.aarch64 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux cryptsetup.aarch64 2.4.3-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux cryptsetup-libs.aarch64 2.4.3-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux curl-minimal.aarch64 7.85.0-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux glibc.aarch64 2.34-40.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux glibc-all-langpacks.aarch64 2.34-40.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux glibc-common.aarch64 2.34-40.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux glibc-locale-source.aarch64 2.34-40.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux gmp.aarch64 1:6.2.1-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux gnupg2-minimal.aarch64 2.3.7-1.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux gzip.aarch64 1.10-5.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux kernel.aarch64 6.1.12-17.42.amzn2023 amazonlinux kernel-tools.aarch64 6.1.12-17.42.amzn2023 amazonlinux libarchive.aarch64 3.5.3-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux libcurl-minimal.aarch64 7.85.0-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux libsepol.aarch64 3.4-3.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux libsolv.aarch64 0.7.22-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux libxml2.aarch64 2.9.14-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux logrotate.aarch64 3.20.1-2.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux lua-libs.aarch64 5.4.4-3.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux lz4-libs.aarch64 1.9.4-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux openssl.aarch64 1:3.0.5-1.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux openssl-libs.aarch64 1:3.0.5-1.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux pcre2.aarch64 10.40-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux pcre2-syntax.noarch 10.40-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux rsync.aarch64 3.2.6-1.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux vim-common.aarch64 2:9.0.475-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux vim-data.noarch 2:9.0.475-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux vim-enhanced.aarch64 2:9.0.475-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux vim-filesystem.noarch 2:9.0.475-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux vim-minimal.aarch64 2:9.0.475-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux xz.aarch64 5.2.5-9.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux xz-libs.aarch64 5.2.5-9.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux zlib.aarch64 1.2.11-32.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux
Install the packages that you want to upgrade. Use sudo dnf upgrade
--releasever=latest and the package names to ensure that the system-release
package remains unchanged.
$sudo dnf upgrade --releasever=latest openssl openssl-libsLast metadata expiration check: 0:01:28 ago on Wed 15 Feb 2023 02:52:21 AM UTC. Dependencies resolved. ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Upgrading: openssl aarch64 1:3.0.5-1.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux 1.1 M openssl-libs aarch64 1:3.0.5-1.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux 2.1 M Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Upgrade 2 Packages Total download size: 3.2 M
Note
Using sudo dnf upgrade --releasever=latest updates all packages, including
system-release. Then, the version remains locked to the new system-release unless you set the persistent override.
Using persistent override with deterministic upgrade
Instead of adding --releasever=latest, you can use persistent override to
unlock the system by setting the variable value to
latest.
$echo latest | sudo tee /etc/dnf/vars/releaseverlatest
$sudo dnf upgradeLast metadata expiration check: 0:03:36 ago on Wed 15 Feb 2023 02:52:21 AM UTC. Dependencies resolved. ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: kernel aarch64 6.1.73-45.135.amzn2023 amazonlinux 24 M Upgrading: acl aarch64 2.3.1-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 72 k alternatives aarch64 1.15-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 36 k amazon-ec2-net-utils noarch 2.3.0-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 16 k at aarch64 3.1.23-6.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 60 k attr aarch64 2.5.1-3.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 59 k audit aarch64 3.0.6-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 249 k audit-libs aarch64 3.0.6-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 116 k aws-c-auth-libs aarch64 0.6.5-6.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 79 k aws-c-cal-libs aarch64 0.5.12-7.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 34 k aws-c-common-libs aarch64 0.6.14-6.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 119 k aws-c-compression-libs aarch64 0.2.14-5.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 22 k aws-c-event-stream-libs aarch64 0.2.7-5.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 47 k aws-c-http-libs aarch64 0.6.8-6.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 147 k aws-c-io-libs aarch64 0.10.12-5.amzn2023.0.6 amazonlinux 109 k aws-c-mqtt-libs aarch64 0.7.8-7.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 61 k aws-c-s3-libs aarch64 0.1.27-5.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux 54 k aws-c-sdkutils-libs aarch64 0.1.1-5.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 26 k aws-checksums-libs aarch64 0.1.12-5.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 50 k awscli-2 noarch 2.7.8-1.amzn2023.0.4 amazonlinux 7.3 M basesystem noarch 11-11.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 7.8 k bash aarch64 5.1.8-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 1.6 M bash-completion noarch 1:2.11-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 292 k bc aarch64 1.07.1-14.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 120 k bind-libs aarch64 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 1.2 M bind-license noarch 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 14 k bind-utils aarch64 32:9.16.27-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 206 k binutils aarch64 2.38-20.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux 4.6 M boost-filesystem aarch64 1.75.0-4.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 55 k boost-system aarch64 1.75.0-4.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 14 k boost-thread aarch64 1.75.0-4.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 54 k bzip2 aarch64 1.0.8-6.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 53 k bzip2-libs aarch64 1.0.8-6.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 44 k c-ares aarch64 1.17.2-1.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 107 k ca-certificates noarch 2021.2.50-1.0.amzn2023.0.3 amazonlinux 343 k checkpolicy aarch64 3.4-3.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 345 k chkconfig aarch64 1.15-2.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 162 k chrony aarch64 4.2-7.amzn2023.0.4 amazonlinux 314 k cloud-init noarch 22.2.2-1.amzn2023.1.7 amazonlinux 1.1 M cloud-utils-growpart aarch64 0.31-8.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 31 k coreutils aarch64 8.32-30.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 1.1 M coreutils-common aarch64 8.32-30.amzn2023.0.2 amazonlinux 2.0 M cpio aarch64 2.13-10.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 269 k cracklib aarch64 2.9.6-27.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 83 k cracklib-dicts aarch64 2.9.6-27.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 3.6 M crontabs noarch 1.11-24.20190603git.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 19 k crypto-policies noarch 20230128-1.gitdfb10ea.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 61 k crypto-policies-scripts noarch 20230128-1.gitdfb10ea.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 81 k ... Installing dependencies: amazon-linux-repo-cdn noarch 2023.0.20230210-0.amzn2023 amazonlinux 16 k xxhash-libs aarch64 0.8.0-3.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 32 k Installing weak dependencies: amazon-chrony-config noarch 4.2-7.amzn2023.0.4 amazonlinux 14 k gawk-all-langpacks aarch64 5.1.0-3.amzn2023.0.1 amazonlinux 207 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 5 Packages Upgrade 413 Packages Total download size: 199 M
Note
If you used the override variable /etc/dnf/vars/releasever, use the following command to restore the default locking behavior by erasing the override value.
$ sudo rm /etc/dnf/vars/releasever
