Best Practices to Upgrade OS with Nagios Log Server

Reasons for Migrating to a Different OS

There are numerous reasons why you might find it necessary to migrate from one Linux version or platform to another. These reasons could range from the current platform or version nearing or reaching its end-of-life (EOL), which makes it unsupported and potentially vulnerable, to addressing specific security vulnerabilities or resolving functionality issues hindering performance or compatibility. Additionally, migrations might be required to facilitate major upgrades, such as moving from one version of a critical component to another—for instance, upgrading PHP from version 7.x to 8.x. Organizations may also undertake migrations to align with internal policies, standards, or best practices dictating the adoption of more modern, secure, or efficient technologies. This document serves as a comprehensive resource, providing essential information, step-by-step guidance, and relevant links to help you effectively plan and execute migrations between different operating system versions, ensuring a seamless and well-managed transition.

Importance of Backups and Testing

Nagios Log Server is an exceptionally versatile product, capable of adapting to a wide variety of systems and environments, each of which may have unique configurations or requirements. Given this flexibility and the potential for variations, we strongly advise creating a complete backup of your system and thoroughly testing all migration steps in a controlled test environment before implementing any changes in your live production environment. This precaution ensures the integrity of your data and minimizes the risk of disruptions. If you do not currently have a test server configured, we have provided detailed guidance and notes below to help you set one up efficiently and effectively. Taking these steps will help ensure a smooth and successful migration process.  

Setting Up a Test Server

First, our software does not support an in-place OS upgrade. This will cause problems with dependencies and will result in a number of issues including Log Server components failing to function correctly. The reason is when you initially install Log Server, the installation scripts identify the OS and other components (PHP version, etc) and adjust the scripts/code accordingly. If you upgrade in place, Log Server will still try to use what it learned during its initial installation and may break due to upgraded OS components.

Recommendations for OS Migrations

The recommendations below are based on CentOS7 upgrades to CentOS Stream 9/RHEL 8/9. However, they do apply to any Linux distribution where  Nagios Commercial software is supported. Including inter-distribution upgrades/migrations such as CentOS7 to Ubuntu 22.04 TLS or Ubuntu 18.04 TLS to Debian 11.

Since each Log Server license comes with the ability to install on two instances/clusters (see License Entitlement document, below), we recommend setting up a new Linux system/image with CentOS Stream 9 or RHEL 8/9 (if you decide to stay with CentOS/RHEL) as the initial migration instance. Then use the attached documents to start adding the new server to your cluster. You will want to repeat the process for each server.

Supporting Documentation

Here are some relevant documents to assist you through the process:

• Nagios Log Server License Entitlements
• Backing Up And Restoring Nagios Log Server
• Migrating Nagios Log Server
• Upgrade Instructions For Nagios Log Server

Please note: Nagios will be able to assist you with problems and functionality directly related to the Nagios software itself. Since there are many variables within our customers’ environments, Nagios will not be able offer implementation (including upgrades) or design solutions, other than the documents and steps we have supplied above.

Support and Additional Assistance

If you do need assistance with your OS, design or implementation, we have a network of global partners who offer their services to assist with your effort. Please contact your  Customer Success Manager (csm@nagios.com) and they will be able to assist you with finding a partner aligned with your needs.

Additional information about Nagios Log Server can be found here:
Nagios Library Log Server