The major versions of CloudLinux OS are based on the corresponding releases of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and AlmaLinux, and broadly follow their lifecycle: a major version receives updates for just over nine to ten years. Using a supported operating system is a fundamental requirement for a stable and secure server environment, as once support ends, bugs in the kernel, OpenSSL, OpenSSH and other system packages will no longer be fixed.

Version	Publication date	End of support
CloudLinux OS 6	2011-02-01	2020-11-301
CloudLinux OS 7	2015-04-01	2024-06-302
CloudLinux OS 8	2020-03-17	2029-05-31
CloudLinux OS 9	2023-01-17	2032-05-31
CloudLinux OS 10	2025-10-17	2035-05-31

The dates apply equally to all editions (Legacy, Shared Pro, Solo, Admin). The article on CloudLinux OS editions explains the differences between the editions.

Which version is running on the server?

When logged in via SSH on your own VPS or dedicated server, any of the following commands will display the major and minor versions:

cat /etc/redhat-release
cat /etc/os-release
uname -r

The first two display the system version (for example, ‘CloudLinux release 9.6’), whilst the third displays the version of the kernel currently running. If the kernel version is older than the most recently installed kernel package (run rpm -q kernel), the server must be restarted so that the updated kernel can start.

We maintain and update the operating system on the servers for our shared cPanel hosting plans; you do not need to do anything there.

What does ‘end of support’ mean?

Once support ends, the package repositories may remain accessible, but no new security patches will be added to them. Control panels are also phasing out the old systems: cPanel version 110 was the last to support CloudLinux OS 6 and 7, and cPanel will provide critical updates for CloudLinux 7 servers until 1 January 2027. Consequently, on an outdated system, the control panel, PHP versions and CloudLinux’s own components will eventually cease to be updated.

Upgrade options

• CloudLinux OS 7 → 8 and 8 → 9: can be updated in situ, without reinstallation, using the ELevate tool. On cPanel servers, you must use cPanel’s own elevate-cpanel script. The steps are described in our article on ELevate.
• CloudLinux OS 9 → 10: cannot currently be updated locally. A CloudLinux OS 10 server can be created by converting a fresh AlmaLinux 10 installation (Installing CloudLinux OS), after which the accounts must be migrated.
• CloudLinux OS 6: cannot be updated locally; the only option is migration to a new server.

When should you update?

It is advisable to plan the upgrade at least one year before support ends. Before doing so, check that the PHP, database and control panel versions running on the server, as well as your own applications, are compatible with the new system, and create a full backup or snapshot. Switching to a new major version typically involves one or two hours of downtime, so schedule it for a period of low traffic.

1. Extended support (ELS) ended on 30 June 2024. ↩

2. After 30 June 2024, CloudLinux OS 7 will receive security patches as part of TuxCare’s Extended Support (ELS) via the existing package repositories. This is only a temporary solution; it will no longer provide new features or new PHP versions. ↩