cPanel/WHM LTS end of life notices

[ffeingol]

We have a number of servers that are set for LTS (clients want a very stable environment). Right now that is V86.x. We started getting emails that the LTS version will be EOL in ## days. per this page: Product Versions and the Release Process | cPanel & WHM Documentation V94 is the next LTS. Since V94 has not even been "released" to release, will V94 still be the LTS (pushing support for V86 out) or will V92 become the LTS version?

We're just trying to plan on moving to the next LTS, but we're kind of clueless as to what version that will be and when it will happen.

TIA

 

[cPRex]

Hey hey! 94 will be the next LTS, and nothing crazy will happen with that until it reaches stable. It will be hitting Release soon, most likely at some point this week.

 

[ffeingol]

OK. It would be nice if the automated notices somewhat matched reality ;-) I assume that it's not going to hit stable / LTS until about a month after it hits release, so the notices are going to get annoying.

 

[cPRex]

For sure - we had a case opened about changing the notices around a bit...but by the time the next update happens it's really too late for the notices most likely.

 

[sparek-3]

This is some of my concerns as well.

I can't speak for everyone that's on LTS - but I know we use LTS because we want a stable system. I'm really not interested in new shiny buttons in user's cPanels every 2 weeks that nobody knows what they do, but clients will click them anyway and then we have to spend time figuring out what they did when they clicked the button (and this other button, and another button...). I'm really not interested in most of the new "features" brought along in cPanel. If there weren't security implications, I'd be fine staying with cPanel 86.

I understand that versions eventually have to be phased out. I don't have an issue with that. But the fact that the current LTS - version 86 - will being EOL in less than a month and the replacement LTS - version 94 - just yesterday reached it's 3rd minor release (11.94.0.2).

I'm just not sure enough thought was put into this process. Perhaps cPanel 92 would be a better LTS option, it's at least had 12 minor releases (11.92.0.11).

Or perhaps cPanel 94 needs to stabilize a bit before pushing it off to LTS.

I'm barking up the wrong tree, I know, the decision has already been made. But perhaps this will aide in the discussion for next year's LTS release.

The other aspect of this is that there are too many cPanel branches. LTS, STABLE, RELEASE, CURRENT, EDGE - that's too many. Having something like LTS, TESTING, BLEEDING EDGE might help here. Those wanting something stable (like me) would use LTS. Those wanting to test out all the shiny new buttons when they get release can choose TESTING. And BLEEDING EDGE probably being reserved for developers or those that work with cPanel addons in a development environment.

Or maybe I'm totally out of touch with the cPanel user base. I'm probably a bit biased because I prefer the stability of LTS. A look at how many users are using LTS vs. RELEASE vs. CURRENT vs. EDGE and the amount of feedback they are providing. I used to run on RELEASE and it was mindboggling at some of the obvious issues I would find after updating to RELEASE. This made me question whether anyone was actually using CURRENT and if they were, were they reporting any issues? If nobody's using CURRENT and nobody's reporting issues on CURRENT, then what's the point of CURRENT?

 

[ffeingol]

I don't want to get too off topic, but since it's my post ;-)

For the most part, I agree with you. We either run stable or LTS. Our clients are not looking for bleeding edge (Git, Tomcat, etc. etc.). They just want a stable platform to run WordPress, Drupal, Magento etc.

I also "see" the other side of the coin. cPanel it looking at new markets (read devops) so they need/want the bleeding edge tools. cPanel (more than likely) does not really care about the churn (devop spinning up a VPS for a short time, doing their work and then destroying it) as they got their billing for the month on that IP.

On the V94 side, we'll just keep an eye on how quickly it rolls into things. There is normally a 3 - 4 week time-frame between release and stable. I'm sure it won't get tagged as LTS until it reaches stable. Based on The Hosting Platform of Choice | cPanel Release Highlights | cPanel, L.L.C. I'd say they are about a month behind with the release (which is fine).

My 2 cents.

 

[cPRex]

I don't disagree either - the level of tiers can get confusing, and really, by the time something hits Release, it goes to Stable pretty quick. Personally I could live with edge/release/stable/lts, and just get rid of current, but I know they like to roll these out in a certain way.

 

[benito]

Hey, whats happen when LTS reach's end of life? I still getting these emails daily.

 

[cPRex]

@benito - are you on 86 right now? 94 will be the next LTS very soon as it did reach stable yesterday.