Keep Debian up to date?

Blash · 01-24-2010, 08:20 PM

Hi,

I have a VPS running Debian Lenny just wondering if `aptitude update` or `apt-get update` will get all the security updates for it and if I need to do anything else to keep all the security patches up to date?

Thanks.

paulsm4 · 01-24-2010, 08:28 PM

'Sounds reasonable to me

Blash · 01-24-2010, 08:29 PM

Oh and I forgot to ask... how long are Debian releases are generally supported for? Like when do they usually getting security updates?

Thanks.

craigevil · 01-24-2010, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blash

Oh and I forgot to ask... how long are Debian releases are generally supported for? Like when do they usually getting security updates?

Thanks.

For 1 yr after the next stable release. Etch was supported for roughly 3 yrs. After Squeeze is released Lenny will be supported for another year.

MrChilly0 · 01-24-2010, 09:13 PM

apt-get upgrade or apt-get dist-upgrade right? update just updates your package list... upgrade will install the new packages.. just clarifying

frenchn00b · 01-25-2010, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrChilly0

apt-get upgrade or apt-get dist-upgrade right? update just updates your package list... upgrade will install the new packages.. just clarifying

indeed.

Code:

apt-get upgrade or apt-get dist-upgrade methods

in his first post, I note, that he wrote only:

Code:

apt-get update

Or you can add into /etc/crontab
a line to update your database of package daily if it is a server box.

evo2 · 01-25-2010, 12:26 AM

Debian recommends using aptitude over apt-get.

Also, if you are running stable and not actually trying to upgrade to a different release, you should not need to use "dist-upgrade", just "upgrade" (which for some reason now is called "safe-upgrade").

Cheers,

Evo2.

PS. and as others pointed out do and "update" before any "*upgrade".

rndm_luser · 01-26-2010, 10:33 AM

You also want to make sure /etc/apt/source.list is correct (if for instance you installed via something like debootstrap, in which case you have to add some entries manually).

I've been using apticron on one of my servers and it takes away the hassle of manually updating. It can be configured to send you an e-mail whenever there are updates.

There are alot of other useful administration utilities if you look under the admin section in aptitude or page through `apt-cache search ~sadmin` which make updating less of a hassle.