1. cPanel & WHM Documentation
  2. WHM
  3. Server Configuration
  4. Update Preferences
updates server versions

Update Preferences

Valid for versions 86 through 116

Version:

86

118

Last modified: June 13, 2024

Looking for this interface?
Note:

Your hosting provider can enable or disable this interface for resellers in WHM's Edit Reseller Nameservers and Privileges interface (WHM >> Home >> Resellers >> Edit Reseller Nameservers and Privileges).

Overview

Use this interface to define how your server performs software updates and upgrades.

Warning:

  • Before upgrading your server’s cPanel & WHM version, make sure that the new version is compatible with your system. We recommend staging the upgrade on a test system before upgrading your production system.

  • After you upgrade to a new major version of cPanel & WHM, you cannot downgrade to a previous major version. An icon appears next to the description if the tier represents a downgrade.

  • If you are upgrading from a very old version of cPanel & WHM, you may experience problems.

    • To resolve this issue, manually upgrade to an intermediate version using the /etc/cpupdate.conf file. Then, you can proceed to the final target version.
    • If you need assistance, contact cPanel Technical Support.

  • cPanel & WHM installs the at daemon (atd) during the update process. This daemon validates the system’s health after each update. If the update analysis process encounters errors, the at daemon emails a report to you.

  • A warning message will appear if automatic updates are disabled. To reenable updates, click Enable automatic updates.

Release Tier

Use this section of the interface to select a release tier and control how system updates. It also displays important update information. The release tier controls when the system upgrades cPanel & WHM.

  • If your update includes more than one major cPanel & WHM version, the system upgrades your server to each intermediate version.
  • For more information about update requirements, read our Upgrade Blockers documentation.
  • For more information about releases and release tiers, read our Product Versions and the Release Process documentation.

Select a cPanel & WHM tier that matches your requirements.

Note:

If you specify a cPanel & WHM build number in the /etc/cpupdate.conf file instead of a tier name, you will see a Custom row in the Release Tier table.

  • This is not a named release tier.

  • We strongly recommend that you update your server to a cPanel-provided release tier. Custom version numbers often become out-of-date.

You can select from the following cPanel & WHM release tiers:

Release Tier
 Description
LTS Long-Term Support (LTS). Use this tier to select a single cPanel & WHM version for the year during which WebPros International, LLC supports it. We only ship one LTS version per year.
STABLE This version has received considerable public exposure, testing, and verification. We publish this tier less often than RELEASE.
RELEASE This version is feature-complete and we have tested it thoroughly. It contains all intended features and functionality. We publish this tier more often than STABLE.
Note:
New installations default to this tier.
CURRENT We have tested and verified this version. However, it may not contain the proposed functionality of the release. We publish this tier more often than RELEASE.
EDGE We only perform rudimentary testing on this version. We may significantly change these features in future releases. We publish this tier often (up to several times per week).
Warning:
Due to the dynamic nature of EDGE builds, only use EDGE for testing in a controlled environment. We do not recommend this tier for production servers.

Automatic update delay

To ensure the best quality support, automatic upgrades to subsequent major versions of cPanel & WHM do not always occur immediately. If your server uses the RELEASE, STABLE, or LTS tiers, the system applies a delay of several business days before your automatic upgrade occurs. The system randomly selects the length of your delay.

The system applies a delay if all of the following statements are true:

  • You use the RELEASE, STABLE, or LTS tiers.

    Note:

    Servers on the EDGE or CURRENT tiers, or that use a specific build or version instead of a named tier, won’t experience delays.

  • You don’t run the upgrade manually.

  • Upgrading will only update the server by one major version (for example, from version 78 to version 80).

  • You do not run the upgrade with either:

    • The --force option when you run the /scripts/upcp script.
    • The Force setting in WHM’s Upgrade to Latest Version interface (WHM » Home » cPanel » Upgrade to Latest Version).

When we release a major version, you may perform any of the following actions:

  • Use either of the following methods to update immediately:
    • The --force option when you run the /scripts/upcp script.
    • The Force setting in WHM’s Upgrade to Latest Version interface (WHM » Home » cPanel » Upgrade to Latest Version).
  • Do nothing to allow the automatic upgrade to occur.
  • To prevent future delayed upgrades, change your release tier.

Staging Directory

The upgrade process stages necessary update files before it applies the update. This setting determines where the system places the staging files.

Note:

If this directory doesn’t have enough disk space, the system selects a different directory for the next attempt.

To select the staging directory, perform either of the following actions:

  • Enter a new directory in the Directory text box. If it doesn’t exist, the system creates the .cpanel__HOSTNAME__upcp_staging subdirectory, where HOSTNAME is server’s hostname.

  • Select a partition in the Available Partitions table. The path to the selected partition will appear in the Directory text box.

Send my settings to all configuration cluster servers

Select this checkbox to send your Update Preferences settings to all of the servers that currently exist in your configuration cluster.

Note:

The interface only displays the Send my settings to all configuration cluster servers checkbox if you have already added additional servers to the configuration cluster with WHM’s Configuration Cluster interface (WHM » Home » Clusters » Configuration Cluster).

When you select this option, the interface may require several seconds to load when you click Save, and will then display a confirmation message.

  • Click Show Details to view the status of each server in the configuration cluster.
  • An error icon (Error Icon) in the Status column indicates that the server failed to receive the settings.
  • The Message column displays additional information about servers that failed.

Additional Documentation