cPanel & WHM’s Product Versions and Their Release Process (1)

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cPanel WHMs Product Versions and Their Release
Process
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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Version Numbers
• Parent Value
• Major Value
• Minor Value
• Build Value
• Releases
• Release Tiers

• LTS
• LTS Support
• LTS Updates for Other Applications
• STABLE
• RELEASE
• CURRENT
• EDGE
• Production Release Process

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Introduction

• A server is a hardware or program that is used to
  provide functionality through the client-server
  model, over a network, to clients which are
  either other devices or other programs. This
  functionality could be services, data, programs,
  or resources. Servers are of many types, such as
  file servers, database servers, print servers,
  mail servers, application servers, web servers,
  etc. Web servers are used for providing the
  service of web hosting, by all the hosting
  service providers, including companies that are
  famous as the Best Cloud Hosting Company, the
  Best Windows Hosting Company, the Best Website
  Hosting Company, etc. Web servers store the
  files of websites and deliver these over the
  Internet to the Internet-connected devices for
  making websites accessible. Hence, web servers
  play a crucial part in web hosting, the service
  that makes websites accessible and keeps them up
  and running without any issue.
• Here, we will help you make decisions regarding
  updating your server. For this, it is important
  that you understand the versions and releases of
  cPanel WHM. It needs to be mentioned here that
  you cannot downgrade a cPanel WHM installation
  between major versions or release tiers.
• Let us proceed with our topic.

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Version Numbers

• A cPanel WHM version number has 3 or 4
  incremented integer values. Each of these values
  is separated from the other with a period (.)
• The below-mentioned parts are present in every
  version number.
• Parent Value
• Major Value
• Minor Value
• Build Value
• Let us discuss each of these individually in the
  next few slides.

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Parent Value

• The parent value is from a previous version
  numbering system of cPanel WHM. A large group
  of major versions of cPanel WHM are indicated
  by it. This part of the numbering system with
  regard to cPanel WHM had been deprecated in the
  version 11.52. This value is optional in most
  cases. This is usually seen in configuration
  files, RPM files, and API function output.

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Major Value

• A new set of features is indicated by each major
  value. The builds in it are frequently referred
  to as a release or a major version.
• Those development releases which appear on the
  EDGE release tier are known as the odd major
  values. The production releases which appear in
  all release tiers are referred to as even major
  values.

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Minor Value

• It needs to be mentioned here that the minor
  value might be omitted in some references to
  version numbers. Sets of bug fixes as well as
  certain changes that are meant for stabilizing
  the features of the major value version, are
  indicated by the minor value. A minor value of 0
  is used by the initial builds of a production
  release. The build value is incremented by the
  production releases later publications.

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Build Value

• The build value might be omitted by some
  references to version numbers. The unique build
  of cPanel WHM is indicated by the build value.

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1-800-123 -8156

• Whoa! Thats a big number, arent you
  proud?

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Releases

• Versions of cPanel WHM are released across
  several architectures. Its several versions might
  be published across different tiers on the same
  day. Let us run you through the most recent
  cPanel WHM release versions, in brief.
• cPanel WHM Version 90 Its approximate release
  date was August 2020.
• cPanel WHM Version 92 Its approximate release
  date was November 2020.
• cPanel WHM Version 94 (LTS) Its approximate
  release date was February 2021.
• cPanel WHM Version 96 Its approximate release
  date was March 2021.
• cPanel WHM Version 98 Its approximate release
  date was August 2021.
• It needs to be noted here that if the RELEASE,
  STABLE, or LTS tiers are used by a server, then a
  delay of many business days is applied by the
  system, prior to an automatic upgrade taking
  place. Usually it is ensured that new versions do
  not get released on international holidays and on
  weekends, which exist from Thursday evening
  through Sunday afternoon.

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Release Tiers

• cPanel WHM is released through 5 tiers that are
  publicly-available. This proves to be helpful for
  server owners with regard to selecting the update
  frequency that they prefer in the context of new
  versions of cPanel WHM being developed and
  published. Regarding the release tiers, here are
  a few important points
• A release of cPanel WHM becomes unsupported
  when it doesnt exist in any tier any more and
  reaches EOL (End of Life). Versions that are
  unsupported do not receive bug fixes or security
  updates.
• Each time that a cPanel WHM version is about to
  reach its EOL, you shall receive notification
  about it through email. It needs to be mentioned
  that the releases are not EOL until the RELEASE
  tier is reached by the upcoming version.
• The Update Preferences interface of WHM needs to
  be used for selecting a release tier.
• WHM gtgt Home gtgt Server Configuration gtgt
  Update Preferences
• The release tiers from which you can choose shall
  be discussed next.

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LTS

• This tier can be used for selecting a single
  cPanel WHM version for that particular year for
  which it is supported by cPanel L.L.C. Only one
  LTS version is shipped in each year. Security as
  well as other critical updates are provided by
  cPanel L.L.C. over the entire lifespan of any LTS
  release. New features are not added to LTS
  releases unless these are extremely critical.
  Updates related to compatibility with later
  versions are also provided. A single release per
  year qualifies for LTS. For the other versions,
  updates will be received only in the STABLE,
  RELEASE, CURRENT, or in the EDGE tiers.

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LTS Support

• The below-mentioned guidelines are followed for
  providing LTS support.
• A versions LTS period might be extended by
  cPanel L.L.C. at its discretion.
• Each releases lifespan extends through March 31
  of the next year.
• The lifespan of an LTS version is not calculated
  based on its publication date.
• The development releases of cPanel WHM do not
  qualify for LTS.

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LTS Updates for Other Applications

• LTS Updates are provided for the below-mentioned
  applications.
• Third-Party Applications Many third-party
  applications are provided by cPanel WHM.
  Critical updates are provided for third-party
  applications of supported LTS releases. These
  might be provided as backported patches rather
  than upgrades.
• EasyApache EasyApache is released separately
  from the release schedule of cPanel WHM, by
  cPanel L.L.C. EasyApache updates are provided for
  an LTS release until the release reaches its EOL.
  EasyApache updates the LTS version, when it
  doesnt meet the requirements of EasyApache. Such
  an update cannot be supported by cPanel L.L.C.
  The php.net supported versions timeline is used
  by the EasyApache. RPMs for those versions of
  PHP, which are unsupported, remain on the mirrors
  and servers of cPanel L.L.C. No further updates
  are provided.
• cPAddons and WHM Plugins Updates related to
  cPAddons and WHM plugins are released throughout
  the lifetime of LTS release.

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STABLE

• This tier is published less often than RELEASE.
  This version has been through testing, public
  exposure and verification.

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RELEASE

• It needs to be mentioned that any new
  installation defaults to this tier. This version
  has been tested thoroughly. All the features and
  functionality that are intended, are present in
  it and this version is feature-complete. This
  tier is published more often than the STABLE one.

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CURRENT

• This tier is published more often than the
  RELEASE tier. Verification and testing has
  happened for the CURRENT version. The Release
  Candidate tier used by the other publication
  schedules is represented by this tier. Some of
  the features of this version might be in
  development.

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EDGE

• EDGE should be used for testing that is carried
  out in a controlled environment as EDGE builds
  have a dynamic nature. This tier isnt
  recommended for production servers. This version
  has been through only rudimentary testing. This
  tier is published as frequently as several times
  in a week.
• Those features are present in this version that
  are supposed to be changed further. Moreover,
  this version might not include all the features
  or official public documentation.

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Production Release Process

• The below-mentioned process is used for
  developing and managing production releases.
• The development and testing of the production
  release is completed.
• The release to the development and EDGE tiers is
  published.
• The release to the CURRENT tier is published. At
  this juncture, the development and publishing of
  non-critical changes related to the releases is
  stopped.
• Any immediate maintenance related requirements
  are assessed post the release entering the
  RELEASE tier.
• Publishing to the STABLE and annual LTS tiers
  happens after the maintenance related issues get
  resolved.
• Additionally, the following points need to be
  mentioned, in no particular order
• Apart from everything from the previous
  production release, the development releases of
  cPanel WHM include changes that have to do with
  the next planned production release.
• All development release changes are published to
  the EDGE tier.

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Thanks!

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