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Updates

staxmax updates the whole cluster from the web UI, one node at a time. VMs keep running throughout, and no failover happens.

The Updates section is on the Updates tab of the Settings page.

How an update runs​

The node you start the update from downloads the release once. Then, for each other node in turn, it copies the release there, restarts staxmaxd on it, and waits until it is back on the new version and hears every node before moving on. The node serving the page goes last, so the page may lose its connection for a moment then; the Settings page reloads into the new version on its own. If a node fails its checks, it goes back to the version it had and the update stops there, and the An update failed alarm is raised (see Alarms).

Releases are signed. A node only installs a release signed by a key it trusts.

The node list​

The section lists each node with its version. Offline marks a node that can't be updated now. Not updatable marks a node installed without the staxmax installer (.run): run the .run on it once, with sudo sh ./staxmax-<version>-linux-x64.run. It keeps the node's setup, VMs and settings.

If the nodes run different versions, the section says so. Install the newest on every node to bring them in line.

Update by hand​

staxmax checks for new releases on its own, a minute after it starts and then at most once an hour (30 minutes after a failed check). Check now checks right away; the section then says Up to date with the time of the last check, or offers the new release.

  1. Under staxmax version, read the release notes.
  2. Click Update every node, then confirm.

The section shows the progress under Updating to version: the download, then each node as Waiting, Copying, Installing, Updated or Failed. It ends with Updated every node to version or The update to version stopped.

An update can't start while a node is offline or not updatable, another update is running, this node is taking over VMs, or the cluster is not healthy. The reason shows under the button.

Automatic updates​

  1. Tick Install updates automatically.
  2. Set the window: Between and And (03:00 and 05:00 by default). A window can wrap past midnight; one that starts and ends at the same time allows any time of day.
  3. Click Save.

An update offered by the release server then starts by itself inside the window, and is marked automatic. It is started by the first node in the cluster that is online, so the window is in that node's local time. The window only limits when an update starts; one that has started finishes.

An automatic update that fails is not tried again for that release until you click Save here again. A newer release is tried as usual.

Install from a file​

For a site without internet:

  1. Open Install from a file.
  2. Choose the Release (.run) and its Signature (.run.sig).
  3. Click Upload.

The release is kept only if it is signed by a key this node trusts, and only if the node's license allows it: a node whose license is suspended or revoked accepts none (see License). It then shows as uploaded, with Update every node, which installs it on every node as above.