Ubuntu: Linux distribution offers 15 years of support

Ubuntu has announced that it will support Ubuntu LTS versions for up to 15 years. To achieve this, Canonical is extending the legacy support extension of Ubuntu Pro by another three years.

Canonical announced the support extension on its blog. Starting with Ubuntu version 14.04, codenamed Trusty Tahr, the extended legacy add-on is now available for Ubuntu Pro. This allows Canonical to continue providing security updates and compliance tools for older operating system versions. The company aims to support “highly regulated or hardware-dependent business sectors” where upgrades could mean an interruption in security monitoring and compliance. For many organizations, maintaining production systems for more than a decade is a complex task, but it represents a more sensible option than a complete upgrade.

This was also the trigger for the introduction of the legacy support extension for Ubuntu Pro in March 2024 -- which also began with Ubuntu 14.04 and extended support to a total of twelve years. Now, five years of support are included by default for Ubuntu LTS versions. This is followed by five years of Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) and now an additional five years of legacy extension with optional support. Due to positive feedback and growing interest in a longer lifecycle, Canonical wants to expand the offer for extended maintenance and support to 15 years for Ubuntu LTS releases.

Components covered by support

Within the 15-year period, Ubuntu Pro continuously delivers security updates for the entire Ubuntu base, kernel, and key open-source components. The security team actively scans, assesses, and backports critical, high-risk, and medium CVE vulnerability entries for all supported LTS releases. This ensures security without forcing interruptions from major upgrades that could potentially introduce incompatibilities or require re-certifications.

Break-fix support, i.e., support for specific problem scenarios, is not included. This remains an optional extension that incurs additional costs. The scope of the legacy support extension remains unchanged, Canonical explains; only the timeframe is extended. Ubuntu 14.04 “Trusty Tahr” can thus continue to be operated until April 2029. Canonical does not explicitly state prices but indicates that the legacy extension is available after ten years and should cost 50 percent more than standard Ubuntu Pro. The offer does not appear on the Ubuntu pricing page. Interested parties should contact the Canonical sales team.

(dmk)