Here are answers to some common questions regarding upgrades from RHEL 5 to 6:
When I update the software using “yum,” will it upgrade me to the newest version?
It will only update you to the latest “minor” version (e.g. 5.9 to 5.10). It will not upgrade you to a new major version (e.g. 5.9 to 6.5).
Why would I want to upgrade to RHEL 6?
If you are on RHEL 5, you may stay on RHEL 5. Red Hat will provide technical support and updates for RHEL 5 until 3/31/17, and UniVerse will support it through 11.2.
If you are on RHEL 5, but you are moving to a new server, we recommend that you use the opportunity to migrate to RHEL 6 on the new server.
Can I perform an “in place” upgrade from RHEL 5 to 6?
No. Here’s Red Hat’s policy on “in place” upgrades:
Red Hat does not support in-place upgrades between any major versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. A major version is denoted by a whole number version change. For example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 are both major versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
In-place upgrades across major releases do not preserve all system settings, services or custom configurations. Consequently, Red Hat strongly recommends fresh installations when upgrading from one major version to another.
The recommended procedure is to perform a clean installation of RHEL 6, followed by clean installations of the Eclipse software packages (e.g. UniVerse, VSI-FAX), and finally restore the OS configuration data (e.g. users, passwords, printers, email relay settings) and database.
For more information, see these Red Hat articles:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Installation Guide
- Does Red Hat support upgrades between major versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux?
I need to upgrade to RHEL 6 for another reason. Can Eclipse help?
If you need to upgrade from RHEL 5 to 6 for some reason (e.g. backup software requires RHEL 6), and you are not moving to a new server, the Eclipse team can help with the upgrade process. Please contact your account manager for more information.