1.2. Operating System

The LOCKSS system requires a 64-bit Linux host (physical or virtual) compatible with K3s, a lightweight Kubernetes distribution by Rancher. The K3s documentation states 1 that "K3s is expected to work on most modern Linux systems", and that "Some OSs have specific requirements" (which are documented in this manual and integrated into the lockss-installer scripts).

The LOCKSS team has successfully tested the LOCKSS system installation process on many flavors of Linux, some of which are listed below:

AlmaLinux OS

The LOCKSS system is compatible with AlmaLinux OS:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

AlmaLinux OS

9.1

2027-05-31

2032-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

9.0

2027-05-31

2032-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

8.7

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

8.6

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

8.5

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

8.4

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

AlmaLinux OS

8.3

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Arch Linux

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Arch Linux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Arch Linux

rolling updates

CentOS

Caution

We no longer recommend CentOS for new installations; we recommend Rocky Linux instead.

The LOCKSS system is compatible with CentOS:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

CentOS Stream

rolling updates

CentOS Linux

7.9

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.8

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.7

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.6

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.5

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.4

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

CentOS Linux

7.3

2020-08-06

2024-06-30

end of life

Debian

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Debian:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Debian

11.6

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.5

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.4

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.3

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.2

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.1

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

11.0

2024-07-01

2026-06-30

Debian

10.13

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.12

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.11

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.10

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.9

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.8

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.7

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.6

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.5

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.4

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.3

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.2

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.1

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

Debian

10.0

2022-09-10

2024-06-30

EuroLinux

The LOCKSS system is compatible with EuroLinux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

EuroLinux

9.1

2032-05-31

2032-06-30

EuroLinux

9.0

2032-05-31

2032-06-30

EuroLinux

8.6

2029-03-01

2029-06-30

EuroLinux

8.5

2029-03-01

2029-06-30

EuroLinux

8.4

2029-03-01

2029-06-30

EuroLinux

8.3

2029-03-01

2029-06-30

EuroLinux

7.9

2024-07-31

2024-07-31

EuroLinux

7.8

2024-07-31

2024-07-31

EuroLinux

7.7

2024-07-31

2024-07-31

EuroLinux

7.6

2024-07-31

2024-07-31

Fedora Linux

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Fedora Linux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Fedora Linux

37

2023-12-15

2023-12-15

Fedora Linux

36

2023-05-16

2023-05-16

Linux Mint

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Linux Mint:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Linux Mint

21

Yes

2027-04-01

Linux Mint

20.3

Yes

2025-04-01

Linux Mint

20.2

Yes

2025-04-01

Linux Mint

20.1

No

2025-04-01

end of life

Linux Mint

20

No

2025-04-01

end of life

OpenSUSE

The LOCKSS system is compatible with OpenSUSE:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

OpenSUSE Tumbleweed

rolling updates

OpenSUSE Leap

15.4

2023-12-01

2023-12-01

Oracle Linux

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Oracle Linux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Oracle Linux

9.1

2032-07-01

2034-06-01

Oracle Linux

9.0

2032-07-01

2034-06-01

Oracle Linux

8.7

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.6

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.5

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.4

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.3

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.2

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

8.1

2029-07-01

2029-07-01

Oracle Linux

7.9

2024-07-01

2026-06-01

Oracle Linux

7.8

2024-07-01

2026-06-01

Oracle Linux

7.7

2024-07-01

2026-06-01

Oracle Linux

7.6

2024-07-01

2026-06-01

RHEL

The LOCKSS system is compatible with RHEL:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

RHEL

8.3

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Rocky Linux

Tip

Rocky Linux is the operating system we currently recommend for new installations, and for existing installations based on CentOS or Scientific Linux.

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Rocky Linux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Rocky Linux

9.1

2025-05-31

2032-05-31

Rocky Linux

9.0

2025-05-31

2032-05-31

Rocky Linux

8.7

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Rocky Linux

8.6

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Rocky Linux

8.5

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Rocky Linux

8.4

2024-05-31

2029-05-31

Scientific Linux

Caution

We no longer recommend Scientific Linux for new installations; we recommend Rocky Linux instead.

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Scientific Linux:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Scientific Linux

7.9

2024-06-30

2024-06-30

obsolescent

Scientific Linux

7.8

2024-06-30

2024-06-30

obsolescent

Scientific Linux

7.7

2024-06-30

2024-06-30

obsolescent

Scientific Linux

7.6

2024-06-30

2024-06-30

obsolescent

Ubuntu

The LOCKSS system is compatible with Ubuntu:

Operating System

Version

Active Support

Security Support

Notes

Ubuntu

22.10

2023-07-20

2023-07-20

Ubuntu

22.04 LTS

2027-04-21

2032-04-01

Ubuntu

20.04 LTS

2025-04-02

2030-04-01

Ubuntu

18.04 LTS

2023-04-02

2028-04-01

The LOCKSS system can likely be installed successfully on slightly different versions of the Linux flavors above, as well as other Linux flavors altogether, including commercial variants like RHEL or SLES. We welcome reports of successful installations from the community so they can be added to the list above.

Tip

Rocky Linux is the operating system we currently recommend for new installations, and for existing installations based on CentOS or Scientific Linux.


Footnotes

1

Reference: https://docs.k3s.io/installation/requirements#operating-systems