Release channels
The Nexus Telemetry Fleet collector is published on 3 release channels. A
collector updates from the channel its platform records. On macOS and
Windows that is stable unless NF_UPDATE_MANIFEST_URL names another. See
Private deployment for the fleet server.
Channels
| Channel | Purpose |
|---|---|
stable |
Production. The default. The generated install commands name the fleet server’s own channel |
beta |
Early access to the next release |
alpha |
Nexus Telemetry’s own testing. Every release is published here first. The public demo runs this channel |
A release is built and signed once, and moves unchanged from alpha to beta to stable.
Changing channel
Change the channel name where the platform records it, then update the collector by hand. See the platform’s page for the update command.
| Platform | Where the channel is recorded |
|---|---|
| Debian and Ubuntu | The channel name after /apt in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nexustelemetry-fleet.list |
| RHEL and Fedora | baseurl in /etc/yum.repos.d/nexustelemetry-fleet.repo |
| Docker | The image tag |
| macOS and Windows | The channel name in the NF_UPDATE_MANIFEST_URL address |
Updates from the dashboard
The fleet server’s release check runs every 6 hours. A collector older than the newest version it found is marked behind. A collector is offered a version only once the fleet server runs that version itself. The fleet server also reads its channel manifest every hour, and again when Update or Update all · N behind is pressed, so an update always asks for the version the channel names at that moment.
To update one collector:
- Press Update software in the terminal’s Actions menu, or Update to <version> under Software on its Admin view.
- Confirm in the drawer.
To update every collector that is behind, online or offline:
- Open the List view.
- Press Update all · N behind and confirm.
Software shows the progress of the update. The collector restarts and no readings are lost. An offline collector updates when it next connects.
| Platform | How the update is applied |
|---|---|
| Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL and Fedora | A root-owned updater installs the package with apt or dnf, which verifies the package signature |
| macOS and Windows | The collector downloads the installer, checks its hash and its signature, and runs it |
| Docker | Never. A container cannot replace itself. See Docker for the update by hand |
An update closes when the collector reconnects on the requested version or a newer one. A macOS or Windows collector that cannot apply it reports the reason, and the update is no longer pending. An update that has not returned within 10 minutes of being sent is dropped. The Linux updater refreshes the package metadata first, and fails when the installed version does not change.
An update never changes a collector’s certificate. The collector reconnects to the same record. Do not enrol it again.
Disabling updates from the dashboard
| Platform | Setting |
|---|---|
| Windows | MANAGEDUPDATES=0 on the msiexec install command. It sets NF_MANAGED_UPDATES=0 for the host, and the collector refuses every update |
| Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL and Fedora | sudo systemctl disable --now nf-collector-updater.path. Nothing on the host applies the update |
| macOS | NF_UPDATE_MANIFEST_URL set to an empty value. The collector refuses every update |
| Docker | None. Docker never updates itself |
See Collector configuration for every other collector setting.
Version indicators
| Where | What it shows |
|---|---|
| List view, Version column | Each collector’s version, marked behind when older than the channel’s newest, and updating while an update is pending |
| A terminal’s page, beside Software | <version> available |
| Admin view, Software | An Update to <version> link |