11.1 Software Updates
This guide explains how to update system software, and perform cleanups, important for security and performance.
The following steps are performed on your 📟 node server.
1. Retrieve Outdated Packages​
# Update Package List
sudo apt update
# List Upgradable Packages
apt list --upgradable
The monitoring tool Grafana is installed as a system package. If you want to prevent incompatibilities, its recommended to pause these updates until the latest dashboard templates are available for your blockchain clients.
- Pause Grafana Updates
- Resume Grafana Updates
sudo apt-mark hold grafana
sudo apt-mark unhold grafana
2. Stop Node Operation​
Depending on your setup method, there are different ways to stop your node before applying updates.
- LUKSO CLI
- Service Automation
cd <lukso-working-directory>
lukso stop
Exchange <lukso-working-directory> with the path of the node folder.
sudo systemctl stop lukso-validator
Force Client Shutdown
- Geth
- Erigon
- Nethermind
- Besu
- Teku
- Nimbus-Eth2
- Lighthouse
- Prysm
sudo pkill geth
sudo pkill erigon
sudo pkill nethermind
sudo pkill besu
sudo pkill teku
sudo pkill nimbus_beacon_node
sudo pkill nimbus_validator_client
sudo pkill lighthouse
The Lighthouse client uses a single binary for both the consensus and validator processes.
sudo pkill prysm
sudo pkill validator
3. Apply Software Updates​
Update all currently installed packages and hardware drivers to their latest versions and reboot to apply changes.
sudo apt upgrade
When prompted during upgrade:
- Choose to keep your current SSH configuration (
<OK>) - Acknowledge updates to system libraries and services (
<OK>)
Kernel and background services will update after a system reboot.
sudo reboot
You will be logged out of the SSH connection. Once the system rebooted, reconnect using SSH to continue.
4. System Cleanup​
Remove unnecessary packages and clean up outdated cache data of system installation processes.
# Remove Unused Dependencies
sudo apt autoremove
# Clean Cached Package Files
sudo apt autoclean
5. Restart the Node​
Depending on your setup method, there are different ways to start your node.
- LUKSO CLI Node
- LUKSO CLI Validator
- Service Automation
cd <lukso-working-directory>
lukso start --checkpoint-sync
Exchange <lukso-working-directory> with the path of the node folder.
cd <lukso-working-directory>
lukso start --validator --transaction-fee-recipient "<your-fee-recipient-address>" --checkpoint-sync
The following properties need to be exchanged:
<lukso-working-directory>with the path of the node folder<your-fee-recipient-address>with the wallet address receiving staking profits
If the system was rebooted before, automated services like the validator node should restart automatically. You can check the current status of the service to clarify whether it is necessary to start it manually or if updates introduced any problems.
sudo systemctl status lukso-validator
If the service is not active or you did not reboot your node, you can start the service manually.
sudo systemctl start lukso-validator
After the clients were started, verify that their services are still up.
sudo lukso status
Monitoring Tools like Grafana, Prometheus, or the Exporter services will automatically start during the system reboot.