Ubuntu Will Be Skipping Non-Critical Linux Kernel Updates For September

With the exception of critical security issues/bugs, Canonical will be skipping over shipping stable release updates for the Linux kernel in Ubuntu until early October.

As a rather surprising twist given the use of Ubuntu Linux in enterprises and widely-used on servers and in the cloud, they will be delaying shipping of non-critical kernel fixes until early October. This decision is due to a "critical infrastructure change" that after 2 September things will basically be on hold until the beginning of October.

Canonical's Roxana Nicolescu announced the upcoming event:

Please be informed that we will be skipping the SRU cycle 2024.09.02 due to a critical infrastructure change. This adjustment will allow us to focus on ensuring a smooth and stable transition. Our next SRU cycle will start when the infrastructure is back online. The current estimation is at the beginning of October. Once we know more details, we will let you know the exact date.

We are committed to delivering fixes only for critical security issues and bugs in this period if necessary.

Here are the main timelines:
- Current SRU cycle 2024.08.05 (08.05 -> Week of 09.02)
- Next security cycle s2024.08.05 (09.02 -> Week of 09.16)
- BREAK (09.16 → beginning of October)

Thank you for your understanding!

Well, perhaps the Ubuntu kernel team will be able to enjoy a less busy time at Oktoberfest or other September downtime. The announcement didn't elaborate on this critical infrastructure change.