When upgrading the Kafka version to a newer release, Ubuntu makes it straightforward for every user. This is thanks to the robust and reliable nature of the Ubuntu operating system. With its robust package management system and user-friendly interface, Ubuntu makes it easy to upgrade to the latest version of Kafka, ensuring that your data pipelines remain up-to-date and performing.
Let us discuss a few methods to upgrade the installed version of Apache Kafka without any or minimal downtime to the Kafka server.
Method 1: Using the Ubuntu Package Manager
Ubuntu’s default package manager is the fastest and most common method of upgrading an installed Ubuntu version. We mainly recommend using this method since it is easier and removes the need for corrupt or conflicting dependencies on the server.
Using the package manager also minimizes the risk of data loss as it handles the stopping, upgrading, and restarting of the services backup upon completion.
You can do this by running the following command:
Using the–only-update option, we tell the apt package manager to only upgrade to an already installed packages and not install new ones.
It is good to ensure that your system is updated before upgrading the individual packages. This is because it ensures the maximum compatibility with the newly released packages.
Method 2: Binary Upgrade
There is a high chance that most installations of Kafka involve downloading the Kafka binary releases on the official page and configuring them on the local machine. This process involves downloading the Kafka archive and extracting it on your local machine. You can then configure the required services such as Zookeeper and Kafka using the systemd unit files.
If you use this installation method, you may need to back up your Kafka cluster before proceeding.
Using this method, download the latest binary release of Apache Kafka, unpack it, and replace the existing installation with the new one.
It is good to remember that this may lead to overwriting various files such as the server configuration files, etc. Hence, make sure to keep the backups and restore them after the upgrade.
Method 3: Rolling Upgrade
The final and less common method of upgrading Kafka is a rolling upgrade. This method involves upgrading the Kafka cluster, one broker at a time. This method ensures no downtime to the data since the available brokers will handle the incoming requests.
The main disadvantage of this technique is that it is pretty involved and can require a significant duration to complete in all the available brokers. However, it is the best method in a large-scale or production environment where the downtimes are not feasible.
Conclusion
We learned the various methods that you can use to upgrade an existing Kafka installation in Ubuntu. Each of the mentioned methods that we discussed involves various advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which method is most applicable to your environment heavily depends on the size and complexity of your Kafka cluster, the available resources, and the desired upgrade path.
