Migration Guide

Rocky Linux from CIQ supports in-place migration from Rocky Linux and legacy RLC installations. No reinstall is required.

Migration Paths

Source	Target	Method
Rocky Linux 9	RLC Pro 9	Depot CLI conversion
Rocky Linux 9	RLC+ 9	Depot CLI conversion
Rocky Linux 8	RLC Pro 8	Depot CLI conversion
Legacy RLC 9	RLC Pro 9	Depot CLI upgrade
RLC+ 9	RLC Pro 9	Depot CLI upgrade
RHEL 9	RLC Pro 9	Contact CIQ

Note

RHEL to RLC migration is supported for systems on the same major and minor version. RLC is binary compatible with RHEL through the ELValidated program from OpenELA. Contact CIQ Support for guidance on RHEL migration.

Converting from Rocky Linux

An existing Rocky Linux 9 system can be converted to RLC Pro or RLC+ by installing the Depot CLI, logging in, and enabling the desired product.

Step 1: Install Depot CLI


sudo dnf install -y https://depot.ciq.com/public/files/depot-client/depot/depot.$(uname -m).rpm

Step 2: Log in


sudo depot login -u [USER STRING] -t [USER TOKEN]

Enter your CIQ Portal user string and token. These are available in the CIQ Portal.

Step 3: Enable RLC


# For RLC Pro
sudo depot enable rlc-pro-9

# For RLC+
sudo depot enable rlc-plus-9

Step 4: Update the System


sudo dnf update -y

Step 5: Reboot


sudo reboot

The system will boot into the CIQ-built kernel after reboot.

Step 6: Verify


# Verify system identity
cat /etc/os-release

# Verify repositories
sudo dnf repolist

# Verify CIQ kernel
uname -r

Upgrading from Legacy RLC to RLC Pro

Existing RLC customers can upgrade to RLC Pro:


sudo depot enable rlc-pro-9
sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

Note

Existing RLC systems will continue to function during and after the transition. No packages or configurations will break during the migration.

Upgrading from RLC+ to RLC Pro

RLC+ customers can upgrade to RLC Pro when their subscription is updated:


sudo depot enable rlc-pro-9
sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

Downgrading from RLC Pro to RLC+

RLC Pro customers can downgrade to RLC+ if needed:


sudo depot enable rlc-plus-9
sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

Note

Downgrading from RLC Pro to RLC+ will remove access to Pro repositories, LTS versions, and FIPS modules. The CIQ kernel will remain, as it is included in both tiers.

What Changes During Migration

Rocky Linux to RLC

Component	Before	After
`/etc/os-release`	Rocky Linux	Rocky Linux from CIQ (Pro or Plus)
`/etc/system-release`	Rocky Linux	Points to `/etc/ciq-release`
Kernel	RESF-built	CIQ-built (`_ciq` suffix)
Repositories	Community mirrors	CIQ Depot (authenticated)
Package signing	Rocky GPG key only	Rocky + CIQ GPG keys

What Stays the Same

/etc/redhat-release - Maintains Red Hat compatibility
/etc/rocky-release - Maintains Rocky Linux compatibility
All installed applications and configurations
User accounts and data
Network configuration
Existing automation scripts and kickstart templates

Automated Migration

For deploying RLC across many systems, Depot CLI supports non-interactive authentication:


sudo depot login -u [USER STRING] -t [USER TOKEN]
sudo depot enable rlc-pro-9
sudo dnf update -y
sudo reboot

This can be incorporated into Ansible playbooks or other configuration management tools.

Support

For migration assistance, contact CIQ Support. Professional migration services are available for complex environments.

FIPS 140-3 Compliance FAQs