OS upgrade notices & server badges

Spot an offered upgrade

A notification card on the server Overview front page shows the installed distribution/version, the offered target and when the check ran. Follow its link to release-upgrade details. The same accessible icon and text alternative accompany the server in directories, fleet cards, search results and reusable server references. A single recorded status keeps the card and badges consistent.

Distinguish an offer from a newer release

Debian/Ubuntu and Fedora/RHEL-compatible detection uses distribution-appropriate evidence and supported upgrade paths. A new release existing, or a transition being supported in principle, is not enough to display Upgrade available. Routine package updates retain their own counts and workflows.

Read the state and freshness

• Available: a current verified offer identifies the target release.
• No offer: a successful current check finds no eligible offered upgrade.
• Supported but not offered: the path exists but the distribution has not offered it to this server.
• Unsupported, stale, unreachable or failed/unknown: inspect the explanation and last checked time; these states do not create an upgrade-available badge.

Refresh and follow the lifecycle

Scheduled inventory checks and an explicit refresh update the shared status. A successful refresh clears the card and icon when the offer no longer applies, including after an upgrade. New, changed, cleared or reopened offers receive their own event revision; an unchanged offer does not repeatedly flood notifications.

Keep the decision with the administrator

Open the offered upgrade, review the supported transition, package/configuration plan and recovery prerequisites, then use the existing explicit GO workflow. Server visibility, role permissions and audit controls apply to the card, notification and underlying details. Keyboard and screen-reader labels explain the target without relying on color.