How to Set Up Automatic System Updates on Your VPS

🧠 Introduction: Updates Matter More Than You Think

System updates patch vulnerabilities, improve performance, and ensure stability. Automating them helps you avoid manual maintenance while keeping your server secure — especially useful if you manage multiple VPS servers.

📦 What Types of Updates Can Be Automated?

• Security updates only – Recommended for most environments
• All package updates – Optional for non-critical servers

You can also set frequency, enable notifications, and control reboot behavior.

🐧 How to Set Up Automatic Updates on Ubuntu / Debian

✅ Step 1: Install the unattended-upgrades Package

sudo apt update
sudo apt install unattended-upgrades

✅ Step 2: Enable Automatic Updates

sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

✅ Step 3: Customize Settings (Optional)

Edit /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades and /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/10periodic to fine-tune update behavior:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";

🧱 How to Set Up Automatic Updates on CentOS / RHEL / AlmaLinux

✅ Step 1: Install the Update Tool

# For CentOS 8+ and AlmaLinux
sudo dnf install dnf-automatic

# For CentOS 7
sudo yum install yum-cron

✅ Step 2: Enable the Update Timer

sudo systemctl enable --now dnf-automatic.timer

✅ Step 3: Configure /etc/dnf/automatic.conf

Set options like auto-reboot, update scope, and notifications.

🔄 Automatic Reboots After Updates (Optional)

Enable reboots after kernel or security updates to apply changes automatically.

Unattended-Upgrade::Automatic-Reboot "true";
Unattended-Upgrade::Automatic-Reboot-Time "02:00";

📧 Email Notifications (Recommended)

Stay informed of update success or failure with email alerts.

Ubuntu/Debian:

Unattended-Upgrade::Mail "your@email.com";

CentOS/AlmaLinux:

emit_via = email
email_from = updates@yourdomain.com
email_to = you@yourdomain.com

🛠️ Final Touch: Monitor Your System After Updates

• Check logs at /var/log/unattended-upgrades/ or via journalctl
• Verify key applications post-update
• Schedule occasional manual checks

✅ Final Thoughts: Secure Your VPS, Automatically

Automating updates is one of the simplest ways to protect your VPS. Whether for a personal project or production server, it helps you stay secure without daily effort.

Set it and forget it — until your next audit.