Ubuntu Pro – Enterprise Linux Security, Maintenance & Support

Ubuntu Pro is a commercial security maintenance and support subscription from Canonical, designed for organizations running Ubuntu Long Term Support (LTS) operating systems across desktops, servers, virtual machines and cloud environments.

Ubuntu Pro extends security maintenance coverage beyond the standard Ubuntu LTS offering and provides additional capabilities for vulnerability management, compliance and enterprise infrastructure operations.

It is suitable for businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, software developers and IT departments requiring long-term security maintenance for production Ubuntu environments.

Core Capabilities

• Extended Security Maintenance – Provides extended security updates for eligible Ubuntu LTS packages.
• Expanded Package Coverage – Includes security maintenance for packages in both Ubuntu Main and Universe repositories, subject to Canonical's coverage policies.
• Long-Term Security Coverage – Provides up to 10 years of security maintenance for supported Ubuntu LTS releases, with additional coverage available through eligible add-ons.
• Canonical Livepatch – Applies eligible Linux kernel security patches without requiring an immediate reboot.
• Security Compliance Tools – Provides access to supported security hardening and compliance capabilities.
• Enterprise Support Options – Offers optional technical support from Canonical.
• Desktop & Server Coverage – Supports eligible Ubuntu LTS desktop and server installations.
• Cloud & Virtual Infrastructure – Supports eligible Ubuntu workloads running on physical, virtual and cloud infrastructure.

Ubuntu Pro vs Standard Ubuntu LTS

Ubuntu LTS is available as a free open-source operating system with five years of standard security maintenance for supported packages in the Main repository.

Ubuntu Pro expands security coverage to a wider range of packages and extends the maintenance period for eligible Ubuntu LTS releases.

• Standard Ubuntu LTS – Five years of standard security maintenance for eligible packages in Main.
• Ubuntu Pro – Up to 10 years of security maintenance covering eligible packages in Main and Universe.
• Ubuntu Pro with Legacy Support – Up to 15 years of security maintenance for eligible Ubuntu LTS releases.

Extended Security Maintenance (ESM)

Extended Security Maintenance (ESM) is a key component of Ubuntu Pro.

ESM provides security updates for eligible packages beyond the standard maintenance period and expands security maintenance coverage to additional open-source packages.

Ubuntu Pro includes two important ESM services:

• ESM Infra – Extended security maintenance for eligible packages in the Ubuntu Main repository.
• ESM Apps – Security maintenance for eligible packages in the Ubuntu Universe repository.

Security Maintenance for Open-Source Packages

Ubuntu Pro provides expanded security maintenance for thousands of open-source packages commonly used in business and enterprise applications.

This helps organizations manage vulnerabilities affecting application dependencies and other packages beyond the operating system's core components.

Canonical Livepatch

Canonical Livepatch allows eligible critical and high-severity Linux kernel security patches to be applied without requiring an immediate system reboot.

Livepatch can help reduce maintenance-related downtime for supported Ubuntu systems.

• Apply eligible kernel security patches without immediate reboot
• Reduce disruption from selected security updates
• Support production server availability
• Improve operational flexibility for maintenance scheduling

Livepatch does not eliminate the need for all system reboots, kernel upgrades or regular maintenance.

Security Compliance & Hardening

Ubuntu Pro includes security capabilities that can help organizations implement supported security configuration standards and compliance requirements.

• Ubuntu Security Guide
• CIS Benchmark-related hardening and auditing
• FIPS-related cryptographic package options
• Security configuration assessment
• Operating system hardening
• Compliance reporting capabilities

Availability of specific compliance features depends on the Ubuntu release, supported packages and applicable subscription entitlements.

FIPS Compliance

Ubuntu Pro provides access to eligible FIPS-related cryptographic modules and packages for organizations with specific security and regulatory requirements.

FIPS capabilities are particularly relevant to regulated industries and government environments requiring validated cryptographic components.

Organizations should verify the applicable FIPS validation status, Ubuntu release and deployment requirements before relying on these capabilities for compliance.

Ubuntu Pro Server

Ubuntu Pro Server provides commercial security maintenance for eligible Ubuntu LTS server environments.

It is suitable for organizations operating application servers, database servers, web servers and other Linux infrastructure.

• Physical Ubuntu servers
• Virtual Ubuntu servers
• Application hosting infrastructure
• Database servers
• Web servers
• Container hosting infrastructure
• Enterprise production workloads

Ubuntu Pro Desktop

Ubuntu Pro Desktop provides extended security maintenance and enterprise security capabilities for eligible Ubuntu LTS desktop installations.

It is suitable for organizations deploying Ubuntu workstations across development teams, business users and technical departments.

Ubuntu Pro for Virtual Machines

Ubuntu Pro supports eligible virtual machine deployments, with subscription requirements determined by the selected licensing arrangement.

Organizations should confirm the appropriate coverage for individual virtual machines, physical hosts and virtualized infrastructure.

Ubuntu Pro for Cloud

Ubuntu Pro is available for supported cloud environments, including selected public cloud marketplace offerings.

Cloud-based Ubuntu Pro subscriptions may be billed through the relevant cloud provider rather than through a conventional server subscription.

Ubuntu Pro for Enterprise Applications

Ubuntu Pro is suitable for organizations running applications that depend on supported Ubuntu LTS environments and open-source packages.

• Enterprise web applications
• Database services
• Application servers
• Development infrastructure
• Cloud-native applications
• Container workloads
• AI and machine learning infrastructure
• Internal business systems

Ubuntu Pro with Canonical Support

Ubuntu Pro can be purchased with optional Canonical technical support for organizations requiring assistance with supported operating system and infrastructure issues.

Support availability, response commitments, coverage hours and supported components depend on the selected support agreement.

Ubuntu Pro Without Support

Organizations with internal Linux administration capabilities can select Ubuntu Pro security maintenance subscriptions without purchasing a full enterprise technical support package.

This allows businesses to obtain expanded security maintenance while continuing to manage their own Ubuntu infrastructure.

Ubuntu Pro with Legacy Support

Canonical offers a Legacy Support add-on that extends eligible Ubuntu LTS security maintenance coverage to a total of up to 15 years.

This is useful for organizations running long-lived infrastructure or applications that cannot be upgraded immediately.

Typical Use Cases

• Enterprise Ubuntu server security maintenance
• Extended Ubuntu LTS support
• Security maintenance for open-source dependencies
• Linux vulnerability management
• Production server maintenance
• Security compliance and hardening
• Ubuntu Livepatch deployment
• Enterprise desktop security maintenance
• Cloud workload security
• Long-term infrastructure lifecycle management
• Regulated IT environments

Benefits

• Up to 10 years of security maintenance for eligible Ubuntu LTS releases
• Optional extension to 15 years with Legacy Support
• Expanded security coverage for Main and Universe packages
• Livepatch for eligible Linux kernel vulnerabilities
• Security compliance and hardening capabilities
• Optional enterprise technical support from Canonical
• Suitable for desktops, servers and cloud infrastructure
• Supports long-term enterprise infrastructure planning
• Helps reduce exposure to known software vulnerabilities

Supported Platforms

• Eligible Ubuntu LTS Desktop releases
• Eligible Ubuntu LTS Server releases
• Physical servers
• Virtual machines
• Supported public cloud environments
• Supported private cloud infrastructure

Actual support depends on the Ubuntu release, hardware architecture, deployment environment and subscription arrangement.

Ideal For

• Businesses and enterprises
• Government agencies
• Financial institutions
• Healthcare organizations
• Educational institutions
• IT infrastructure teams
• Linux system administrators
• DevOps engineers
• Cloud infrastructure operators
• Organizations requiring long-term Linux security maintenance

Subscription & Licensing

• Ubuntu Pro is a commercial subscription from Canonical.
• Ubuntu Pro is not required merely to use Ubuntu commercially.
• Ubuntu Pro subscriptions provide additional security maintenance and enterprise capabilities.
• Desktop and server subscription offerings are available.
• Subscription coverage depends on the number and type of machines, hosts or instances.
• Security maintenance subscriptions are available with or without optional Canonical technical support.
• Cloud marketplace subscriptions may follow different billing arrangements.
• Legacy Support is available as an additional offering for eligible environments.
• Subscription pricing and support entitlements should be confirmed against the current Canonical offering.

Get Ubuntu Pro

For Ubuntu Pro subscription pricing, renewals, Ubuntu Pro Server, Ubuntu Pro Desktop or Canonical enterprise support enquiries, please contact us: