Convert and upgrade your RHEL-like system to RHEL in one go

Source: Red Hat Blog

For years, migrating to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) meant a two‑step process: first convert the OS to the corresponding RHEL version, then perform an in‑place RHEL upgrade. For example, moving from CentOS Stream 9 to RHEL 10 required a conversion to RHEL 9 followed by an upgrade to RHEL 10. Different utilities were used for each step—Convert2RHEL for the conversion and Leapp for the upgrade—adding complexity and requiring separate automation workflows and verification after each step.

The latest release of the leapp-repository package consolidates both steps into a single, unified procedure in many scenarios.

Introducing upgrades and conversions in Leapp

With the 0.24.0 release of leapp-repository, Leapp can now perform an in‑place upgrade and conversion simultaneously for certain source operating systems. The conversion is fully integrated into the Leapp upgrade workflow, eliminating the need for Convert2RHEL and avoiding any intermediate system. In the earlier example, a CentOS Stream 9 system is directly converted and upgraded in place to RHEL 10, saving time, reducing downtime, and simplifying migration planning.

The overall procedure mirrors a standard in‑place upgrade: a comprehensive pre‑upgrade assessment, familiar command‑line interface, and the same workflow that existing Leapp users know.

Because the upgrade is inherent to the conversion process, Leapp always targets the next major RHEL version, not merely the RHEL version that matches the source OS. This aligns with typical migration strategies for systems approaching end‑of‑life.

Note: While there is currently no official Red Hat support for this process, a Knowledgebase article is available to guide you through the upgrade and conversion journey: .

Supported upgrade and conversion paths

Table 1. Currently available upgrade and conversion paths

Leapp for CentOS Stream is provided via the AppStream repository and receives regular updates throughout the distribution’s lifecycle. After the distribution reaches end‑of‑life, newer versions can be obtained from a public Red Hat Content Delivery Network repository: . The same repository supplies Leapp for AlmaLinux and, in the future, for other RHEL‑like distributions. No subscription is required to access the utility itself, but a subscription is needed to obtain the RHEL content required for the upgrade and conversion.

What does this mean for Convert2RHEL?

• Convert2RHEL remains the recommended tool for supported conversions to RHEL 7, RHEL 8, and RHEL 9.

• It is currently the only utility capable of converting Oracle Linux and Rocky Linux systems, as Leapp does not yet support upgrade‑and‑conversion for those distributions.

• For details on Convert2RHEL‑supported paths, see the Red Hat documentation:

• Information on subsequent upgrades using Leapp can be found here:

Future of conversions and upgrades in Leapp

• Planned extensions include upgrade and conversion paths for additional RHEL‑like distributions such as Rocky Linux and Oracle Linux. Until then, those systems must continue using the traditional two‑step process (Convert2RHEL → Leapp).
• Leapp currently supports custom repositories as the source of target RHEL content for in‑place upgrades and conversions. Future releases may add support for Subscription Manager and ISO images to increase flexibility.

Wrap-up

Leapp now offers a streamlined, single‑step option for converting and upgrading to the latest RHEL releases, simplifying infrastructure modernization. Convert2RHEL remains valuable for specific conversion paths and scenarios where a conversion without an immediate upgrade is desired.