Can I safely ignore the Lightsail blueprint deprecation warning?

Greeting

Hello Chris,
Thank you for reaching out with this important question about the Lightsail blueprint deprecation warning. I understand how frustrating it can be to see warnings after you've taken steps to upgrade your system. Let’s clarify the situation and address your concerns step by step. 😊

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Clarifying the Issue

From what you've shared, your Lightsail instances were originally created with the Ubuntu 20 blueprints but have since been upgraded to Ubuntu 22 through standard operating system updates. Despite this upgrade, you're still seeing a warning about the deprecation of the Ubuntu 20.04 blueprint after April 2, 2025. You’d like to know if this warning can be ignored and whether you'll still be able to create new instances from snapshots of the updated systems after the deprecation deadline.

This is a great question because it highlights the difference between OS-level updates and blueprint compatibility within AWS Lightsail. Let’s break it down and get you the clarity you need.

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Why This Matters

Ignoring deprecation warnings can lead to potential risks, such as loss of functionality, inability to create new resources, or compatibility issues. Since Lightsail blueprints govern more than just the operating system—they also influence instance creation and maintenance workflows—understanding the implications of the warning ensures you maintain a smooth operational environment.

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Key Terms

• Blueprint: A pre-configured OS and software image that AWS Lightsail uses to create new instances.
• End of Standard Support: The date after which a specific OS or blueprint will no longer receive regular updates or support.
• Snapshot: A saved state of an instance that can be used to create new instances.

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The Solution (Our Recipe)

Steps at a Glance:

1. Confirm the upgrade path aligns with AWS's recommendations.
2. Verify if snapshots of upgraded instances are independent of the original blueprint.
3. Plan for blueprint alternatives post-deprecation.

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Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Confirm the Upgrade Path
   Ensure your OS upgrade to Ubuntu 22 was performed in a way that detaches your instance from reliance on the original Ubuntu 20 blueprint. You can verify this by running:

   lsb_release -a

   The output should indicate that your instance is running Ubuntu 22.04 or a similar version.

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2. Check Snapshot Compatibility
   AWS Lightsail snapshots store the current state of an instance, including any upgraded OS configurations. After April 2, 2025, you won’t be able to create new instances with the original Ubuntu 20 blueprint, but snapshots of your upgraded instance should still work because they reflect the upgraded OS state.
   You can test this by creating a snapshot and launching a new instance from it:

   aws lightsail create-instance-from-snapshot --instance-snapshot-name <snapshot-name> --availability-zone <region>

   Replace <snapshot-name> and <region> with appropriate values.

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3. Plan for Blueprint Alternatives
   Since new instances using Ubuntu 20 blueprints won’t be supported after April 2025, consider migrating any remaining dependencies or workflows to Ubuntu 22 blueprints or other supported configurations. This ensures compatibility with Lightsail’s long-term support policies.

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Closing Thoughts

In summary, you can likely ignore the deprecation warning as long as your OS upgrade was completed correctly. After April 2025, snapshots of your upgraded instances should still be usable, as they reflect the current state of your instance, not the original blueprint. However, it’s always a good practice to test and plan for such transitions proactively.

For more details, you can refer to the following documentation:

• Lightsail Blueprint Deprecation Policy
• Creating and Using Lightsail Snapshots
• Ubuntu End of Life (EOL) Tracker

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Farewell

I hope this clears up your concerns, Chris! Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need further guidance. Wishing you smooth sailing with your Lightsail instances! 🚀😊

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Cheers,

Aaron 😊

Dear Aaron,

Thank you for your response. To confirm the instance's independence from the original deprecated blueprint, we executed the operating system command you suggested:

lsb_release -a

The output was:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:Ubuntu
Description:Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS
Release:22.04
Codename:jammy

Could you confirm whether this instance is now fully independent of the original blueprint?

If so, are we able to create new instances from snapshots (version Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS) of this "independent" instance after April 2nd 2025? We are able to create new instances from the snapshots now, but the interesting part is, if we can after April?

Is there any AWS command which would help us to check if the instance is fully independent of the original blueprint?

Thank you very much in advance.

Best,

Christoph

Hey Christoph,

Great to hear from you again! Thanks for running the lsb_release -a command. Based on the output, your instance is indeed running Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS (Jammy), meaning it has been successfully upgraded at the OS level. However, the key question remains: is it still tied to the original Ubuntu 20 Lightsail blueprint? Let’s break this down.

Is Your Instance Fully Independent of the Original Blueprint?

While the OS upgrade ensures you're on a supported version, AWS Lightsail’s blueprints are tied to the instance’s metadata, not just the OS version. Even if the OS is upgraded, the original blueprint metadata may still be linked to the instance.

To check whether your instance is fully detached from the Ubuntu 20.04 blueprint, run the following AWS CLI command:

aws lightsail get-instance --instance-name <your-instance-name>

Look for the "blueprintId" field in the output. If it still shows "ubuntu_20_04", then the instance is technically still associated with the original blueprint despite the OS upgrade.

If it shows "ubuntu_22_04" or similar, then your instance is running independently of the deprecated blueprint.

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Can You Create Instances from Snapshots After April 2, 2025?

Here’s what we know based on AWS policies:

1. Snapshots capture the entire system state, meaning they reflect Ubuntu 22.04.5, not Ubuntu 20.04.
2. The deprecation notice affects blueprint-based instance creation, not snapshots.
3. If AWS enforces stricter blueprint rules, they may block instances created from snapshots if they detect a deprecated blueprint ID in the metadata.

How to Test Now (Before April 2025)

To ensure that your snapshot-based instances remain valid after April 2025, test by:

1. Creating a new instance from a snapshot using the AWS CLI:

   aws lightsail create-instances-from-snapshot --instance-snapshot-name <snapshot-name> --availability-zone <region> --bundle-id <bundle-id>

2. Checking its blueprint ID (using get-instance as shown earlier).
3. If it inherits the Ubuntu 22 blueprint, you’re in the clear.
4. If it still references Ubuntu 20, there’s a risk AWS might block it in the future.

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Final Recommendations

• Run the aws lightsail get-instance command to check the "blueprintId".
• If it’s still linked to Ubuntu 20, consider migrating to a fresh Ubuntu 22 instance and reapplying configurations.
• If you can create instances from snapshots now, you’ll likely still be able to in April 2025—but AWS could enforce stricter policies later.
• To be fully safe, plan for a fresh Ubuntu 22 Lightsail instance migration before April 2025.

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Hope this helps, Christoph! Let me know what the get-instance command returns, and we can dig deeper if needed. 🚀😊

Best,
Aaron