The chapter entitled “A Brief History of Linux” explained how the kernel provides the foundation on which the Linux operating system is built, managing the system’s resources and handling communication between the hardware and the applications.
As with any software, the kernel is subject to updates to fix bugs and address potential security vulnerabilities. Although most software packages can be updated without the need to reboot the operating system, the same has not historically been true of the kernel. With the introduction of the Livepatch, this is no longer the case for Ubuntu.
Livepatch is a subscription service offered by Canonical that allows the kernel of running Ubuntu systems to be patched while the system is running without the interruption of a system reboot. The service is available for personal use free of charge on up to three systems and for larger numbers of systems with a paid Ubuntu Advantage subscription.
The...