Updates and disaster recovery

For distributed, unattended edge devices, safe updates are as important as continuous operation. JelinaOS combines A/B systems, intelligent switching policies, and multiple update channels into an integrated update and disaster recovery solution.

A/B systems: a recovery path for updates

How it works

Before update                         During update                         After update (verified)
┌──────────┐                          ┌──────────┐                          ┌──────────┐
│ System A │ ◀── Currently running    │ System A │ ◀── Continues running    │ System A │ ◀── Continues running
│ System B │                          │ System B │ ◀── Write new version    │ System B │ ✅ Verified
└──────────┘                          └──────────┘                          └──────────┘
                                                                            Switch to B on next boot

• The device always runs from one system, while updates write only to the other.
• After the update completes, the system switches automatically at the next boot and checks the new system’s health.
• If the new system fails to boot or validation detects a problem, it automatically reverts to the original system—the device continues operating as though the failed update had not occurred.

Difference from conventional dual-boot systems

Conventional dual-boot systems require manually choosing a system; each accumulates its own independent state. JelinaOS A/B systems instead provide:

• Two system copies that back each other up, both in their factory state.
• All runtime writes directed to the data partition, independent of the system.
• Automatic switching governed by boot policies, without manual intervention.

Update channels

JelinaOS provides several update methods for different environments:

Update channel	Use case	Description
Cloud OTA	Devices connected to JelinaCloud	Cloud-orchestrated update plans and batch delivery, with version pinning and staged execution
Local OTA	Offline or locally controlled environments	Device-side tools apply update packages under on-site control
Offline update packages	Remote sites without network access	Download packages and apply them offline to update the system, kernel, agent, and applications
Incremental updates	Sites with limited bandwidth	Transfer only changes, significantly reducing downloads and update time

Update confirmation

For critical sites, JelinaOS supports requiring local confirmation before updates:

• New versions delivered from the cloud are first stored on the device and do not execute immediately.
• Installation starts only after on-site personnel confirm.
• On-site personnel retain the final decision, avoiding field risks from a one-click cloud update.

System health protection

Boot validation

At every boot, the system checks the integrity of the current system partition. If a fault is detected, it automatically tries the other system to bring the device into a usable state.

Watchdog

A system-level watchdog continuously monitors operating status:

• Intervenes automatically when the system stops responding or critical services fail.
• Supports configurable restart policies and recovery actions.
• Works with A/B systems to provide a complete detection, recovery, and fallback chain.

Automatic repair

When system errors occur, built-in policies can automatically trigger repair. They first attempt repairs within the current system, switching to the standby system when necessary to minimize manual intervention.

Factory reset

Use the recovery partition when the device needs to return to its initial state:

• One-click reset: A factory reset restores the system and user-written data to the factory state, as with a fresh installation.
• Data protection: Back up any important data you need to retain before the operation.
• Fast recovery: Recovery is automated, without specialist tools or complex procedures.

Complete update and disaster recovery workflow

Normal operation ──▶ Cloud/local update release ──▶ Write standby partition
                                  │
                                  ▼
                      Local confirmation (optional) ──▶ Reboot and switch ──▶ Verify new system
                                  │                                                 │
                                  │                                     ✅ Pass: continue running
                                  │                                                 │
                                  └── ❌ Fail: automatically roll back; business unaffected

JelinaOS’s disaster recovery commitment is that updates always have a recovery path and business operations remain protected.