Update Management for a Distributed Computing System

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, a software upgrade package for a first computer in a plurality of computers of a distributed computing system, wherein the first computer is a designated leader of the plurality of computers;
• electing, by the first computer, a second computer in the plurality of computers to perform an upgrade of software of the second computer using the software upgrade package, wherein the upgrading replaces an image of the software of the second computer with an image from the software upgrade package;
• and
• upon upgrade of the first computer, sending, by the first computer, an indication to become the designated leader to the second computer, wherein after becoming the designated leader, the second computer initiates upgrading of the first computer and other computers in the plurality of computers.

An apparatus comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:
• receiving a software upgrade package for a management computer and main computer, wherein the management computer manages the main computer, and the main computer controls services for a distributed computing system including a set of nodes;
• upgrading, by the management computer, software of the management computer using the software upgrade package, wherein the upgrading replaces an image of the software of the management computer with an image from the software upgrade package;
• upon upgrade of the management computer, initiating, by the management computer, an upgrade of the main computer;
• withdrawing, by the main computer, use of the services;
• upon the withdrawing, rebooting, by the management computer, the main computer;
• upgrading, by the main computer, software of the main computer using the software upgrade package upon rebooting, wherein the upgrading replaces an image of the software of the main computer with an image from the software upgrade package;
• and
• restoring, by the main computer, the use of the services upon the upgrading.