Ubuntu 14.04LTS package upgrades

[Keith Smith]

Hi,

I'm using Ubuntu 14.04LTS in a test environment because I needed a newer 
version of PHP and MySql than what CentOS 7 (RHEL 7) comes with.

I've been using CentOS and / or RHEL for about 7 years and am 
comfortable with it.  I am especially appreciative of how RHEL backports 
so no packages are broken.

After configuring and using Ubuntu 14.04LTS I would like to move to it 
in production.

I have heard horror stories of distributions upgrading to a newer 
version of Apache, MySql, and/or PHP and breaking the server or the apps 
running on the server.

I'm wondering how Ubuntu deals with this type of potential problem.

According to this page : https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LTS   Ubuntu 14.04LTS 
will be supported until late 2019.  That is almost 5 years on the same 
version. I would expect to stay on 14.04LTS for probably 3 or 4 years 
depending on what comes down the pike.

Thank you in advance for your insight!!

Keith