diff --git a/.github/workflows/exaforce-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/exaforce-publish.yaml
index 45600f338e8e4..6a433e2cdd126 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/exaforce-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/exaforce-publish.yaml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ env:
 jobs:
   generate-publish-metadata:
     name: Generate Publish-related Metadata
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     timeout-minutes: 5
     outputs:
       vector_version: ${{ steps.generate-publish-metadata.outputs.vector_version }}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu-packages:
     name: Build Vector for x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (.tar.gz, DEB, RPM)
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-xl
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04-xl
     needs: generate-publish-metadata
     timeout-minutes: 90
     env:
@@ -57,13 +57,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout Vector
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Bootstrap runner environment (Ubuntu-specific)
-        run: sudo -E bash scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-20.04.sh
-      # Required for some reason for 1.83
-      - name: Install Rust toolchain explicitly
-        run: |
-          rustup set profile minimal
-          rustup toolchain install $(grep 'channel' rust-toolchain.toml | cut -d '"' -f 2) --profile minimal
-          rustup default $(grep 'channel' rust-toolchain.toml | cut -d '"' -f 2)
+        run: sudo -E bash scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-24.04.sh
       - name: Bootstrap runner environment (generic)
         run: bash scripts/environment/prepare.sh
       - name: Build Vector
@@ -78,7 +72,7 @@ jobs:
 
   build-aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu-packages:
     name: Build Vector for aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu (.tar.gz)
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-xl
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04-xl
     timeout-minutes: 180
     needs: generate-publish-metadata
     env:
@@ -88,13 +82,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout Vector
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Bootstrap runner environment (Ubuntu-specific)
-        run: sudo -E bash scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-20.04.sh
-      # Required for some reason for 1.83
-      - name: Install Rust toolchain explicitly
-        run: |
-          rustup set profile minimal
-          rustup toolchain install $(grep 'channel' rust-toolchain.toml | cut -d '"' -f 2) --profile minimal
-          rustup default $(grep 'channel' rust-toolchain.toml | cut -d '"' -f 2)
+        run: sudo -E bash scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-24.04.sh
       - name: Bootstrap runner environment (generic)
         run: bash scripts/environment/prepare.sh
       - name: Build Vector
@@ -155,7 +143,7 @@ jobs:
 
   publish-docker:
     name: Publish to Docker
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     timeout-minutes: 15
     needs:
       - generate-publish-metadata
diff --git a/scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-20.04.sh b/scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-24.04.sh
similarity index 93%
rename from scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-20.04.sh
rename to scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-24.04.sh
index 2ccb4b56d052c..ca481e6219228 100755
--- a/scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-20.04.sh
+++ b/scripts/environment/bootstrap-ubuntu-24.04.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env bash
+# Refer to https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/ubuntu/Ubuntu2404-Readme.md
+# for all runner information such as OS version and installed software.
+
 set -e -o verbose
 
 if [ -n "$RUSTFLAGS" ]
@@ -22,7 +25,6 @@ apt-get install --yes \
 
 # Deps
 apt-get install --yes --no-install-recommends \
-    awscli \
     build-essential \
     ca-certificates \
     cmake \
@@ -75,13 +77,12 @@ locale-gen en_US.UTF-8
 dpkg-reconfigure locales
 
 if ! command -v rustup ; then
-  # Rust/Cargo should already be installed on both GH Actions-provided Ubuntu 20.04 images _and_
-  # by our own Ubuntu 20.04 images
+  # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/ubuntu/Ubuntu2404-Readme.md#rust-tools
   curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh -s -- -y --profile minimal
 fi
 
-# Rust/Cargo should already be installed on both GH Actions-provided Ubuntu 20.04 images _and_
-# by our own Ubuntu 20.04 images, so this is really just make sure the path is configured.
+# Rust/Cargo should already be installed on both GH Actions-provided Ubuntu 24.04 images _and_
+# by our own Ubuntu 24.04 images, so this is really just make sure the path is configured.
 if [ -n "${CI-}" ] ; then
     echo "${HOME}/.cargo/bin" >> "${GITHUB_PATH}"
     # we often run into OOM issues in CI due to the low memory vs. CPU ratio on c5 instances