To ensure the stability and security of your services, this document introduces the version lifecycle management mechanism of Cloud Native Gateway.
Version Number Specification
Cloud Native Gateway uses a three-digit version number, a.b.c, where the meaning of each digit is as follows:
a.b: aligns with the first two digits of the version number from the open-source community Kong.
c: the version number for requirement development and defect fixes. If there is requirement development or a defect fix, increment this version number.
Example: Version number 2.8.1 indicates the feature version provided based on the open-source Kong 2.8 version.
Key Lifecycle Milestones
Cloud Native Gateway provides service support for up to 27 months (18 + 9) for each released product version. The support lifecycle is divided into the following three phases:
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GA (General Availability) | It means that the current version can be fully delivered to live network customers. During this period, the platform provides patches and service support for the version in this stage. | No additional attention is required. Use the product as usual. |
EOM (End of Marketing) | It refers to the time when the creation of new instances for the current version is stopped across the entire network. Generally, the version enters the EOM stage 18 months after it goes to the GA stage. During this period, the platform provides patches and service support for the version in this stage. | Formulate an upgrade plan to upgrade to the latest stable version before the edition reaches EOS. |
EOS (End of Service & Support) | It refers to the time when service for the current version is stopped. At this point, the version is expired. Generally, the version enters the EOS stage 27 months after it goes to the GA stage. The product will no longer provide technical support other than version upgrades, nor will it commit to the SLA. | You must take immediate Ops action to upgrade your instance to the latest stable version. Before this is done, your instance may be at high risk, facing threats such as system attacks or business stability issues. Please take action as soon as possible. |
Patches and Service Support
Patch Scope
new product features, functional defect fixes, community feature merges, security risk fixes, and others provided by the platform.
Service Support Scope
Instance Creation: supports creating instances for versions in the GA phase.
Upgrade and Ops Support: provides the feature for version upgrades and offers support for troubleshooting, failure recovery, and others.
After-sales Support: provides services such as Q&A, online guidance, troubleshooting, and debugging. However, for instances running expired versions, the platform does not guarantee the quality or effectiveness of technical support. Additionally, the SLA may be affected if best practices are not followed.
Risks of Outdated Versions
Creating new instances for expired versions is not supported.
The platform no longer provides patch services for expired versions.
The quality and effectiveness of technical support cannot be guaranteed.
The platform reserves the right to forcibly upgrade instances running expired versions. Before performing a forced upgrade, we will send relevant notifications via SMS, email, and in-site messages at least one month in advance.
To ensure the stability of your production services, we recommend that you plan and upgrade your instance versions in a timely manner. For product upgrade operations, see Upgrading the Gateway Edition.