Kubernetes

Release, patch & end-of-life (EOL) insights

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Kubernetes product description

Automate product release and end-of-life management

Kubernetes (process kubelet; K8s) is an open-source container orchestration system for automating software deployment, scaling, and management.Originally designed by Google, the project is now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation.

Kubernetes (Linux Foundation) release, version and end-of-life information

Figure: Release, patch and end-of-life cycle of product Kubernetes (Linux Foundation)

Kubernetes release strategy

In accordance with the yearly support KEP, the Kubernetes Community will support active patch release series for a period of roughly fourteen (14) months. The first twelve months of this timeframe will be considered the standard period. Towards the end of the twelve month, the following will happen: * Release Managers will cut a release * The patch release series will enter maintenance mode During the two-month maintenance mode period, Release Managers may cut additional maintenance releases to resolve: * CVEs (under the advisement of the Security Response Committee) * dependency issues (including base image updates) * critical core component issues At the end of the two-month maintenance mode period, the patch release series will be considered EOL (end of life) and cherry picks to the associated branch are to be closed soon afterwards. Note that the 28th of the month was chosen for maintenance mode and EOL target dates for simplicity (every month has it)