Amazon recently announced critical updates to the Standard and Extended Support timelines for Elasticsearch and OpenSearch versions. These updates, outlined in Amazon’s official announcement, highlight important changes to version support policies, including extended support costs and upgrade recommendations. If you're managing OpenSearch or Elasticsearch workloads, it's essential to understand these changes to optimize costs and maintain system stability.
Updated Version Support Timeline
The updated timelines for Standard and Extended Support ensure transparency for both legacy Elasticsearch and OpenSearch versions. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown:
Elasticsearch: Standard and Extended Support Timeline
| Version |
Standard Support End |
Extended Support End |
| 1.5 – 2.3 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 5.1 – 5.5 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 5.6 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2028 (36 months) |
| 6.0 – 6.7 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 7.1 – 7.8 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 6.8, 7.9, 7.10 |
TBA |
TBA |
OpenSearch: Standard and Extended Support Timeline
| Version |
Standard Support End |
Extended Support End |
| 1.0–1.2 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 2.3–2.9 |
Nov 7, 2025 |
Nov 7, 2026 |
| 1.3, 2.11+ |
TBA |
TBA |
Upgrade Path Recommendations
To avoid additional Extended Support costs and maintain system compatibility, Amazon recommends upgrading to the latest minor version within your current major version series. This strategy ensures stability and avoids breaking changes. Below are the recommended upgrade paths:
- OpenSearch 1.x → Upgrade to version 1.3
- Elasticsearch 6.x → Upgrade to version 6.8
- Elasticsearch 7.x → Upgrade to version 7.10
Why Upgrade to the Latest Minor Version?
- Minimal Disruption: Minor version upgrades typically do not introduce breaking changes.
- Cost Savings: Avoid the significant cost increases associated with Extended Support.
- Improved Stability: Benefit from performance enhancements and critical bug fixes in the latest minor versions.
Understanding Extended Support Costs
Extended Support introduces daily costs based on your instance size and an associated NIH (Node Instance Hour) factor. The table below illustrates the potential impact for the US East (N. Virginia) region:
| Instance Size |
NIH Factor |
Daily Added Cost |
Cost Increase |
Total Daily Cost* |
| 32xlarge |
256 |
$39.936 |
2447.1% |
$41.568 |
| 16xlarge |
128 |
$19.968 |
1223.5% |
$21.600 |
| medium |
2 |
$0.312 |
19.1% |
$1.944 |
| nano |
0.25 |
$0.039 |
2.4% |
$1.671 |
Example: Medium Instance Cost Calculation
- Base Cost: $0.068/hour × 24 = $1.632/day
- Extended Support Cost: $0.0065 × 24 × 2 = $0.312/day
- Total Daily Cost: $1.944/day
*Note: Total cost excludes storage fees but includes both base instance cost and Extended Support fees.
Key Takeaways
- Upgrade to Avoid Extended Support Costs: Always aim to update to the latest minor version within your major version series (e.g., Elasticsearch 7.x → 7.10). This provides the best balance between cost savings and compatibility.
- Plan for Timely Upgrades: With Standard Support ending as early as November 7, 2025, timely upgrades are crucial to avoid disruptions and unnecessary costs.
- Assess Cost Implications: Evaluate the financial impact of Extended Support costs based on your instance size and scaling needs.
By following these recommendations, you can effectively manage costs while ensuring a robust and compatible OpenSearch infrastructure.
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