Updating Clusters

Version: 30 Jan 2023

The OpenShift cluster and its components are constantly evolving, with functional and security issues being detected and fixed during operation. New features emerge regularly.

Types of Updates

The following update types are available:

• Major-release is a planned update of cluster components that involves making backwards-incompatible API changes. Releases result in incrementing the major version (X) component in the semantic version number (X.Y.Z).

• Minor-release is a planned update of cluster components that involves a feature extension or change. Releases result in incrementing the minor version (Y) component in the semantic version number (X.Y.Z).

• Patch-release is an unplanned update of cluster components to fix errors or other functional issues that have already led or may lead to instability of the cluster. Patch-releases result in incrementing the patch version (Z) component in the semantic version number (X.Y.Z).

The cluster may be updated on a schedule according to the update windows defined for the cluster. The available options for configuring update windows for the cluster are:

Type of update	Update time	Non-Prod	Prod
Major- or Minor-release	Regular business hours	Selecting a time window for updates isn't possible	Selecting a time window for updates is possible
Major- or Minor-release	Non-business hours	Not available	For an additional fee
Patch-release	Regular business hours	Selecting a time window for updates isn't possible	Selecting a time window for updates isn't possible
Patch-release	Non-business hours	Not available	For an additional fee