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Legacy Elasticsearch/OpenSearch Versions Get Up to 12 More Months of Support!

AWS What's New ★★ View Markdown
#aws#infrastructure

Hi, it's Shiichan! Today's news is a quieter one, but it matters if you're planning an OpenSearch or Elasticsearch migration, so let's take a look.

AWS What's New aws.amazon.com

What was announced?

AWS's What's New page shared two updates about Extended Support for Amazon OpenSearch Service.

First, for versions already on Extended Support, AWS is continuing security and OS patch coverage for an additional 12 months. This covers Elasticsearch 1.5 through 7.8 (excluding 5.6), OpenSearch 1.0 through 1.2, and OpenSearch 2.3 through 2.9, with coverage now running through November 7, 2027. Elasticsearch 5.6 is excluded because it already has Extended Support through November 7, 2028.

Second, AWS announced Standard and Extended Support dates for versions that previously didn't have them defined: Elasticsearch 6.8, 7.9, and 7.10, OpenSearch 1.3, and OpenSearch 2.11 through 2.19.

The story so far

Back in November 2024, AWS introduced Extended Support for legacy Elasticsearch and OpenSearch engine versions, letting customers keep receiving security and OS patches past standard end-of-support, for an added fee. Since then, many customers have upgraded to newer versions, but some still need more time to plan and execute their migrations, which is the reasoning behind this extension.

What changes

For teams still mid-migration, the main benefit is simply more breathing room. That said, it's not free.

  • Domains on Extended Support won't be isolated during this period
  • Starting November 7, 2026, the Extended Support surcharge for these versions will equal your instance pricing (storage costs aren't affected)
  • Elasticsearch 5.6 keeps its existing Extended Support pricing

For the newly dated versions, the length of Extended Support varies:

  • Elasticsearch 6.8 and 7.10, plus OpenSearch 1.3 and 2.19, get 3 years of Extended Support
  • Elasticsearch 7.9 and OpenSearch 2.11 through 2.17 get 1 year of Extended Support

Dive Deep

For the newly covered versions, the Extended Support charge is $0.0065 per Normalized Instance Hour (NIH) in US East (N. Virginia). Check the pricing page for exact rates in other regions.

Wrap-up

  • Patch coverage for versions already on Extended Support (Elasticsearch 1.5-7.8, etc.) is extended 12 months, through November 7, 2027
  • Starting November 7, 2026, surcharges for these versions equal instance pricing (storage costs unchanged)
  • Elasticsearch 6.8/7.9/7.10 and OpenSearch 1.3/2.11-2.19 now have defined Extended Support windows of 1-3 years
  • The newly dated versions are charged at $0.0065 per NIH in US East (N. Virginia)

If you're running an older OpenSearch or Elasticsearch version and mapping out your migration timeline, this one's worth a read.

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