Alibaba Cloud Realtime Compute for Apache Flink uses the enterprise-class engine Ververica Runtime (VVR) that is enhanced based on Apache Flink. This topic describes the engine version, the meaning of each digit in a version number, engine service commitments and suggestions, version mappings, and significant time points in the lifecycle of a version.
Engine version and meaning of each digit in a version number
A three-digit numbered scheme is used to specify the release version of VVR that is used by Realtime Compute for Apache Flink. Engine version numbers are in the Major1.Major2.Minor format. The following list describes the meaning of the Major and Minor parts in an engine version:
Major: indicates that major changes are made to the features of VVR or new features are added. The digit in the Major1 or Major2 part is increased based on the change scale.
Minor: indicates that improvements are made or existing issues are fixed. If multiple improvements are made, the digit in the Minor part is increased.
Version type | Description | VVR version update policy | Example |
Major version | The X or Y part in an Apache Flink version. The major version indicates new features and defect fixes. | Increase the digit in the Major1 or Major2 part. |
|
Minor version | The Z part in an Apache Flink version. The minor version indicates compatibility features and defect fixes. | Increase the digit in the Minor part. | Update from 4.0.1 to 4.0.2. |
Engine service commitments and suggestions
Compatibility
The VVR version is changed based on the X and Y parts in an Apache Flink version. Therefore, Alibaba Cloud does not commit the compatibility between the major versions of VVR in Realtime Compute for Apache Flink. Alibaba Cloud makes efforts to maintain the compatibility of the program logic, SQL syntax, and class library interfaces between different major versions of VVR in Realtime Compute for Apache Flink. Alibaba Cloud also provides documentation or after-sales service notifications for possible incompatibility.
Alibaba Cloud commits the compatibility of the SQL syntax, class library interfaces, and engine framework between minor versions of the same major version of VVR in Realtime Compute for Apache Flink. The compatibility in some aspects such as the business logic and data processing of a program is not committed. To meet compatibility requirements, we recommend that you update the engine version to the latest minor version of the same major version.
Defects
If you do not use the latest engine version, we recommend that you update the minor version of the current major version to fix defects. For example, if your job uses VVR 4.0.11 but the latest version of VVR 4.X is VVR 4.0.12, we recommend that you update the engine version to VVR 4.0.12 to fix related defects. If a major emergency defect occurs in a version, Alibaba Cloud releases an emergency version to fix the defect without perceptible impacts on your business.
You can view release notes in Announcements and Updates in the Realtime Compute for Apache Flink documentation.
Version mappings and significant time points in the lifecycle of a version
VVR version | Apache Flink | GA | EOGS | EOFS | EOS |
1.0.4 | 1.10.0 | June 16, 2020 | June 10, 2022 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 |
2.1.4 | 1.11.3 | January 25, 2021 | June 10, 2022 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 |
3.0.4 | 1.12.3 | August 9, 2021 | June 10, 2022 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 |
4.0.7 | 1.13.1 | August 4, 2021 | June 10, 2022 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 |
4.0.8 | 1.13.1 | August 10, 2021 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 | March 10, 2023 |
4.0.10 | 1.13.1 | September 26, 2021 | September 10, 2022 | December 10, 2022 | March 10, 2023 |
4.0.11 | 1.13.3 | December 3, 2021 | December 10, 2022 | March 10, 2023 | June 10, 2023 |
4.0.12 | 1.13.3 | February 17, 2022 | March 10, 2023 | June 10, 2023 | September 10, 2023 |
4.0.13 | 1.13.3 | May 16, 2022 | June 10, 2023 | September 10, 2023 | December 10, 2023 |
4.0.14 | 1.13.3 | August 18, 2022 | September 10, 2023 | December 10, 2023 | March 10, 2024 |
4.0.15 | 1.13.3 | September 19, 2022 | October 10, 2023 | January 10, 2024 | April 10, 2024 |
4.0.16 | 1.13.3 | November 18, 2022 | December 18, 2023 | February 18, 2024 | May 18, 2024 |
4.0.18 | 1.13.3 | June 21, 2023 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
6.0.2 | 1.15.0 | September 19, 2022 | October 10, 2023 | January 10, 2024 | April 10, 2024 |
6.0.3 | 1.15.2 | November 21, 2022 | December 21, 2023 | March 21, 2024 | June 21, 2024 |
6.0.4 | 1.15.2 | December 23, 2022 | January 23, 2024 | April 23, 2024 | July 23, 2024 |
6.0.5 | 1.15.3 | February 20, 2023 | March 20, 2024 | June 20, 2024 | September 20, 2024 |
6.0.6 | 1.15.3 | April 13, 2023 | May 13, 2024 | August 13, 2024 | November 13, 2024 |
6.0.7 | 1.15.4 | June 21, 2023 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
For more information about the lifecycle policies of the engine version of Realtime Compute for Apache Flink, see Lifecycle policies.