MSE component version lifecycle management
Microservices Engine (MSE) defines lifecycle policies for all its components. These policies determine how long each version receives technical support, feature upgrades, and service-level agreement (SLA) coverage, and when you need to upgrade.
MSE components fall into three categories by technical form:
Engine components -- Microservices Registry, Cloud-native Gateway, and Task Scheduling
Agent components -- Java agent and Go agent for Microservices Governance
Other components -- SchedulerX client and ack-onepilot
Engine components
Engine lifecycle policies apply to the following products:
Microservices Registry (common and serverless instances)
Cloud-native Gateway (common and serverless instances)
Task Scheduling (common instances)
Lifecycle stages
Every engine version passes through up to three stages:
| Stage | Timeline | Service impact | Required action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable | From release until expiration | Technical support, feature upgrades, and SLA commitments all apply. | None. Use the engine as normal. |
| Expired | Generally 18 months after release | Technical support, feature upgrades, and SLA commitments still apply. However, this version can no longer be selected when you create or upgrade instances. | Plan and schedule an upgrade to the latest stable version before the version goes Offline. |
| Offline | Generally 24 months after release | Technical support, feature upgrades, and SLA commitments no longer apply, except for assistance with version upgrades. This version is unavailable for new instances or upgrades. | Upgrade immediately. Running an Offline version means no patches or feature updates, no SLA coverage, and potential exposure to security attacks or stability issues. |
The expiration and offline timelines are determined when a version is released. You can also explicitly declare that all versions expire after 18 months and go offline after 24 months.
There is no transitional relationship between the Expired and Offline stages. A version can go directly Offline without entering the Expired stage. For example, if a critical stability issue or security vulnerability is discovered, the version may go directly Offline. Monitor the real-time status of your engine version.
Engine version release notes
| Engine | Release notes |
|---|---|
| Microservices Registry (Nacos) | MSE Nacos engine release notes |
| Microservices Registry (ZooKeeper) | MSE ZooKeeper engine release notes |
| Cloud-native Gateway | Cloud-native Gateway engine release notes |
Agent components
Agent lifecycle policies apply to MSE agents for Microservices Governance, including both the Java agent and the Go agent. MSE and Application Real-Time Monitoring Service (ARMS) share the same agent.
Lifecycle stages
Each agent version has a fixed lifecycle of 6 months from its release date.
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Stable | The agent is fully supported. Technical assistance is available. |
| To-be-expired | The agent expires within 1 month. Plan your upgrade. |
| Expired | The agent has passed its lifecycle. Microservices Governance continues to work, but you must upgrade the agent before requesting technical support. |
| Unrecommended | The agent version has known bugs. Upgrade to a newer version. |
The agent lifecycle policy took effect on September 1, 2023. All agents released before that date received a 6-month grace period and expired on March 1, 2024.
How to upgrade
The upgrade method depends on how the agent was installed:
Container deployments or console-based automatic installation -- The agent upgrades automatically. No action required.
Manual installation -- Check the agent version at least once per month. If a newer version is available, upgrade to it. For detailed steps, see Upgrade the MSE agent.
Agent version release notes
SchedulerX client
The lifecycle policies in this section apply to SchedulerX client SDK versions.
Lifecycle stages
Each SDK version has a fixed lifecycle of 6 months from its release date. If a new version is released within that window, the current version expires automatically.
After an SDK expires, the SchedulerX service continues to run without interruption. However, you must upgrade the SDK before requesting technical support.
The SchedulerX client lifecycle policy is expected to take effect on April 1, 2025. All SDK versions released before January 1, 2024 received a one-year grace period and expire on April 1, 2025.
How to upgrade
Go to the SchedulerX Version page in the MSE console.
Click Applications in the left-side navigation pane to check the SDK version of your application.
Update the version in your POM dependency and redeploy your application.
SchedulerX version release notes
| Component | Release notes |
|---|---|
| Client (agent) | SchedulerX client release notes |
| Server | SchedulerX server release notes |
ack-onepilot
The ack-onepilot component provides automatic access to Microservices Governance from Kubernetes environments. The lifecycle policies below apply to all ack-onepilot versions.
Lifecycle stages
Each ack-onepilot version has a fixed lifecycle of 6 months from its release date. After the component expires, Microservices Governance continues to work, but you must upgrade before requesting technical support.
Stage | Description |
Stable | The component is fully supported. Technical assistance is available. |
To-be-expired | The component expires within 1 month. Plan your upgrade. |
Expired | The component has passed its lifecycle. Microservices Governance still works, but you must upgrade before requesting technical support. |
Unrecommended | The component version has known bugs. Upgrade to a newer version. |
How to upgrade
Upgrade the ack-onepilot component from the Helm page in the ACK console. For detailed steps, see Update the ack-onepilot component.
ack-onepilot version release notes
Lifecycle policy comparison
The following table summarizes lifecycle policies across all MSE component types for quick reference.
| Component type | Lifecycle duration | Stages | After expiry | Upgrade method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (Registry, Gateway, Task Scheduling) | Expiration: ~18 months; Offline: ~24 months | Stable, Expired, Offline | Offline: no SLA, no patches, no feature updates | See engine version release notes |
| Agent (Java, Go) | 6 months | Stable, To-be-expired, Expired, Unrecommended | Governance works; upgrade required before technical support | Container: automatic; Manual: check monthly |
| SchedulerX client | 6 months (auto-expires if new version released) | Active and expired (no named stages) | Service uninterrupted; upgrade required before technical support | Update POM dependency, redeploy |
| ack-onepilot | 6 months | Stable, To-be-expired, Expired, Unrecommended | Governance works; upgrade required before technical support | Helm page in ACK console |
Related version references
Module | Release notes |
Cloud-native Gateway (Ingress) | |
Microservices Governance |