How long is a Kubernetes version supported?

Active patch release series are maintained for roughly 14 months: twelve months of standard period followed by two months of maintenance mode. After that the series is end of life (patch releases). Current dates per version are in the Kubernetes upgrade guide.

Can I skip minor versions?

Not in kubeadm clusters: skipping minor versions when upgrading is unsupported (kubeadm). A cluster several versions behind is therefore raised in several steps.

What happens with an interrupted upgrade or in an emergency?

Describe the situation through the form. We assess the task and name the effort frame before work starts. Billing is by effort in support at €120 excl. VAT per hour. Without an operations contract there is no guaranteed response time and no on-call duty.

Which clusters does this apply to?

Existing clusters on Proxmox, bare metal and at cloud providers, including Amazon EKS and Azure AKS, regardless of distribution.

Kubernetes upgrade at end of life and in emergencies

In short: a cluster on an expiring version is brought to a supported release one minor version at a time, in a maintenance window and with checked add-ons. As operations, as a single engagement or as a check beforehand.

Upgrade path per minor version
Maintenance window
Single engagement or operations
24/7 monitoring in operations

Request upgrade View scope

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Starting point

When an upgrade becomes a problem

Typical situations in which a cluster needs help with the upgrade.

The version is expiring
A minor version is maintained for roughly 14 months, after which support ends (patch releases).
Several versions behind
Minor versions cannot be skipped in kubeadm clusters (kubeadm). Three versions behind means three steps.
Add-ons and nodes no longer match
The kubelet may be at most three minor versions older than the kube-apiserver (version skew policy). CNI, ingress and storage must match the target version.
The upgrade was interrupted
Nodes stay NotReady or components run in different versions. The cluster is between two states.

Services

What the Kubernetes upgrade covers

From the upgrade path to the completed maintenance window. In operations, upgrades are part of the scope; individually they are commissioned by effort.

Plan and check

Upgrade path and version skew
Current version, target version, intermediate steps and version gaps between components. The cluster audit describes the path in writing.
Second opinion beforehand
A planned upgrade or change is cross-checked before it is carried out.

Carry out

In the maintenance window
Kubernetes, operating systems and add-ons are tested and updated in the maintenance window.
Complete an interrupted upgrade
An interrupted upgrade is continued or rolled back, and version gaps are aligned.

Single engagements are contract work without a guaranteed response time. Response times come with Managed Kubernetes and a service level.

Process

Four steps to a supported version

Sequence as a single engagement. In operations, upgrades follow the agreed maintenance window.

01
Record the current state
Kubernetes version, distribution, add-ons, nodes and operating system. Access is discussed only after the assessment.
02
Define the path
Target version, intermediate steps and maintenance window are agreed before anything is changed.
03
Carry out in the maintenance window
Control plane, nodes and add-ons are tested and updated.
04
Document the result
Written result with findings and open items.

Assessment

In-house or supported upgrade

An upgrade is routine as long as the path is known. The assessment shows when external support becomes necessary.

In-house

In-house operation is enough when

the team schedules upgrades in the calendar and has done them several times
the version is within the support period and at most one minor step is missing
add-ons, backups and the way back are documented

Support

Support makes sense when

the version is at or past end of support
several minor steps are pending or an upgrade was interrupted
the team lacks experience with the path

Entry point

Upgrades in ongoing operations

Upgrades in the maintenance window are part of Managed Kubernetes, together with control plane and add-ons, backups with restore tests, CVE assessment and 24/7 monitoring. Monitoring runs 24/7, the response to P1 incidents follows the service level.

Managed Kubernetesfrom €590excl. VAT per cluster and month, including 3 worker nodes, cancellable monthly

View Managed Kubernetes Request upgrade

All prices are net and exclude statutory VAT. The offers are addressed to businesses. As of October 2026.

Alternatively

Single engagement

Kubernetes Support

Complete an upgrade or get a second opinion by effort, €120 excl. VAT per hour, no contract.

View support →Check beforehand

Cluster audit

Versions, upgrade path, backup and restore path. Configuration review, not a penetration test, from €1,490 excl. VAT one-time.

View audit →

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most important questions

Knowledge

Guides and sources on upgrades

Version dates, upgrade path and adjacent services.

Guides

Primary sources

Related services

Reviews & projects

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Customer feedback on monitoring, updates, maintenance, support and stable production systems.

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