Node Long Term Software (LTS) Releases
Objective
This document lists out release notes for the F5 Distributed Cloud Customer Edge Long Term Software (LTS) . The release notes include information on various issues fixed.
LTS Overview
The F5 Distributed Cloud Services Customer Edge (CE) Site Node Software is either based on a standard release crt-<version-date> or a LTS release lts-<version-date>. The standard releases (crt-xxxx) are regular software releases with a six-month support window offering bug fixes as well as new features better suited for customers who want to consume latest features and functionality. The LTS releases (lts-xxxx) are intended to offer a stable software that is supported for an extended duration for a total of 12 months with only critical bug fixes and security vulnerabilities delivered in maintenance releases.
Note: For changelogs on standard (crt-xxxx) releases, see Node CRT Software Changelogs.
The LTS releases are for supporting customers looking to run CE software version for extended duration compared to the standard 6-month window with regular releases.
The following details describe the typical characteristics of LTS CE Software:
- LTS version will be in the
lts-<version-date>-<build-number>format. An example islts-20240528-0001indicating that this is the first revision of LTS base image released on May 28, 2024. - New LTS versions are released every six months, and these contain new features along with relevant bug fixes.
- A given LTS software version is supported for 12 months after it is released. Periodically maintenance versions of the LTS Software will be made available that include critical bug fixes and security vulnerabilities fixes. No new features are delivered as part of the LTS maintenance releases.
Note: LTS CE software is available for customers as an add-on SKU. Check with your F5 account team to learn more about running LTS software on your CEs.
- After 12 months of LTS maintenance support, a 2-month period of extended support is provided to help customers plan upgrade. During extended support, no bug fixes are released, and technical support will be limited to upgrade assistance.
The following is a pictorial representation of how CRT and LTS releases are rolled out within a given timeline:
Note: The release months shown in the above image are for representational purpose only and do not indicate the actual releases. For actuals, see the release notes.
Upgrade Policy
In case a user desires features/enhancements, the user can upgrade to the next LTS version released. User can also switch between LTS and CRT versions.
The following upgrades are supported:
| Type | Details | Example |
|---|---|---|
| LTS to LTS | For an LTS version N, upgrades to version N+1 and N+2 (next 2 incremental releases) are supported. | The LTS release of May, 2024 can be upgraded to the LTS release of November, 2024 and LTS release of May, 2025 |
| LTS to CRT | For an LTS version N, upgrades to CRT versions up to 6 months from the date of releases of LTS version N are supported. | The LTS release of May, 2024 can be upgraded to any CRT release till November, 2024. |
Note: It is not recommended to downgrade to a previous LTS version or switch from an LTS version to an older CRT version.
lts-20240528
lts-20240528-0001
LTS software is introduced as part of May 28, 2024 SaaS release. The recommended OS version for the LTS version is RHEL OS 9.2024.11.