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Versioning Policy

This document describes the versioning policy that we try to follow in the DBOD service for the MySQL instances. It is our intention to adjust to it as much as possible.

As can be read here, the MySQL release model is divided into two main tracks: LTS (Long-Term Support) and Innovation. All LTS and Innovation releases include bug and security fixes, and are considered production-grade quality. The main differences between the two are these:

MySQL LTS Releases

  • Audience: If your environment requires a stable set of features and a longer support period.
  • Behavior: These releases only contain necessary fixes to reduce the risks associated with changes in the database software's behavior. There are no removals within an LTS release. Features can be removed (and added) only in the first LTS release (such as 8.4.0 LTS) but not later.
  • Support: An LTS series follows the Oracle Lifetime Support Policy, which includes 5 years of premier support and 3 years of extended support.

MySQL Innovation Releases

  • Audience: If you want access to the latest features, improvements, and changes. These releases are ideal for developers and DBAs working in fast-paced development environments with high levels of automated tests and modern continuous integration techniques for faster upgrade cycles.
  • Behavior: Apart from new features in innovation releases, behavior changes are also expected as code is refactored, deprecated functionality is removed, and when MySQL is modified to behave more in line with SQL Standards. This will not happen within an LTS release. Behavior changes can have a big impact, especially when dealing with anything application-related, such as SQL syntax, new reserved words, query execution, and query performance. Behavior changes might require application changes which can involve considerable effort to migrate. We intend to provide the necessary tools and configuration settings to make these transitions easier.
  • Support: Innovation releases are supported until the next Innovation release.

In the DBOD service, due to resource constraints, we have decided to integrate and support only LTS versions until the end of their Premier Support, meaning 5 years after their General Availability (GA) date of release. LTS releases are expected to be published every 2 years around the month of April. As we need a few months to integrate and test new LTS releases, you can expect them available in the DBOD service during Q3 of that same year.

The following picture may help you to understand the support timeline for current and future MySQL LTS releases in the DBOD service:

Support_of_MySQL_Releases_in_DBOD.png

In summary, adopting this LTS path we plan to request a mandatory minor upgrade once per year (or, exceptionally, when required for security or serious bugs) and a major upgrade whenever an LTS is becoming deprecated according to our support plan (five years after GA release date). This means two or three major versions at the same time, depending on the year (see plot above). These mandatory upgrades should happen during the first quarter of the year.