This document describes how the Ops Agent and Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector are supported. This document doesn't apply to the legacy Monitoring agent or the legacy Logging agent; for deprecation information about these agents, see Cloud Logging and Monitoring agents deprecation policy.
Google Cloud Observability defines three support modes for versions of the Ops Agent and Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector:
- Active support, for two years: Users of a new minor version get active support for two years after release.
- Keep the Lights On (KTLO), for the next one year: During this period, packages remain available for installation.
- Unsupported, for anything beyond three years: Users with existing deployments can continue to collect telemetry, but there is no support or assurance of installation-package availability.
Support modes and durations
The following table summarizes each support mode, and the linked subsections provide additional information:
| Active support (years 1 and 2) |
KTLO (year 3) |
Unsupported (after year 3) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Bug fixes & security patches | |||
| New distro support | |||
| Case support | |||
| Upgrade support | |||
| Fleet-wide installation | |||
| Manual installation | Possibly | ||
| Telemetry ingestion |
Active support mode
Each minor version of the Ops Agent and the Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector gets active support for two years after release. During this period, users can expect the following:
- Regular bug fixes and feature upgrades, applied as a new version.
- Security scanning and patches, applied as new a version.
- Support for new distro releases, applied as a new version.
- Support cases accepted for the Ops Agent and Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector.
- Compatibility with Google fleet-wide management tools.
- Ability to migrate or upgrade to the latest version from any version in active-support mode.
- For Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector, container image vulnerabilities fixed for the current version and released in the subsequent version.
KTLO support mode
After two years of active support, each minor version moves to KTLO support. During this period, users can expect the following:
- No bug fixes, unless the issue exists also exists in the latest version, where it will be fixed for the next version.
- No releases to support new distros.
- No support cases accepted.
- Packages and repositories for installation of the version remain available, so users can still install the version manually or by using Google fleet-wide management tools.
- No migration or upgrade assistance beyond the documentation.
- Google fleet-wide management tools that were available and compatible during the active-support period continue to be available.
Unsupported mode
After the period of KTLO support, each minor version moves to the unsupported mode. During this period, users can expect the following:
- Existing deployments can still send telemetry. Users with existing unsupported deployments won't experience broken workflows unless something outside the Ops Agent or Google-Built OpenTelemetry Collector, like a logs or metrics API, changes.
- New installations might be possible but are strongly discouraged.