Google Kubernetes Engine: Kubernetes 1.36 end of standard support

After the standard support period, the minor version becomes unsupported and unavailable for all clusters not enrolled in the Extended channel. GKE automatically upgrades those clusters to the next supported minor version.

• Those clusters receive no security patches or bug fixes for the minor version after the end of standard support.
• The automatic upgrade also applies to clusters not enrolled in any release channel. Nodes are typically scheduled for an automated upgrade within one month of the end of support date, and actual timing can vary.
• As a temporary, emergency measure that Google does not recommend, a "No upgrades" maintenance exclusion can delay the upgrade for up to 90 days after the end of support date.
• Extended channel clusters receive security patches until the end of extended support, for an additional fee per cluster.
• Release schedule dates are subject to change.

1. Upgrade the cluster and nodes to a supported version. Google requires this before you engage Cloud Customer Care about a cluster or nodes on an unsupported version.
2. Without action, GKE schedules an automatic upgrade to the next supported minor version before the end of support. The timing depends on the schedule for the cluster's release channel.
3. During the standard support period, a maintenance exclusion at the cluster level can prevent this minor version upgrade. GKE also does not upgrade clusters that use deprecated features or APIs during that period.
4. To keep using the minor version until the end of extended support, change the cluster to the Extended channel. Extended support adds approximately 10 months after the standard support period, for up to 24 months of support in total.
5. Review the pricing for extended support first, because pay-per-use costs apply in the extended support period.
6. Review the limitations of the Extended channel: clusters that use certain features cannot be enrolled, the extended support period does not extend the cluster's credential expiry date, and GKE pauses patch node auto-upgrades when it updates the Container-Optimized OS milestone that the minor version uses.