Introducing Extended Support for Amazon ElastiCache version 4 and version 5 for Redis OSS

Redis Open Source Software (OSS) versions 4 and 5 reached their community End of Life in 2020 and 2022, respectively, which means no further updates, bug fixes, or security patches are being released by the community. Amazon ElastiCache has continued to support these versions to help you upgrade at your own pace. However, standard support for ElastiCache Redis OSS versions 4 and 5 on ElastiCache will end on January 31, 2026. Continuing to use unsupported versions of Redis OSS could leave your data vulnerable to known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs).

Amazon ElastiCache now offers Extended Support so that you can upgrade to a new major version at a pace that meets your business requirements. Extended Support is a paid offering that provides critical security updates, bug fixes, and continued support for ElastiCache versions 4 and 5 for Redis OSS through January 31, 2029. Starting on February 1, 2026, ElastiCache Redis OSS v4 and v5 clusters that haven’t been upgraded will be automatically enrolled in Extended Support to provide continuous availability and security. Although Extended Support offers flexibility, we recommend treating the end of standard support as a planning milestone for your production workloads. We strongly encourage you to upgrade your Redis OSS v4 and v5 clusters to ElastiCache for Valkey or Redis OSS v6 or later, ahead of the end of standard support.

In this post, we discuss what ElastiCache Extended Support entails, its key benefits, and the upgrade options available.

Benefits of ElastiCache Extended Support

ElastiCache Extended Support provides critical security updates for CVEs and defect fixes for Redis OSS major versions for 3 years beyond the ElastiCache end of standard support. You can maintain secure and stable workloads while having additional time to plan and execute your upgrades.

Use the ElastiCache Extended Support window wisely to validate application compatibility, mitigate risks, and transition to ElastiCache for Valkey or ElastiCache v6 or later for Redis OSS.

The following table summarizes the Amazon ElastiCache end of standard support date and Extended Support dates.

During the Extended Support period, you have two upgrade options:

• Use the service update APIs for an automatic upgrade to ElastiCache version 8 for Valkey
• Use the modify APIs to upgrade to the supported version of your choice

Extended Support for ElastiCache version 4 and version 5 for Redis OSS offers the following benefits:

• Continued security updates for critical and high CVEs
• Defect fixes and patches for critical issues
• Ability to open support cases and get troubleshooting help within the standard ElastiCache SLA

Starting February 1, 2026, any clusters still running on Redis OSS v4 and v5 will transition automatically to Extended Support to ensure uninterrupted service and security coverage. This offers you more control to plan and test upgrades on your own timeline. ElastiCache Extended Support charges will increase annually after the end of ElastiCache standard support, and detailed pricing information will be available on Amazon ElastiCache pricing. After the ElastiCache Extended Support period ends on January 31, 2029, remaining clusters still running Redis OSS v4 or v5 will be automatically upgraded to the latest stable version of ElastiCache for Valkey to provide continued service.

Extended Support is available for ElastiCache versions v4.0 and v5.0 for Redis OSS. For a full list of supported versions, see Engine versions and upgrading in ElastiCache.

Use cases for ElastiCache Extended Support

With ElastiCache Extended Support, you can schedule version upgrades according to your business needs, while maintaining access to AWS’s ongoing security patches and maintenance updates. Applications that rely on specific Redis OSS v4 or v5 might require additional time to test compatibility.

The following are scenarios in which ElastiCache Extended Support might be helpful:

• Application dependencies – Certain applications might have specific dependencies on ElastiCache v4 or v5 for Redis OSS, such as compatibility with certain data structures or custom features. Migrating these applications to newer versions can require thorough testing. With ElastiCache Extended Support, you can continue using your current version without interrupting application workflows while validating your upgrade path.
• Large fleet requirements – For customers operating a large number of Redis clusters, coordinating upgrades can be time-consuming and operationally complex. With ElastiCache Extended Support, teams can phase upgrades over time, providing a smooth transition without overwhelming IT resources. This phased approach helps organizations test and validate the impact of upgrades on subsets of their fleet before completing the entire migration.

If these scenarios apply to your workloads, or if you are unable to complete your upgrades by the ElastiCache end of standard support date (January 31, 2026), Extended Support gives you the flexibility to continue running Redis OSS v4 and v5 clusters while completing your transition.

Key benefits of upgrading to the latest versions of ElastiCache

ElastiCache version 6 for Redis OSS and later introduce several enhancements that improve performance, security, and operational efficiency compared to Redis OSS v4 and v5.

• With ElastiCache version 6 for Redis OSS, you gain access to role-based access control (RBAC) through access control lists (ACLs). You can define users and granular permissions across commands, resulting in secure multi-tenant Redis clusters. This version also includes client-side caching with server-side invalidation, which helps reduce network round trips and improve latency for frequently accessed keys.
• ElastiCache version 7 for Redis OSS builds on these improvements by introducing enhanced I/O multiplexing, which delivers up to 72% higher throughput and 71% lower P99 latency compared to Redis OSS v6 in high-concurrency environments.

By upgrading to these newer versions, you can benefit from a more secure, performant, and feature-rich caching layer for your applications. To learn more about the benefits of newer ElastiCache Redis OSS versions, refer to New – Redis 6 Compatibility for Amazon ElastiCache and New for Amazon ElastiCache for Redis 7: Get up to 72% better throughput with enhanced I/O multiplexing.

ElastiCache version 8 for Valkey and later introduce several enhancements that improve performance, security, and operational efficiency compared to Redis OSS versions.

• ElastiCache version 8 for Valkey includes the benefits of Redis OSS v6 and v7 while adding significant improvements in cost optimization, scalability, and 20% more memory efficiency. Valkey is fully compatible with Redis OSS APIs, so you can upgrade without modifying application code.
• ElastiCache version 8.1 for Valkey introduces a new hash table that provides a 20% improvement in memory efficiency on top of version 8, built-in support for Bloom filters, and observability enhancements for in-memory workloads. These improvements are especially impactful for customers running large-scale, memory-bound caches where every byte and millisecond counts.
• ElastiCache Serverless for Valkey can scale to 5 million requests per second in under 13 minutes, supporting bursty workloads without the need to pre-provision capacity. Customers using node-based ElastiCache for Valkey benefit from improved memory efficiency, with 32 bytes less memory used per key compared to earlier versions—translating to meaningful savings for large datasets. Valkey also introduces pricing advantages, with Serverless priced 33% lower than Redis OSS and node-based clusters priced 20% lower. These improvements are powered by Valkey’s multi-threaded I/O architecture and memory model enhancements, which AWS has contributed to as part of the open-source community. For customers modernizing their caching infrastructure, Valkey offers a compelling path forward with long-term innovation and operational flexibility.

Upgrade options from Redis OSS v4 and v5 to newer versions

Amazon ElastiCache offers two mechanisms for upgrading from Redis OSS v4 and v5 to newer Redis OSS versions or to ElastiCache for Valkey: in-place upgrades using the Modify APIs and managed upgrades using the Service Update APIs. Both upgrade paths preserve the existing endpoint and cluster configuration, so you can migrate versions with minimal disruption to application workloads. The right method depends on your current version, the target engine, and whether the upgrade qualifies for managed automation.

With the Modify API path, you can initiate an in-place upgrade by specifying a new engine version for an existing ElastiCache cluster or replication group. This method is supported for all Redis OSS and Valkey versions, and can be performed using the AWS Management Console, the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI)—specifically, the modify-replication-group or modify-cache-cluster commands—or supported ElastiCache SDKs. When the upgrade is applied, ElastiCache replaces the underlying nodes with instances running the specified version. You can schedule upgrades during a maintenance window or apply them immediately by using the ApplyImmediately flag. This approach gives teams direct control over upgrade timing and supports a wide range of cluster architectures.

For supported scenarios—including cross-engine upgrades from Redis OSS to Valkey—you can also use the Service Update API. This method provides a managed upgrade experience in which you can review, defer, or schedule the version upgrade within a defined window. Service updates are coordinated through AWS and surfaced on the ElastiCache console, with progress tracked through Amazon EventBridge notifications. You can apply the service update using the console or through the batch-apply-update-action AWS CLI command, which initiates the upgrade process while preserving the current endpoint and configuration.

Before initiating either type of upgrade, AWS recommends reviewing the engine version compatibility and release notes, testing application behavior in a staging environment, and confirming recent backup snapshots are in place. Each upgrade approach – through Modify APIs or Service Update APIs – provides the tools and flexibility you need to transition to ElastiCache for Valkey or Redis OSS v6 or later versions with confidence and minimal operational impact.

Conclusion

ElastiCache Extended Support for Redis OSS versions 4 and 5 is designed to give you additional time and flexibility to complete your upgrade journey without compromising on security or support. For workloads tightly coupled to older Redis OSS versions, applications requiring extended validation cycles, or operations at scale across large fleets, Extended Support provides continued access to critical patches, defect fixes, and AWS Support SLAs for 3 years beyond the end of standard support.

We encourage you to begin planning your upgrade well ahead of the ElastiCache end of standard support date on January 31, 2026. Upgrading to ElastiCache for Valkey or Redis OSS v6+ provides access to enhanced security, performance improvements, memory efficiencies, and long-term community and AWS support. With the flexibility to choose between in-place upgrades using Modify APIs or managed workflows using Service Update APIs, you can chart a path that aligns with your operational needs.

For next steps, review your current Redis OSS engine versions, identify dependencies that might affect upgrade timelines, and begin testing newer versions in staging environments. Customers who don’t complete upgrades by the end of standard support will be automatically enrolled into ElastiCache Extended Support starting February 1, 2026. Pricing will be based on version and duration in ElastiCache Extended Support, as outlined on the Amazon ElastiCache pricing page.

For additional guidance, refer to Version Management for ElastiCache, Engine versions and upgrading in ElastiCache, and Get started with Amazon ElastiCache for Valkey.

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