Cloudera 7.3.1 is a milestone release that unleashes the power of true hybrid capabilities.  It transforms the customers’ data management and data journeys by enabling the seamless movement of data and workloads across all environments, now with the Unified Runtime providing consistent functionality on premises and in the cloud. With the launch of 7.3.1, we have merged Cloudera on cloud 7.2.18 and Cloudera on premises 7.1.9 codebases into a single unified release.  This cohesion of two distinct codebases into a streamlined 7.3.1 version provides a consistent feature set across all deployment environments, whether they are on premises or on cloud.  This means that all deployments not only share the same core code, but also benefit from consistent simplified version management, improved support lifecycle, and an enhanced customer experience. What does the new software versioning format look like? The release of Cloudera 7.3.1.0 introduces a modernized and consistent versioning system that helps customers easily track releases and understand the updates being delivered. The new versioning structure follows a four-part format: 7.X.Y.Z, where each segment has a specific meaning: 7 - Base Version: This represents a significant platform update or an architectural change. X - Major Version: This represents a major update which may include new features or enhancement including major component upgrades or rebases (for example, Apache Spark 2 to Apache Spark 3 migration).  Changes may also incorporate bug fixes, security patches, performance and quality fixes, and Critical Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) remediation. Y - Minor Version: This includes incremental features, enhancements, defect fixes, or CVE remediation while maintaining backward compatibility.  Z - Hotfix/Cumulative Hotfix (CHF) or Service Pack (SP):  CHF: Includes multiple aggregated critical fixes that may include security patches and CVE remediation. No new functionality is added into the CHF. The focus is to maintain backward compatibility and stability. Hotfix: Represents urgent, time-critical, on-demand patches.  These targeted hotfixes add no new functionality and maintain backward compatibility.  Service Pack (SP): Introduces more extensive maintenance updates that may include enhancements and new features.  Similar to a CHF, it can contain critical bug fixes, security and performance enhancements, and CVE remediation.  However, any new behavior modification is protected and documented in order to maintain backward compatibility. See figure 1 below for a visual summary of the new versioning scheme. Figure 1.  Cloudera Release Versioning Scheme starting with Cloudera 7.3.1  How is the Support Lifecycle Changing? Cloudera's support goes beyond regular software updates with a comprehensive suite of services that keep enterprise data environments running efficiently and securely. Customers benefit from expert Technical Support for troubleshooting and issue resolution, as well as continuous documentation updates that provide the latest product guides and technical resources. The Knowledge Base offers a rich repository of best practices and problem-solving articles, ensuring teams have access to proven solutions. For more complex issues, escalations ensure prioritized resolution through a structured process, while root-cause analysis identifies the underlying causes of problems to prevent recurrence. Additionally, Software Downloads provide timely access to updates, patches, and major releases to keep platforms secure and up-to-date. To complement the updated versioning (see Figure 2), we have refined our support lifecycle to ensure long-term reliability. Each major release now enjoys a predictable three-year support cycle: Year 1: Full Support – Customers receive comprehensive updates, including new features, performance improvements, bug fixes, and security patches. Year 2: Limited Support – Focus shifts to limited support that includes critical bug fixes, security patches and CVE remediation only.  At the end of the second year, the product will reach the end-of-support (EOS) timeline which means no more bug fixes, security updates, or patches will be released. The product may still be in use for a period, but users are expected to upgrade to a supported version to continue receiving assistance. Year 3: Paid Extended Support – Extended paid coverage is available for those requiring additional support.  At the end of third year,  the product reached end of life (EOL), which is the point when a product is no longer sold, marketed, or actively maintained by Cloudera. EOL marks the final stage of the product's lifecycle, after which users are encouraged to upgrade or migrate to a newer version of the product.   Figure 2.  Cloudera Product Lifecycle  Example: Cloudera 7.3.1 with a 3-Year Support Model Cloudera 7.3.1 General Availability: The release date for Cloudera 7.3.1 is December 11, 2024. End of Support (EOS) Date: For a 3-year support model, EOS occurs 1 year before the EOL and is listed on the Cloudera support lifecycle policy page. From this date, Cloudera would no longer provide technical support or security updates for this version. End of Life (EOL) Date: EOL for Cloudera 7.3.1 will be three years from the general availability date and is listed on the Cloudera support lifecycle policy page.  This is the point when Cloudera stops offering any support, and no further updates or fixes will be provided. Conclusion Cloudera 7.3.1 brings powerful capabilities, especially in the realm of hybrid cloud data management by enabling organizations to seamlessly integrate on premises systems with cloud-based environments. This hybrid flexibility ensures that you can scale efficiently, optimize workloads, and unlock new analytics opportunities, all while keeping your infrastructure secure and agile. By upgrading to Cloudera 7.3.1, you ensure that your systems are future-proof and secure, with full support for years to come. The simplified versioning system and the updated support period are designed to make your data management more efficient and cost-effective, while also giving you peace of mind and the flexibility to focus on innovation. Don't let your deployment fall behind — take advantage of the benefits of Cloudera 7.3.1 today! ... View more

We’re excited to share the latest runtime version of Cloudera on public cloud: 7.2.18! This update is now GA, and it brings enhanced security, efficiency, and data management capabilities to your cloud environment, ensuring your infrastructure is fully supported and optimized for future innovation. What’s New? RHEL 8 is the new default OS, bringing a secure, high-performance, and cloud-optimized foundation for your big data workloads Rolling Upgrades, now GA for Data Lakes and Cloudera Operational Database, allow OS and runtime upgrades without any application downtime Apache Iceberg + Apache Atlas Integration is now GA for metadata and lineage support for governance of Iceberg tables New Flow Management Data Hub Tech Preview templates, based on Apache NiFi 2.0, enable you to build GenAI pipelines easier and faster using the latest version of Apache NiFi Cloudera Streaming Analytics 1.12 is now available on the Streaming Analytics DataHub, with Apache Flink 1.18, Flink Application Mode, PyFlink support, and SQL Stream Builder enhancements Full release notes and documentation can be found here. Upgrading Your upgrade is supported every step of the way. Visit our 7.2.18 Upgrade Documentation for more information as well as step-by-step instructions in order to make your upgrade as straightforward as can be.  You can also check out our 5-day Public Cloud Trial to see how you can further take advantage of our cloud platform for Generative AI, Streaming Data Distribution, and utilizing an Open Data Lakehouse. Thank you for trusting Cloudera. We're excited to support your next steps in cloud data management.   Additional resources: Cloudera Runtime 7.2.18 Overview Upgrading to Cloudera Runtime 7.2.18 What's New In Cloudera Runtime 7.2.18 Fixed Issues In Cloudera Runtime 7.2.18 Known Issues In Cloudera Runtime 7.2.18 Cloudera Runtime Component Versions Upgrade Checklist FAQ ... View more