# Outdated OpenSearch Version Triggering Extended Support Charges

Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-opensearch-version-triggering-extended-support-charges

[Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) 

# Outdated OpenSearch Version Triggering Extended Support Charges

## Explanation

Domains running outdated OpenSearch versions - particularly OpenSearch 1.x - begin to incur AWS Extended Support charges once they fall outside of the standard support period. These charges are persistent and apply even if the domain is inactive or lightly used. Many teams overlook this cost when delaying upgrades or maintaining non-critical environments like dev, test, or staging. In large organizations, outdated versions can silently drive meaningful spend over time, especially across many small or idle domains.

## Relevant Billing Model

OpenSearch domains are billed per hour based on:

- Instance size and count

- Storage (including UltraWarm if enabled)

- Extended Support Charges - applied per hour per domain once a version exceeds its standard support window

## Detection

- List all OpenSearch domains and record their engine version

- Compare against the AWS OpenSearch Support Calendar

- Identify any domains running versions outside standard support

- Use the AWS Console or API to retrieve version metadata

- Review billing data to detect Extended Support fees under OpenSearch spend

## Remediation

- Upgrade OpenSearch domains to a supported version

- Test upgrade compatibility in lower environments before applying in production

- Decommission inactive domains to eliminate unnecessary support and compute charges

- Incorporate version tracking into platform reviews to proactively avoid future Extended Support exposure

## Relevant Documentation

- [AWS Blog: OpenSearch Version Support](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/big-data/amazon-opensearch-service-announces-standard-and-extended-support-dates-for-elasticsearch-and-opensearch-versions//%22)

- [Amazon OpenSearch Pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/opensearch-service/pricing//)

[Submit Feedback](https://hub.pointfive.co/inefficiencies/outdated-opensearch-version-triggering-extended-support-charges)

## At a glance

Reference

CER-0101

Cloud provider

AWS

Service

AWS OpenSearch

Category

[Databases](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/databases)

Inefficiency type

Inefficient Configuration

## Contributed by

- ### Yulia Perlis

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Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.