Support Policy

HCP Boundary environments function optimally when workers and controllers are running the same version. The following section outlines API compatibility and hot-fix policies for self-managed workers in HCP Boundary environments.

Controller and worker API compatibility

HCP Boundary only supports API backwards compatibility between HCP Boundary and self-managed workers from the prior “major release”. Using a worker with version that is newer than the control plane they connect to is not supported. A major release is identified by a change in the first (X) or second (Y) digit in the following versioning nomenclature: Version X.Y.Z. All self-managed workers within an environment must be on the same version.

For example, Boundary self-managed workers version 0.11.0 are compatible with HCP Boundary environments running Boundary 0.12.0. However, they will not have compatibility once the HCP Boundary control plane is updated to version 0.13.0 or above.

Control plane and client/cli compatibility

The supported version compatibility between HCP Boundary and Boundary clients/cli is the same as HCP Boundary and self-managed workers. HCP Boundary supports API backwards compatibility between the control plane and clients from the prior “major release”. Using clients on newer versions than the control plane they are registered with is not supported.

For example, Boundary clients version 0.14.0 are compatible with Boundary control plane running Boundary 0.15.0. However, they will not have compatibility once the control plane is updated to version 0.16.0 or above. Boundary clients version 0.16.0 are not compatible with Boundary control plane running Boundary 0.15.0 or lower. Customers are recommended to run the latest versions of Boundary in order to leverage the newest features and bug fixes.

Security and other bug fixes

Eligible code-fixes and hot-fixes for HCP Boundary self-managed workers are only provided via a new minor release (Z) on top of the latest “major release” branch.

Shared responsibilities

HashiCorp is responsible for keeping the customers’ HCP Boundary control plane versions up to date with the latest release of Boundary software. Customers are expected to maintain their self-managed workers and ensure that they are running the same version as the control plane.