# Outdated Elasticsearch version triggering extended support charges Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-elasticsearch-version-triggering-extended-support-charges Many legacy workloads still run on older Elasticsearch versions - such as 5.x, 6.0-6.7, or 7.1-7.8 - due to inertia, compatibility constraints, or lack... By: Yulia Perlis Updated: 2026-09-28 [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) # Outdated Elasticsearch Version Triggering Extended Support Charges The short version Many legacy workloads still run on older Elasticsearch versions - such as 5.x, 6.0-6.7, or 7.1-7.8 - due to inertia, compatibility constraints, or lack of ownership. Yulia Perlis AWS service [AWS OpenSearch](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/aws-opensearch) Category [Databases](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/databases) Reference CER-0147 Type Outdated Version ## Explanation Why the waste happens and who it affects. Once these versions exceed their standard support window, AWS begins charging an Extended Support fee per Normalized Instance Hour for the instances in each domain. Elasticsearch 1.5 through 7.8 (including all 5.x) and OpenSearch 1.0-1.2 and 2.3-2.9 are already in Extended Support, while Elasticsearch 6.8, 7.9, and 7.10, OpenSearch 1.3, and OpenSearch 2.11-2.17 and 2.19 remain in standard support until November 7, 2027. These fees are often missed in cost reviews, especially in environments that are inactive but still provisioned. In aggregate, outdated Elasticsearch clusters contribute to significant silent spend unless proactively addressed. ## Billing model The pricing dimensions that drive this cost. Elasticsearch domains are billed per hour based on: - Instance size and count - Storage (EBS or UltraWarm) - Extended Support Charges - billed per Normalized Instance Hour (a factor of instance size and instance hours) on top of instance pricing for versions outside standard support, so the fee grows with node count and size - For Elasticsearch 1.5 through 7.8, the pricing page states that Extended Support charges for the extension period ending November 7, 2027 are equal to your instance pricing ## How to detect 4 checks to find it in your estate. - Inventory all Elasticsearch domains running on Amazon OpenSearch Service - Identify engine versions using the AWS Console or API - Review cost reports for Extended Support line items - Flag domains that are inactive or non-critical but still incurring support costs ## How to fix 4 ways to remove the waste. - Upgrade to a supported version of OpenSearch - Be aware that upgrading from Elasticsearch 7.x may require reindexing or application compatibility changes - Where possible, consolidate or delete unused domains to eliminate unnecessary charges - Establish a lifecycle policy review process to ensure domains stay within standard support timelines ## Documentation Vendor references for pricing and configuration. - [Amazon OpenSearch Service announces Standard and Extended Support dates for Elasticsearch and OpenSearch versions aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/big-data/amazon-opensearch-service-announces-standard-and-extended-support-dates-for-elasticsearch-and-opensearch-versions/) - [Amazon OpenSearch Pricing aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/opensearch-service/pricing/) ## Related inefficiencies [Browse the library](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) - AWS OpenSearch CER-0101 ### [Outdated OpenSearch Version Triggering Extended Support Charges](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-opensearch-version-triggering-extended-support-charges) Domains running outdated OpenSearch versions - particularly Elasticsearch 1.5 through 7.8, OpenSearch 1.0-1.2, and OpenSearch 2.3-2.9, whose standard support ended on November 7, 2025 - begin to incur AWS Extended Support charges once they... Databases - AWS OpenSearch CER-0130 ### [Suboptimal Use of Intel-Based Instances in OpenSearch](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/suboptimal-use-of-intel-based-instances-in-opensearch) AWS Graviton processors are designed to deliver better price-performance than comparable Intel-based instances, often reducing cost by 20-30% at equivalent workload performance. OpenSearch domains running on older Intel-based families... Databases - AWS OpenSearch CER-0367 ### [Underutilized OpenSearch Service Domain](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/underutilized-opensearch-service-domain) OpenSearch Service managed domains are sized by choosing data node instance types and counts, optional dedicated master (cluster manager) nodes, and an EBS volume per data node. These choices are usually made from a peak ingest estimate or... Databases --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.