The Apache Cassandra Project Team recently announced that, after more than half a decade, versions 3.0.x and 3.11.x will reach End of Life at the end of 2023.

To echo the project team announcement, we want to highlight the significant advantages of upgrading to Cassandra 4.0 or 4.1, and encourage users to make the transition.

However, if you prefer to remain on version 3.11 for the time being, with Azure Managed Instance for Apache Cassandra, we have you covered! We are delighted to announce that we will be fully supporting Cassandra version 3.11 until the end of 2024. Support will include any required CVE patches, as well as any bug fixes that cause production issues.

Not only that, but we will soon be releasing support for turnkey in-place major version upgrades (currently in private preview). With this feature, future transitioning from one major version to another should be straightforward. If you want to try out the private preview, or you want to inquire about our support, contact our Cassandra Managed Instance Customer Support Team.

Azure Managed Instance for Apache Cassandra is a first-party managed service for open-source Apache Cassandra in Azure. Check out our technical docs here. If you are self-hosting Apache Cassandra version 3.11 (or higher), you can migrate to the service by configuring a hybrid cluster, allowing newly deployed data centers to join your existing Apache Cassandra ring. Data will be streamed into Azure via gossip replication; it’s just like adding a data center to your existing cluster!

Getting started

• Find Azure Managed Instance for Cassandra in Azure Portal
• Get started easily using Quickstart documentation
• Find out about pricing here!
• Read all our technical documentation here

Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed NoSQL and relational database service for modern app development with SLA-backed speed and availability, automatic and instant scalability, and support for open-source PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Apache Cassandra. Try Azure Cosmos DB for free here. To stay in the loop on Azure Cosmos DB updates, follow us on Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.