Release 2.8.1

[rainest]

Release Type

patch release

For all releases Github Workflow Test Matrix Checkup

• [x] check the testing workflow (.github/workflows/test.yaml) and ensure that all matrix versions (.github/workflows/e2e.yaml and .github/workflows/release.yaml) are up to date for various component releases. If there have been any new releases (major, minor or patch) of those components since the latest version seen in that configuration make sure the new versions get added before proceeding with the release. Remove any versions that are no longer supported by the environment provider.
• [x] Kubernetes (via KIND and the latest image available when creating a new rapid channel cluster from the GKE new cluster wizard)
• [x] Istio (via Istio's releases page)

For major/minor releases only Bump Kong Gateway version in manifests

• [x] Note: it might be possible that the latest Gateway version is not compatible with KIC and code changes are required. In such case, a decision whether to release with no compliance with the latest Gateway version should be made on a team level.
• [x] Check the latest minor Kong Gateway release in Kong releases.
• [x] Make sure the image tag in config/image/enterprise/kustomization.yaml, config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml, and config/variants/enterprise/kustomization.yaml is updated accordingly.
• [x] Run make manifests to regenerate manifests using the modified kustomizations and open a PR with the changes (similarly to this PR).

For all releases Create Release Branch

• [x] ensure that you have up to date copy of main: git checkout main; git pull
• [x] create the release branch for the version (e.g. release/1.3.1): git branch -m release/x.y.z
• [x] Make any final adjustments to CHANGELOG.md. Double-check that dates are correct, that link anchors point to the correct header, and that you've included a link to the Github compare link at the end.
• [x] Resolve all licensing issues that FOSSA has detected. Go to Issues tab in FOSSA's KIC project and resolve every issue, inspecting if it's a false positive or not. ignored.go script should be useful to look for issues that have been already resolved and reappeared due to version changes.
• [ ] Update ignored.json following instructions in README.
• [x] Retrieve the latest license report from FOSSA and save it to LICENSES (go to Reports tab in FOSSA's KIC project, select 'plain text' format, tick 'direct dependencies' and download it).
• [ ] ensure base manifest versions use the new version (config/image/enterprise/kustomization.yaml and config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml) and update manifest files: make manifests
• [ ] push the branch up to the remote: git push --set-upstream origin release/x.y.z

For all releases Create a Release Pull Request

• [x] Check the latest test run to confirm that E2E tests are succeeding. If you are backporting features into a non-main branch, run a targeted E2E job against that branch.
• [x] Open a PR from your branch to main.
• [x] Once the PR is merged, initiate a release job. Your tag must use vX.Y.Z format. Set latest to true if this will be the latest release.
• [ ] CI will validate the requested version, build and push an image, and run tests against the image before finally creating a tag and publishing a release. If tests fail, CI will push the image but not the tag or release. Investigate the failure, correct it as needed, and start a new release job.

For all releases Publish images to Red Hat Catalog

• [ ] Verify the image was pushed by a pipeline to the KIC project in Red Hat partners portal to confirm that E2E tests are succeeding. If you are backporting features into a non-main branch, run a targeted E2E job against that branch.
• [ ] Click publish button for all tags related to the release that were pushed to the portal. That will publish the image to Red Hat Catalog.
• [ ] Make sure the latest tag was added when asked. If forgot, the tag can be added from the dropdown menu.

For major/minor releases only Update Release documents

• [ ] Trigger release_docs workflow. Note that you will need to update the new version's navigation manifest (e.g. for 2.7 to use the new file after.
• [ ] Ensure a draft PR is created in docs.konghq.com repository.
• [ ] Update articles in the new version as needed.
• [ ] Update references/version-compatibility.md to include the new versions (make sure you capture any new Kubernetes/Istio versions that have been tested)
• [ ] Copy app/_data/docs_nav_kic_OLDVERSION.yml to app/_data/docs_nav_kic_NEWVERSION.yml and update the release field to NEWVERSION. Add entries for any new articles.
• [ ] Make sure that app/_data/docs_nav_kic_NEWVERSION.yml links to the latest generated custom-resources-X.X.X.md.
• [ ] Add a section to app/_data/kong_versions.yml for your version.
• [ ] Add entries in support policy documents: app/_includes/md/support-policy.md and app/_src/kubernetes-ingress-controller/support-policy.md.
• [ ] Mark the PR ready for review.
• [ ] Inform and ping the @team-k8s via slack of impending release with a link to the release PR.

Release Troubleshooting

The Release Troubleshooting guide covers strategies for dealing with a release that has failed.

Manual Docker image build

If the "Build and push development images" Github action is not appropriate for your release, or is not operating properly, you can build and push Docker images manually

Steps

• [ ] Check out your release tag.
• [ ] Run make container. Note that you can set the TAG environment variable if you need to override the current tag in Makefile.
• [ ] Add additional tags for your container (e.g. docker tag kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:1.2.0-alpine kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:1.2.0; docker tag kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:1.2.0-alpine kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:1.2)
• [ ] Create a temporary token for the kongbot user (see 1Password) and log in using it.
• [ ] Push each of your tags (e.g. docker push kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:1.2.0-alpine)

[rainest]

Running https://github.com/Kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller/actions/runs/3841413091 instead of waiting around for the nightly job.

[randmonkey]

close this because 2.8.1 has been released.