grpc-java xDS regression in 1.51.0, 1.51.1, 1.52.0

[Eric Anderson]

We have discovered a regression in grpc-xds starting with 1.51.0 where resources might stop receiving updates. The trigger could happen hours or days after the binary had started. xDS users should avoid 1.51.0, 1.51.1, and 1.52.0. We suggest using 1.50.x until patch releases with the fix are available.

The bug should generally not cause resources to be missing, but instead out-of-date. This most easily impacts EDS, which would cause backend IP addresses to become stale. But config changes in general might not be seen by grpc-xds.

See https://github.com/grpc/grpc-java/pull/9809 to track the fix.

[Eric Anderson]

grpc-java 1.51.3 and 1.52.1 are released which have the fix for this issue. If you use the latest patch release of any grpc minor version, then there is no longer risk of being impacted (earlier versions were before the bug, and later versions now have patch releases with the fix).