This release updates Kubernetes to v1.34.3.
Important Note
If your server (control-plane) nodes were not started with the --token CLI flag or config file key, a randomized token was generated during initial cluster startup. This key is used both for joining new nodes to the cluster, and for encrypting cluster bootstrap data within the datastore. Ensure that you retain a copy of this token, as is required when restoring from backup.
You may retrieve the token value from any server already joined to the cluster:
cat /var/lib/rancher/rke2/server/tokenChanges since v1.34.3+rke2r1:
- Remove dapper + use crane (#9443)
- Bump calico chart to v3.31.300 (#9459)
- CNI bump Jan 2026 (#9473)
- Bump Ingresses - 2026 Jan (#9481)
- Bulk Backports - 2026 Jan (#9493)
- Rke2-coredns: Use k8s-style "IANA" names (RFC 6335) (#9504)
- K3s bump and backports for 2026-01 (#9514)
- Adjust Windows directory creation order (#9526)
-
- Update to cilium v1.18.6 (#9534)
- Bump Traefik version to v3.6.7 (#9550)
- Update chart and container image versions (#9559)
- Add e2e test for Calico in eBPF mode (#9567)
- Bump etcd to v3.6.7 (#9579)
- Update to v1.34.3-rke2r3 (#9596)
- Fix release arm64 (#9601)
- Backport: Increase timeouts in calico eBPF e2e tests (#9606)
- Fix manifest and sync-prime steps (#9610)
- Revert accidental hardcode of klipper-helm tag (#9624)
- Bump K3s version for etcd reconcile fix (#9629)
- Bump ingress-nginx to v1.14.3-hardened1 (#9634)
Charts Versions
| Component | Version |
|---|---|
| rke2-cilium | 1.18.601 |
| rke2-canal | v3.31.3-build2026011900 |
| rke2-calico | v3.31.300 |
| rke2-calico-crd | v3.31.300 |
| rke2-coredns | 1.45.008 |
| rke2-ingress-nginx | 4.14.301 |
| rke2-metrics-server | 3.13.006 |
| rancher-vsphere-csi | 3.5.0-rancher200 |
| rancher-vsphere-cpi | 1.12.100 |
| harvester-cloud-provider | 0.2.1100 |
| harvester-csi-driver | 0.1.2500 |
| rke2-snapshot-controller | 4.2.000 |
| rke2-snapshot-controller-crd | 4.2.000 |
| rke2-snapshot-validation-webhook | 0.0.0 |
| rke2-traefik | 38.0.201 |
| rke2-traefik-crd | 38.0.201 |
Packaged Component Versions
| Component | Version |
|---|---|
| Kubernetes | v1.34.3 |
| Etcd | v3.6.7-k3s1 |
| Containerd | v2.1.5-k3s1 |
| Runc | v1.4.0 |
| Metrics-server | v0.8.0 |
| CoreDNS | v1.14.1 |
| Ingress-Nginx | v1.14.3-hardened1 |
| Helm-controller | v0.16.17 |
| Traefik | v3.6.7 |
Available CNIs
| Component | Version | FIPS Compliant |
|---|---|---|
| Canal (Default) | Flannel v0.28.0 Calico v3.31.3 | Yes |
| Calico | v3.31.3 | No |
| Cilium | v1.18.6 | No |
| Multus | v4.2.3 | No |
Helpful Links
As always, we welcome and appreciate feedback from our community of users. Please feel free to:
- Open issues here
- Join our Slack channel
- Check out our documentation for guidance on how to get started.