hashicorp · jonathanfrappier · Jul 8, 2025 · Jul 8, 2025 · Jul 8, 2025 · Jul 8, 2025
@@ -18,7 +18,13 @@ upgrades](/vault/docs/concepts/integrated-storage/autopilot#automated-upgrades)
 Enterprise](/vault/tutorials/raft/raft-upgrade-automation)
 tutorial for more details.
 
-If you're currently on a version of Vault before 1.11, or you've chosen to opt-out the Autopilot automated upgrade features when running Vault after 1.11 with Integrated Storage, or if you are running Vault with other storage backend such as Consul. Please refer to our [Vault HA upgrades Pre 1.11/Without Autopilot Upgrade Automation](/vault/docs/upgrading/vault-ha-upgrade) documentation for more details. Please note that this upgrade procedure also applies if you are upgrading Vault from pre 1.11 to post 1.11.
+If you're currently on a version of Vault before 1.11, or you've chosen to
+opt-out the Autopilot automated upgrade features when running Vault after 1.11
+with Integrated Storage, or if you are running Vault with other storage backend
+such as Consul. Please refer to our [Vault HA upgrades Pre 1.11/Without
+Autopilot Upgrade Automation](/vault/docs/upgrade/vault-ha-upgrade)
+documentation for more details. Please note that this upgrade procedure also
+applies if you are upgrading Vault from pre 1.11 to post 1.11.
 
 ## Enterprise replication installations
 

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+---
+layout: docs
+page_title: Vault HA upgrades without Autopilot Upgrade Automation (Pre 1.11)
+description: |-
+  Upgrade instructions for Vault HA Pre 1.11 or Vault without autopilot upgrade automation being enabled. Be sure to read the Upgrading-Vault Guides as well.
+---
+
+# Vault HA upgrades without autopilot upgrade automation (Pre 1.11)
+
+This is our recommended upgrade procedure if **one** of the following applies:
+
+- Running Vault version earlier than 1.11
+- Opt-out the [Autopilot automated upgrade](/vault/docs/concepts/integrated-storage/autopilot#automated-upgrade) features with Vault 1.11 or later
+- Running Vault with external storage backend such as Consul
+
+You should consider how to apply the steps described in this document to your
+particular setup since HA setups can differ on whether a load balancer is in
+use, what addresses clients are being given to connect to Vault (standby +
+leader, leader-only, or discovered via service discovery), etc.
+
+If you are running on Vault 1.11+ with Integrated Storage and wish to enable the
+Autopilot upgrade automation features, read to the [automated
+upgrades](/vault/docs/concepts/integrated-storage/autopilot#automated-upgrades)
+documentation for details and the [Automate Upgrades with Vault
+Enterprise](/vault/tutorials/raft/raft-upgrade-automation) tutorial for
+additional guidance.
+
+
+## HA installations
+
+Regardless of the method you use, do not fail over from a newer version of Vault
+to an older version. Our suggested procedure is designed to prevent this.
+
+Please note that Vault does not support true zero-downtime upgrades, but with
+proper upgrade procedure the downtime should be very short (a few hundred
+milliseconds to a second depending on how the speed of access to the storage
+backend).
+
+<Warning title="Important">
+
+If you are currently running on Vault 1.11+ with Integrated Storage and have
+chosen to opt-out the Autopilot automated upgrade features, please disable the
+default automated upgrade migrations feature of the Vault. To disable this
+feature, follow the [Automate Upgrades with Vault Enterprise Autopilot
+configuration](/vault/tutorials/raft/raft-upgrade-automation#autopilot-configuration)
+tutorial for more details. Without disabling this feature, you may run into Lost
+Quorum issue as described in the [Quorum lost while upgrading the vault from
+1.11.0 to later version of
+it](https://support.hashicorp.com/hc/en-us/articles/7122445204755-Quorum-lost-while-upgrading-the-vault-from-1-11-0-to-later-version-of-it)
+article.
+
+</Warning>
+
+Perform these steps on each standby:
+
+1. Properly shut down Vault on the standby node via `SIGINT` or `SIGTERM`
+2. Replace the Vault binary with the new version; ensure that `mlock()`
+   capability is added to the new binary with
+   [setcap](/vault/docs/configuration#disable_mlock)
+3. Start the standby node
+4. Unseal the standby node
+5. Verify `vault status` shows correct Version and HA Mode is `standby`
+6. Review the node's logs to ensure successful startup and unseal
+
+At this point all standby nodes are upgraded and ready to take over. The
+upgrade will not complete until one of the upgraded standby nodes takes over
+active duty.
+
+To complete the cluster upgrade:
+
+1. Properly shut down the remaining (active) node via `SIGINT` or `SIGTERM`
+
+   <Warning title="Important">
+
+   DO NOT attempt to issue a [step-down](/vault/docs/commands/operator/step-down) 
+   operation at any time during the upgrade process. 
+
+   </Warning>
+
+   <Note>
+
+   It is important that you shut the node down properly.
+   This will release the current leadership and the HA lock, allowing a standby
+   node to take over with a very short delay.
+   If you kill Vault without letting it release the lock, a standby node will
+   not be able to take over until the lock's timeout period has expired. This
+   is backend-specific but could be ten seconds or more.
+
+   </Note>
+
+2. Replace the Vault binary with the new version; ensure that `mlock()`
+   capability is added to the new binary with
+   [setcap](/vault/docs/configuration#disable_mlock)
+3. Start the node
+4. Unseal the node
+5. Verify `vault status` shows correct Version and HA Mode is `standby`
+6. Review the node's logs to ensure successful startup and unseal
+
+Internal upgrade tasks will happen after one of the upgraded standby nodes
+takes over active duty.
+
+Be sure to also read and follow any instructions in the version-specific
+upgrade notes.
+
+## Enterprise replication installations
+
+See the main
+[upgrading](/vault/docs/upgrading#enterprise-replication-installations) page.