By default, the engine upgrade process is fully managed to ensure that users get fully verified versions. For those users who want to get early access to new features, or who need to run the new version through an internal acceptance process, Firebolt introduces an engine release channel setting. This setting allows you to choose between the default release process or to enroll an engine into the preview release channel and get the next version earlier.

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Reference

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Create an engine in the preview channel using the API

To create an engine, use CREATE ENGINE. The following code example creates an engine with two nodes of type M in the preview release channel: 
CREATE ENGINE myengine WITH TYPE="M" NODES=2 RELEASE=(CHANNEL=PREVIEW);

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Enroll an existing engine into the preview release channel using the API

Use the ALTER ENGINE command to change the release channel: 
ALTER ENGINE myengine SET RELEASE=(CHANNEL=PREVIEW);
To bring an engine back to the default release cycle, the release channel should be changed to DEFAULT. 
ALTER ENGINE myengine SET RELEASE=(CHANNEL=DEFAULT);
Changing the release channel does not change the version of an engine immediately. Instead, the version change is applied during the next run of the managed upgrade process.