Product lifecycle

Introduction

The document describes RAIDIX software life cycle, guidelines for numeration of software releases and stages of software releases support.

Software Releases

Release Structure

  • Generation
  • Major Release
  • Minor Release
  • Maintenance Release

Release Numbering

  • Software Generation — RAIDIX 3, RAIDIX 4, RAIDIX 5, etc.
  • Major Release — RAIDIX 3.2, RAIDIX 4.6, RAIDIX 5.0, etc.
  • Minor Release — RAIDIX 3.2.1, RAIDIX 4.6.1, RAIDIX 5.0.1, etc.
  • Maintenance Release — RAIDIX 3.2.1.1, RAIDIX 4.6.1.1, RAIDIX 5.0.1.1, etc.

Product Life Cycle

Product life cycle is defined by RAIDIX Company for every software generation. Every software generation might include several software releases. Each software release undergoes three stages of product support:

  • Full Support
  • Maintenance Support
  • End-of-Life

Full support is available only for the latest software release. Issue of the next major/ minor/ maintenance software release automatically moves the prior release from the Full Support stage to the Maintenance Support stage.

RAIDIX company provides access to perform update of RAIDIX software up to the latest software release (as part of one software generation) within the Full Support stage.

At its discretion, RAIDIX company is able to provide upgrade to the newest generation from the last release of the previous generation. (For instance, RAIDIX 3.3.1 can be updated to the first major release of the next generation — RAIDIX 4.2.) RAIDIX company reserves the right to restrict updates of functionality between the software generations.

Product Support Stages

Full Support Stage

Software release under the Full Support stage is available for sale and it obtains technical support services according to the actual Technical Support Guide.

All system errors revealed within the Full Support stage can be fixed in the upcoming major/ minor/ maintenance release. Decision on including the fixes into particular release is made by RAIDIX company. At its discretion, RAIDIX company can also issue system fixes for the earlier software releases.

Maintenance Support Stage

Software release under the Maintenance Support stage is not available for sale, but it still obtains technical support services according to the actual Technical Support Guide.

In order to resolve system errors revealed in software release within the Maintenance Support stage, the system must be updated to software release under the Full Support stage. If the current issues are not fixed by the updates, RAIDIX company might decide to include system error fixes into the next major/ minor/ maintenance release.

End-of-Life Stage

Software release during its End-of-Life stage is not supported by RAIDIX company. Customers also cannot buy technical support services for this stage releases.

Support periods for RAIDIX software

Table 1 contains end dates of Full and Maintenance Support stages for each software release.
Table 1

Software Release Release Date Expiration Date of Full Support Expiration Date of Maintenance Support
3.x September 30, 2012 December 11, 2014 September 30, 2019
4.2.х October 06, 2014 December 11, 2014 September 30, 2020
4.3.x December 11, 2014 December 10, 2015 September 30, 2020
4.3.3 December 10, 2015 May 16, 2016 September 30, 2020
4.4 May 16, 2016 November 11, 2016 September 30, 2021
4.4.1 November 11, 2016 December 12, 2016 September 30, 2021
4.4.2 December 12, 2016 April 28, 2017 September 30, 2021
4.4.3 April 28, 2017 August 31, 2017 September 30, 2021
4.4.4 August 31, 2017 October 5, 2017 September 30, 2021
4.5 October 5, 2017 January 17, 2018 September 30, 2021
4.6 January 17, 2018 May 18, 2018 September 30, 2021
4.6.1 May 18, 2018 October 01, 2018 September 30, 2021
4.7 October 01, 2018 December 10, 2019 September 30, 2022
4.7.2 December 10, 2019 April 30, 2020 September 30, 2022
5.0.1 April 30, 2020 June 24, 2021 September 30, 2025
5.1 June 24, 2021 June 10, 2022 September 30, 2026
5.2 June 10, 2022 the date of the next release September 30, 2027

RAIDIX Software Update Scenarios

Table 2 contains current update scenarios for RAIDIX software releases.
Table 2

Software Release Next To-Update Software Release
4.2 4.2.1
4.2.1 4.3
4.3 4.3.1
4.3.1 4.3.2
4.3.2 4.3.3
4.3.3 4.4
4.4 4.4.1
4.4.1 4.4.2
4.4.2 4.4.3
4.4.3 4.4.4
4.4.4 4.5, 4.7
4.5 4.6
4.6 4.6.1
4.6.1 4.7
4.7 4.7.2
4.7.2 5.0.1
5.0.1 5.1
5.1 5.2