 |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Product Releases
RELEASE TYPES
MicroStrategy provides cumulative release types to Customers. These are described below.
Major Release
Major releases (X.y.z) are vehicles for delivering major and minor feature development and enhancements to existing features. They incorporate all applicable defect corrections made in prior major releases, minor releases, service packs, hotfixes, and patches. Major releases typically occur two or more years after the prior major release.
Minor Release
Minor releases (x.Y.z) are vehicles for delivering minor feature developments, enhancements to existing features, and defect corrections. They incorporate all applicable defect corrections made in prior minor releases, service packs, hotfixes, and patches. Minor releases typically occur one or more years after the prior minor release.
Service Pack
Service packs (x.y.Z) are vehicles for delivering enhancements to existing features and defect corrections. They incorporate all applicable defect corrections made in prior service packs, hotfixes, and patches. Service packs typically occur four or more months after the prior service pack release.
Hotfix
Hotfixes (x.y.z hotfix A) are vehicles for delivering critical defect corrections. They incorporate all applicable defect corrections made in prior hotfixes and patches. Hotfixes typically occur two or more months after the prior hotfix release for the most recent service pack.
Patches
Patches (x.y.z Hotfix A patch B or x.y.z patch B) are vehicles for critical defects that affect production systems. They are meant to provide a single correction for a single configuration, so they are not transferable to multiple configurations/systems. Patches occur on an as-needed basis.
REQUESTING A PATCH
Customers may request a new patch for a critical issue at any time. However, patches are made available at the discretion of MicroStrategy based on technical complexity, the Customer’s business requirements, and schedules.
Once MicroStrategy agrees to create a patch, it is entered into a queue with other scheduled releases. Oftentimes the wait period required for a patch is longer than the wait period for including the correction in an upcoming service pack or already scheduled hotfix.
Once a defect is corrected in a generally available release, any Customer who encounters that defect on an older version is expected to upgrade to that generally available release rather than requesting a patch.
SUPPORT EXPIRATION AND PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES
MicroStrategy supports each major and minor release for a minimum of three years from release. However, a major or minor release will continue to be supported until one year after its successor is made available. Additionally, MicroStrategy will support service packs for one year after its successor service pack is released. When a release is expired, all of its related service packs, hotfixes, and patches will also be expired.
The product expiration schedule is posted on the MicroStrategy Web site at www.microstrategy.com/Support/Expiration.asp.