Environment
NetIQ eDirectory 9
NetIQ eDirectory 8.8 SP8
NetIQ eDirectory 8.8 SP8
NetIQ eDirectory 8.8 SP7
Situation
The following is being provided to help answer questions about eDirectory's lifecycle and patch support for older versions of eDirectory. Another purpose is to explain the platform support process.
Resolution
eDirectory
The product lifecycle page can be found here: https://support.novell.com/lifecycle. There has been some concern that at any one time, when viewing the current version's lifecycle (8.8), there is a date given for the end of general support that is always 2 years away. Hopefully the following will explain why this is so.
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eDirectory 8.8 has its own lifecycle independant of any support pack.
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The first version was 8.8.0
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As a general rule, when we release a support pack (IE., 8.8 SP8) any prior version\support pack is generally supported for one year after it is obsoleted by the new one. In this example 8.8 SP7 would continue to be supported for one year after the release of 8.8 SP8.
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Definition of Supported:
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The eDirectory Team will generally take a customer call on any recent version of eDirectory.
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If it is determined that a problem reported on an older version also exists in our current code the fix will be released publically but only on the currently shipping version and support pack of eDirectory.
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Example: a report comes in that a bug has been found in eDirectory 8.8 SP7.
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Engineering determines that 8.8 SP8 also has the problem and the problem is likely to affect other customers.
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An Engineering build of the affected file(s) based on 8.8 SP7 is likely to be given to verify that the specific issue was resolved
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The fix is then released publically in next patch for the current support pack: IE., 8.8 SP8 Patch 6.
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Once a new support pack is released the lifecycle pages is changed, extending the EOL and\or Extended Support dates out further. IDM and eDirectory are often aligned so they move together.
Therefore the 8.8 EOL date is a dynamic date that continues to be set forward in time with each support pack. That date will no longer advance only when a new major version is released such as eDirectory 9.0.
Platforms
- The only platforms currently supported are Linux and Windows, 64-bit. When a version of eDirectory is in testing the latest versions of the supported platforms are used in testing.
- The support stance is that we will support eDirectory on those versions tested as well as any follow-on OS support packs released during that version's active maintenance period. Examples:
- eDirectory 8.8 SP8 was tested with, and documentation shows support for, RHEL 6.2 through 6.6. If 6.7 is released while eDirectory 8.8 SP8 is still active we will make every effort to support that version as well. However, if problems are found, additional patience may be required as our testing may have not identified potential issues that may be encountered in that release.
- eDirectory 8.8 SP8 was tested with, and documentation shows support for, SLES 10 - SLES 12. If a SLES 13 were to be released during 8.8 SP8's active maintenance period that would be a platform major version change and is not supported until tested.
- eDirectory 8.8 SP7 was tested with, and documentation shows support for, SLES 10 SP4 - SLES 11 SP1. However, 8.8 SP7 is no longer in active maintenance. If a customer upgrades to SLES 11 SP4 and runs into problems we may try to help them but there is no guarantee of resolution.
- Additionally, any major version upgrade for a supported platform will have to wait for the next release of eDirectory regardless of its maintenance status. Example: eDirectory 8.8 SP7 was tested with, and documentation shows support for, SLES 10 SP4 - SLES 11 SP1. When SLES 12 ships one will have to upgrade to 8.8 SP8 for support on that major version upgrade to the platform.