Progress
Installation and Configuration Guide
Version 9
for UNIX


Product Life Cycle

Progress Software Corporation has developed a Product Life Cycle designed to help communicate the product development and technical support resources available during a product’s life span. This section outlines the different product stages starting from the first commercial shipment (FCS) of the product to eventual product retirement, as well as the life cycle status for each Progress Software product. This information will help you develop your product plans with the knowledge and understanding of Progress Software product life cycle plans. To assist you with migration and transition strategies, Progress Software offers a wide variety of education courses and consulting services. This section does not address Progress Software’s future product plans. Please be advised that this information is subject to change by Progress Software without notice. For further information, please visit our Web site at www.progress.com or contact your Progress Software representative.

The term “product” is used in a general sense; it refers to a combination of a particular products and versions running on a particular hardware platform and/or operating system. For example, Progress ProVision Version 9.1 for Windows refers to a particular product on a particular platform, and Progress Version 8.3 for HP-UX platforms refers to several products on HP-UX platforms.

All currently shipping products are classified in various phases of the Product Life Cycle. The Product Life Cycle definitions include specific R&D efforts, technical support services, inventory policies, and certification policies. New operating environments that will be considered for certifications include new platforms, operating systems, third-party databases, browsers, Web servers, and JVMs. Our goal is to place each product in the appropriate phase of its life cycle so that you know the level of support provided for each product. There are some situations where the placement of products in the product life cycle differs from the general policy.

Table 1–6 summarizes the Product Life Cycle phases.

Table 1–6: Product Life Cycle Phases
Phase
New Features
New Certifications
Support
Inventory
Active
Yes
Yes
BasicService
Yes
Functionally Stable
No
Yes
BasicService
Yes
Mature
No
No
Limited BasicService
Yes
Retired
No
No
Limited BasicService
No, except for purchase of additional user counts for existing license.

The four phases in the Product Life Cycle are:


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