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Domino Product Version Lifecycle and Support Policies

Angelo Bresci
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The following page provides information related to the lifecycle of each Domino product release. Timelines for both Product Patching and Technical Support are covered. Please note that a separate policy exists for customers operating version 3.x or earlier (see below).

 

Table of Contents

 

Domino Versions: Naming Conventions and Version Types

Domino’s product versions follow a common Semantic Version (SemVer) numbering scheme, “Ma.Mi.Pa”, where:

  • Ma – Is a major version that contains new features, fixes, and possibly support for new platforms or technologies 
  • Mi – Is a minor release that contains a limited number of fixes, and possibly support for new platforms
    • NOTE about backward compatibility: In relation to core product functionality, MINOR releases are backward compatible with earlier releases of the same MAJOR version. For example, version 4.6.x is backward compatible with version 4.5.x. FYI, in versions 5.x and later, UI and API features subject to deprecation will display "Warning" messages before deprecation actually occurs (in a future release).
  • Pa – Is a patch level release that is focused on security updates and critical bug fixes

Version numbering - Example: Version 4.5.1 on the 4.x MAJOR code line, and is MINOR release 4.5. 4.5.1 is the latest, patched release of that version.

 

 

General Policies For Latest Versions (4.x and Later)

The following policies apply to all major and minor versions of Domino starting with version 4.x. NOTE: For customers migrating from earlier versions of Domino (3.x or earlier), see the section below entitled “Information and Policies For Customers Operating Domino 3.x Or Earlier (as of 2021)”.

Versions 4.x and Later: End of Patching and End of Support Policies

 

Policy

End of Patching (EOP)

End of Life (EOL)

Definition

The date after which no additional vulnerability patches or code maintenance will be provided for a release.

Support: End of Life signifies the date after which Support tickets and technical inquiries will no longer be accepted for a release (an upgrade will be required for continued Support)

Monitoring: If you receive application monitoring and proactive site reliability services from Domino, those services will no longer be offered when a product version reaches End of Life. To resume monitoring, operations, incident response, and site reliability services, you will need to upgrade to a supported version.

Timelines

LATEST MAJOR RELEASE: Security patches will be supplied on a scheduled basis for the latest release. 


PREVIOUS SEQUENTIAL MAJOR RELEASE (Example: if 5.x is the latest MAJOR release, 4.x is the previous sequential MAJOR release): for the previous sequential major release, patches will be provided on a limited basis, as needed, per Domino’s existing standards**.


The patching timeline for the previous sequential MAJOR release lasts until either: the release date of the next+1 major release (e.g. EOP for 4.x is the release date of 6.0)

-OR-

A minimum of 12 months since the GA date of the previous sequential MAJOR release

(whichever is later)


**If you wish to request a patch for an earlier release, please contact your Domino Customer Success Manager.
  • For the MOST RECENT version of a previous release: 18 months after the release date of the next major release (example: 4.6.x is the last version of 4.x, EOL for 4.6.x is 18 months after the release date of 5.0)
  • For all other versions of a previous release: 12 months after the release date of the next major release (example: EOL for 4.4.x is 12 months after the release date of 5.0)

Patch Scope: Additional Details

NOTE: Patches are ONLY applied to the most recent minor version for each major release. For example, if a patch is necessary for release 4.6 (the latest in the 4.x major code line), 4.5 and older are not patched. See also: note about backward compatibility in section entitled: “Domino Versions: Naming Conventions and Version Types”

  

 

 

Policy Applicability For Customers Operating Domino 3.x and Earlier

The following section addresses frequently asked questions for customers still operating earlier Domino versions, who are interested in migrating to a later version. Information covered here includes both expected effort and policy implications.

 

Question 1.0: If I am still on 3.x when 5.x is released, what will migration mean for me? Do I go to some version of 4.x and then to 5.x…?

  • Answer: You can migrate directly to the latest version without installing intermediary steps/versions.

Question 1.1: Do I go directly to 5.x and how much more work will that be?

  • Answer: Yes, you will go to the latest version directly. Standard practice has been to deploy/install the (target) environments to the current GA release.  Domino intends to minimize any extra steps required to migrate from an earlier version to 5.x (although we cannot offer a guarantee, Domino is making reduction in effort a priority).

Question 2.0: I just finished migrating to 4.x. What does the effort to go to 5.x look like? Is it another big project?

  • Answer: For customers who are already on 4.X (or recently migrated to 4.X), they can perform an in-place upgrade to receive Domino 5.X.  In-place upgrades, depending on the number of environments, and depending on the skills and resources available, can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours per environment. Please refer to the section on this page entitled "Domino Versions: Naming Conventions and Version Types" for information about compatibility.

Question 3.0: Can you give me visibility into what I will gain and what migration impacts I might have, especially incompatibilities?

  • Answer: There will be benefits in both functionality/features, and stability when upgrading to a newer version. We are constantly planning updates in both of these categories. Specific gains will be dependent on the features released on the (Target) Domino version. Please click the “Release Notes” link on our Docs site for more information. Regarding backward compatibility:  going forward, Domino Engineering and Product teams are prioritizing the avoidance of incompatibilities. Please refer to the section on this page entitled "Domino Versions: Naming Conventions and Version Types" for information about compatibility.

 

Policies for Versions 3.x and Earlier

 Policy

 End of Patching (EOP)

 End of Life (EOL)

 Definition

The date after which no additional  vulnerability patches or code  maintenance will be provided for a  release.

Support: End of Life signifies the date after which Support tickets and technical inquiries will no longer be accepted for a release (an upgrade will be required for continued Support)

Monitoring: If you receive application monitoring and proactive site reliability services from Domino, those services will no longer be offered when a product version reaches End of Life. To resume monitoring, operations, incident response, and site reliability services, you will need to upgrade to a supported version.

 Timeline

Upon the release date of major  version 5.x, no further patches will be provided for versions before 4.x.

  • If you have questions or concerns about these policies, please contact your Domino Customer Success Manager

 As of 12/31/2022, Domino will no longer   field Support requests for Domino 3.x or   earlier.

  • If you have questions or concerns about these policies, please contact your Domino Customer Success Manager

 

Upcoming End of Patching/End of Life Dates (as of September 2022)

Version End of Patching (EOP) End of Life (EOL)
1.x-3.6.x Expired December 2022
4.0.x-4.5.x Expired December 2022
4.6.x Upon release of version 6.0 June 2023

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