Dovecot Pro Support Commitment
Dovecot Pro uses a form of semantic software versioning to define the support (SLA) commitments that attach to any specific release.
Release Definitions
INFO
The definitions provided here are for documentation purposes only. The legal definitions appear in the software license contract in the Support Definitions document.
New Generation
Example: Dovecot Pro 3.0
A new release that may contain major feature changes, new architecture or different technology.
Major Release
Example: Dovecot Pro 3.1.0
A major update of Dovecot Pro that will normally include all the changes provided by Minor Releases for the current version. They are cumulative so a customer has to install the latest Major Release to benefit from all changes that are available for Dovecot Pro. Major Releases also provide functional enhancements. A Licensee is therefor encouraged to install all Major Releases as soon as feasible.
The first release of a New Generation will be considered a Major Release for purposes of version support commitments (example: Dovecot Pro 3.0.0 is both a New Generation and a Major Release).
Minor Release
Example: Dovecot Pro 3.1.5
A change of Dovecot Pro that is released on a regular basis, containing minor feature enhancements as well as solutions for known problems. Minor Releases go through quality assurance testing and APIs are not changed.
Patch Release
Example: Dovecot Pro 3.1.5.1
A change to Dovecot Pro, to temporarily fix a Problem. “Patch Releases” are one-offs, special one-time builds not fully regression tested and/or recertified. The software change will be applied to the next formal Minor or Major Release of the Software. Patch Releases are cumulative in nature, thus every new Patch Release will contain all former software changes released earlier as Patch Releases for the relevant Minor or Major Release.
Private Patch Release
A Private Patch Release is a Patch Release that is built for a specific customer only.
Private patches are provided directly to a customer and will not appear in the general, public repository.
Public Patch Release
A Public Patch Release is a Patch Release which is delivered to all customers.
Release Support Commitments
Major Releases
A Major Release cycle will be supported for at least 12 Months after First Customer Shipment (FCS) of the following Major Release. The exact date will be announced and communicated to customers by OX when it is decided.
Minor Releases
Within a Major Release cycle, support is always available for the most recent Minor Release. To provide sufficient time for the update, Open-Xchange will support the previous Minor Release for 3 months in parallel after FCS of the most recent Minor Release. The 3 months will be calculated from the first day of the month after FCS of the most recent Minor Release.
Example: a Minor Release is shipped on 15 February; the previous Minor Release will be supported until 31 May (1 March is the first day of the month after the Minor Release was shipped; 3 months of support from that date ends on 31 May).
Patch Releases
Support for Patch Releases is the same as the support for the parent Minor Release.
Example: Dovecot Pro 3.1.5.1 would have the same support commitment as 3.1.5.
Release Support Time Bar Example
