This policy is intended to assist customers with planning their AtScale software deployment and lifecycle management.
Revision History
This policy document is reviewed regularly and can be expected to change over time.
| Revision | Date | Changes |
| 1.0 | 6/19/2019 | Original release |
| 2.0 | 12/14/2020 | Clarification of Short-term, Long-term, and End-of-life Support windows |
| 3.0 | 3/31/2022 | Integration of patch and fix policy, updated to align with new company brand guidelines, a revised approach to communicating support for software versions |
| 4.0 | 4/20/2023 | Updated STS and LTS support versions and terms; also clarified the patch and fixed policy |
| 5.0 | 6/14/2024 | Update to installer-based I2024.x and addition of container-based C2024.x policies. |
| 6.0 | 9/12/2024 | Added a section explaining how new features are introduced for container-based releases (with private and public preview definitions). |
C2024.1 and future Container-based releases
AtScale introduced C2024.1 in May 2024 featuring a micro-service (container) architecture, semantic modeling language, source code integration and more. The architecture allows AtScale to move from a traditional quarterly release to a more frequent cadence due to localized changes and targeted testing.
For AtScale C2024.1 and beyond, AtScale plans on a monthly release schedule. As a general rule, AtScale will not patch any Container-based release. Instead, corrections (and enhancements) will be introduced in future releases. Critical bug fixes and security vulnerabilities will be appropriately prioritized with an aim to provide our customers with corrections as soon as possible. As a general rule, corrections are not back/forward ported. Legacy STS and LTS policies do not apply to any Container-based release.
As each release will not have a development lifecycle after its GA release, Container-based releases will not have an EOS date. Customers are encouraged to upgrade on a regular basis to manage the impact of upgrades.
Method for Introducing New Features - Container-based releases
In an effort to drive innovation on a monthly cadence, new features in the Container-based releases will often be released incrementally. By doing so, this allows customers to test new functionality as early as possible, and provide valuable feedback. At times, new features may be released behind a license or feature flag, with the expectation that they will be limited in scope upon first release and mature based on product roadmap and customer feedback.
Here’s how AtScale will designate and launch new features:
- Private Preview - A feature that is either license controlled or feature flagged. An interested customer would need to either request an explicit license or turn on the feature (e.g. engine setting or feature flag toggle) for testing in lower environments. Private Preview is a temporary designation with the typical next step to be either Public Preview or GA.
- Public Preview - A feature that is available to any AtScale customer for exploration and experimentation. Public Preview features are considered production ready, with the understanding that they are newly released and/or are limited in scope. Public Preview is a temporary designation with the typical next step to become officially GA.
- Generally Available (GA) - Normally this is a smaller scoped feature that our customers are encouraged to use in production right away.
I2024.1.x and future Installer-based (RPM) releases
Lifecycle and Software Release Types
There are two types of AtScale releases for Installer-based AtScale: Long Term Support and Short Term Support.
AtScale Long Term Support (LTS) releases are targeted for the end of the calendar year release. This will include Standard Support for:
- 2023.4 - a twelve month timeframe plus extended
AtScale Short Term Support (STS) releases will include Standard Support for:
- I2024.1.x - a six month timeframe plus extended
- I2024.2.x - a six month timeframe plus extended
The diagram below illustrates the overlapping support windows of STS and LTS software versions.
*Please consult the product documentation in the chapter “Product Requirements / AtScale Supported Tools and Platforms” for details of the supported AtScale versions.
Support Definitions
The following outlines AtScale’s Standard and Extended Support protocols. AtScale recommends customers consider upgrading first versus patching older releases when addressing any issue fix.
Standard Support
During the Standard Support window:
- AtScale may deliver patches to address critical bug fixes (including security vulnerabilities) that are deemed necessary and should not wait for the next release.
- AtScale scans all binaries prior to customer availability to mitigate vulnerabilities deemed high-risk. Reports are available at customer request.
- Tech Support team SLAs are based on supported windows.
- AtScale Professional Services (PS) only works on supported versions. Should a client operate an unsupported version, AtScale PS would highly recommend an upgrade as a prerequisite.
- Patch releases do not extend the EOS date.
Extended Support
During the Extended Support window:
- Only security updates (if required) that address newly discovered high vulnerabilities
- Legal or regulatory updates that require immediate remediation
End of Support
At the end of the support period, software versions enter the End of Support (EOS) phase where they are not eligible for regular security updates or bug fixes.
Patch Fix Policy
This policy defines how AtScale applies fixes and patches to current and previous software versions that are still supported (not EOS).
Semantics
Backport - defined as fixes that are moved into previous branches.
Forward merge - defined as the application of fixes to future versions.
Automatic Porting
When a bug is found and fixed:
- For released versions:
- Backports to STS and LTS versions are on an as needed or required basis
- For future software versions:
- All future STS and LTS versions will immediately receive the fix.
When a CVE (common vulnerability and exposure) issue is found and fixed:
- For released versions:
- Latest LTS version will receive the fix.
- For future software versions:
- All future STS and LTS versions will receive the fix.
Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Platform Support
The following outlines AtScale’s commitment to supported third-party integrations:
- AtScale will make best efforts to support a new version of third-party BI tools and data platforms within two quarters.
- AtScale ends BI Tool and Data Platform support on the software vendor's published end-of-life (EOL) date.
- In circumstances where the vendor does not publish EOL dates, please refer to the AtScale Supported Tools and Platforms section of the documentation.
- AtScale may choose to continue to support certain vendor’s software after the vendor's EOL date solely at AtScale’s discretion.
- AtScale will publish with every release, in the AtScale Supported Tools and Platforms section of the product documentation, what is supported.