SpringSource Product Maintenance

Maintenance consists of SpringSource providing Customers with Error Corrections (“Patches”),  Workarounds (during the period in which the Workaround is in place), Permanent Corrections (“Updates”), and Releases (“Upgrades”) to the supported software during the period in which the Customer has an active Support Plan.  

Product Versioning
A three-place numbering scheme is used to designate released versions of the Products. The format is R.V.M, where ‘R’ indicates the Release level, ‘V’ indicates the Version level, and ‘M’ indicates the Maintenance Fix level. An example would be version 2.1.3. Often in referring to general Product versions and releases, the Maintenance level is omitted. For example, both 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 may sometimes be referred to as Version 2.1. Each Version will be supported for thirty-six (36) months from the date the Version is initially released. Maintenance for each Version is supplied via fixes or patches to the Products.  SpringSource will fix errors only in the most current Maintenance Fix level for each Version of the Software Products that fall within the timeframe detailed in this Section 5.1. Customer Support will direct customers to existing fixes/patches and workarounds applicable to the reported case. Customer Support may direct customers to upgrade to a more current Release / Version / Mantenance Fix of the Software Products.

Version Upgrades – SpringSource’s policy is to release one or two Version Upgrades per year.  An Upgrade, indicated by the first or second digit in SpringSource’s product versioning, means an upgrade of the SpringSource Product and Documentation that adds significant new features to the SpringSource Software.  At the time of release, Upgrades will include the most current open source distributions that are deemed stable and supportable by SpringSource.  SpringSource will support all Versions of a Product for 36 months from its general availability (GA) date.  All customers under a SpringSource Subscription plan will be entitled to Version Upgrades.

Minor Maintenance Releases (“Updates”) – SpringSource’s policy is to periodically release Updates between each Version Upgrade.  A minor Update, indicated by the third digit in SpringSource’s product versioning, means an update of the Product subsequent to the Version Upgrade which incorporates (i) accumulated error corrections, (ii) enhancements, (iii) improvements, or (iv) new platform support, together with new or revised documentation that properly describes the updated software.  At the time of release, Updates will include the most current open source distributions that are deemed stable and supportable by SpringSource.  All customers under a SpringSource Subscription plan will be entitled to minor Updates.  

Error Corrections (“Patches”) – SpringSource’s policy is to release Patches to its subscription customers as is appropriate and required.  A Patch, which will be indicated by a letter (e.g. 2.5.6a) after the third digit in SpringSource’s Product versioning, means a fix or patch for the SpringSource Product in order to address errors in the SpringSource Software so that it continues to operate in accordance with the product documentation.  Patches will not provide feature or functionality enhancements to the Product.  All customers under a SpringSource Subscription plan will be entitled to Patches.  

Notification to Customers

As Upgrades, Updates or Patches are made available for the supported software, SpringSource will send out a notice to all customers for that software.  The email notification will include details of what software was updated, any documentation changes or additions and how to receive the new software.