Software Support Policy
Published on August 8, 2024.
1. Purpose
StrongDM is committed to delivering high-quality, innovative solutions to our customers. To maintain this commitment and support our evolving technology, we have established this End of Support (EOS) and End of Life (EOL) policy (the "Policy"). This Policy outlines the lifecycle of StrongDM software components installed within customer infrastructure. This policy specifically applies to client, relay, gateway, and other software components that customers install and manage.
2. Definitions
End of Support (EOS): The date after which StrongDM will no longer provide standard technical support, bug fixes, or security updates for a specific product version.
End of Life (EOL): The date after which a product version will no longer be supported, maintained, or available for use.
General Availability (GA): The date when a new product version is officially released and available for general use.
Major Version: A significant release that may include architectural changes, major feature additions, or changes that may be incompatible with previous versions. Denoted by an increment in the first number of the version (e.g., from 1.x.x to 2.0.0).
Minor Version: A release that adds new features or functionality in a backwards-compatible manner. Denoted by an increment in the second number of the version (e.g., from 1.1.x to 1.2.0).
Patch Version: A release that fixes incorrect behavior in a backwards-compatible manner. Denoted by an increment in the third number of the version (e.g. from 1.1.0 to 1.1.1). Patch Versions may be non-consecutive and some Patch Versions may not be released publicly.
3. Scope of Policy
This policy applies exclusively to StrongDM software components installed within customer infrastructure or used by customers to manage their StrongDM Tenant, including but not limited to: client applications (GUI and CLI), relay binaries, and gateway binaries, software development kits, infrastructure as code modules, and any other software components installed and managed by customers. This Policy does not apply to StrongDM's SaaS offerings, which are continuously updated and maintained by StrongDM.
4. Product Lifecycle
StrongDM products typically follow this lifecycle:
1. General Availability (GA)
2. Full Support
3. Limited Support (after EOS date)
4. End of Life (EOL).
5. Software Components Lifecycle
5.1 Supported Versions - For software components installed within customer infrastructure (client, relay, gateway, etc.) StrongDM typically supports the current major version and the previous major version. A list of currently supported versions and their EOS/EOL dates will be maintained on our support website.
5.2 SaaS Compatibility - StrongDM's SaaS service is continuously updated to provide the best performance and security. Software components that are not kept up-to-date may stop working with the SaaS services. Customers are strongly encouraged to regularly update their installed software components to ensure continued compatibility with the SaaS service.
5.3 Support Timelines - Full support is provided for a minimum of 12 months from the GA date of a major version release. EOS for a major version occurs 12 months after the release of the subsequent major version. The period between EOS and EOL will typically be 3 months, during which only critical security updates will be provided. EOL date will be announced at least 3 months in advance
6. Shared Responsibility Model
StrongDM follows a shared responsibility model for maintaining and securing our software components. This model delineates the responsibilities of StrongDM and our customers to ensure optimal performance, security, and compatibility.
StrongDM's Responsibilities:
- Provide regular updates and patches for supported versions of our software components.
- Maintain backwards compatibility for minor version updates within a major version.
- Communicate EOS and EOL dates with sufficient notice.
- Provide documentation and support for upgrade processes.
- Ensure the continuous updating and security of our SaaS offerings.
Customer Responsibilities:
- Regularly update StrongDM software components to the latest supported version.
- Plan and execute upgrades before the EOS date of their current version.
- Monitor StrongDM communications regarding EOS and EOL announcements.
- Ensure their infrastructure meets the requirements for running the latest versions of StrongDM software components.
- Report any issues or incompatibilities to StrongDM support promptly.
Customers who do not fulfill these responsibilities may experience degraded performance, loss of functionality, or security vulnerabilities. StrongDM strongly recommends that customers maintain their software at the latest supported version to ensure optimal performance, security, and compatibility with our continuously updated SaaS offerings.
7. Supported Versions
StrongDM will typically support the current major version and the previous major version. A list of currently supported versions and their EOS/EOL dates will be maintained on our support website.
8. Backend Compatibility
Due to ongoing improvements in our backend infrastructure, older versions of StrongDM software may become incompatible with our services. Customers running versions approaching EOS or EOL may experience degraded performance or loss of functionality. StrongDM strongly recommends that customers upgrade to the latest supported version to ensure full compatibility and optimal performance.
9. Exceptions
In exceptional circumstances, StrongDM may, at its sole discretion, extend support for a specific version beyond its announced EOS or EOL date. Such extensions will be communicated directly to affected customers.
10. Communication
StrongDM will communicate EOS and EOL dates through multiple channels, including:
- Email notifications to legal notice address for current customers
- Announcements on our support website
- In-product notifications (where applicable)
11. Policy Updates
StrongDM reserves the right to modify this policy as needed. Any changes will be communicated to customers and posted on our website. For more information or questions about this policy, please contact https://help.strongdm.com/hc/en-us