[csw-users] Why support Solaris 8 onwards?

[Dennis Clarke]

>>
>> Geez, we still on this subject? (smile)

  It is a good one.

>> I think Sun only support OS releases as far back as
>> Solaris 7 now. They ended some of their support of the
>> older OS releases around Mar 2007. Check on that.

http://www.sun.com/service/eosl/solaris/solaris_vintage_eol_5.2005.xml

Solaris releases covered under Solaris Retirement Support, Phase 2

Release   LS Date*  Phase 1 End Date  Phase 2 End Date
Solaris 7 08/15/03  08/15/05          08/15/08

>> I think Solaris 8 is next on the list, but Solaris 7
>> will end before that (I expect Y2008 will be the end
>> of Solaris 7 support). Sun mention it supports up to
>> three OS releases so I expect Solaris 8 support until
>> "Solaris 11" is officially released.

   At this point I have to wonder about that.

   The customer runs the show.

>> Why are companies sticking with Solaris 8? Cost and
>> support. Also, no need to reinvent the wheel and
>> limited resources to test new deployments. The rules
>> of "old reliable car" versus "new shiny car" applies
>> here (or old spouse versus new spouse).

   It works.  Show me a compelling reason to upgrade.
   Really .. bring out a hum dinger of a reason.

   Zones ?   Yep .. that rocks.  Good enough for me.

>> We could ask Sun the question of why they still are
>> officially supporting Solaris 7?!?

   The customer runs the show.

>> Let us not get caught up on this as it is good the
>> Blastwave ISV supports Solaris 8 cause they feel like
>> it. Again, the point I made earlier was that we talked
>> about it becoming legacy support (not "unsupported").

Release     LS Date*    Phase 1 End Date  Phase 2 End Date
Solaris 8   02/16/07    3/31/09           03/31/12

>> Sun has moved a few of their products to Solaris 9/10
>> only. Good business sense for ISVs is to move to
>> Solaris 10 as the primary support model and Solaris
>> 8/9 as legacy support. But, that is a personal
>> business choice for each ISV business - even the
>> Blastwave ISV.

   Not so.

   This is where Solaris users build applications
   for both themselves and other Solaris users.

>> Hey, if supporting Solaris 8 onwards is putting 'food
>> on the table' for an ISV or Solaris professionals
>> around the world, then why rock the money tree?
>
> Solaris 8 is so entrenched in the field that Sun has developed a
> Branded zone called Etude, that provided a virtual Solaris 8
> environment on Solaris 10 systems, to encourage Solaris 8 users to
> migrate to Solaris 10.

  Yes, I read and talk with Marc Hamilton fairly often.

  I'm up to speed.

> Speaking of Etude, might this mean that their will be demand for the
> Solaris 8 Blastwave tree for longer than initially suspected?

Look here from earlier in this thread :

    > If we get agreement on a date, we need it writing up
    > unambiguously and publishing.

http://www.sun.com/service/eosl/solaris/solaris_vintage_eol_5.2005.xml

> I for one am happy to continue maintaining packages until then, and
> migrating
> to whatever new build specifications are arrived at for Solaris 10 and above
> when the bell rings.

That link above says TBD so I guess we have no idea. There are rules of
thumb of course.

See :

Solaris Operating System Life Cycle
Sun's Life Cycle Model for the Solaris Operating System
http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/lifecycle.xml


   The date -- >   3 / 31 / 09

   It is five quarters away.

Any issues with this ?

Dennis