Major Release

• Major new features, architecture changes, product components
• Naming convention: X.0 (may also have marketing name that uses the year or other convention)

Minor Release

• May include significant new features beyond previous minor/major version
• Full, standalone product build
• Naming convention: X.Y (may also have marketing name that uses the year or other convention like R2 or R3)

Maintenance Release

• May include previously released Service Packs and other fixes
• Full, standalone product build
• Naming convention: X.Y.Z

Service Pack

• Periodic rollup of Hotfixes and Patches
• May only be a set of files, not a full, standalone product build
• Released on a planned availability date
• Naming convention: X.Y Service Pack #Z

Patch

• In response to a specific Software Failure
• May only be a set of files, not a full, standalone product build
• Released ad-hoc, as soon as available
• Recommended to all customers to prevent a critical failure
• Naming convention: X.Y Patch #Z

Hotfix

• In response to a specific customer-reported Software Failure
• May only be a set of files, not a full, standalone product build
• Released ad-hoc, as soon as available, via CodeGear Support only
• Typically created in response to Severity-1 issues from Premium Support customers
• Naming convention: X.Y Hotfix #Z

Major Release Family

• Every Major, Minor, and Maintenance Release with the same ?X? version number

Version

• A specific instance of a Major, Minor, or Maintenance Release, identified by a version number of the form X.Y.Z, where X is a whole number that represents the Major Release, Y is a whole number that represents the Minor Release (for the first release in a Major Release Family), and and optional Z is a whole number that represents the Maintenance Release

Active Support

• CodeGear Support will open cases and assist customers with issues
• Version is eligible for Hotfixes, Patches, and Service Packs
• Active Support will generally be provided for at least one Version within a Major Release Family for at least 12 months after the initial Major Release

Passive Support

• CodeGear Support will open cases and assist customers with issues
• Version is NOT eligible for Hotfixes, Patches, and Service Packs
• To receive corrections to Software Failures, customers must upgrade to another Version, within the same Major Release Family, that is under Active Support

De-supported

• CodeGear Support will open cases, but may not be able to assist customers with issues that are specific to the de-supported version

General Availabilty

• First date on which Support will be made available to customers
• Term applies to a Major or Minor release
• At GA, the Version will generally enter the Active Support phase

Passive Support Date

• Date when a Version moves from Active Support to Passive Support
• Generally announced approximately 6 months in advance
• Not all Versions will pass through this phase some will move directly to a De-support Date

De-support Date

• First date on which all Versions within a Major Release Family are no longer eligible for Active or Passive Support
• Generally announced approximately 12 months in advance