The software support lifecycle policy for IBM® Cloud Pak for Security is a unique combination of the IBM® Continuous Delivery (CD) Software Support Lifecycle Policy (with customizations) and the software support lifecycle policies of the bundled products.

Overview

IBM® Cloud Pak for Security contains both bundled products and software from open source projects. Because the bundled programs also have their own support lifecycle policies, but the open source software (OSS) does not, that makes the Cloud Pak for Security Support Lifecycle Policy more complex than usual.

It is important to understand these cases:

1. The Cloud Pak for Security is itself a versioned product that follows the IBM® CD Software Support Lifecycle Policy (with customizations).
2. Those components of Cloud Pak for Security that are not also bundled products (mainly the OSS) follow the same support lifecycle policy as Cloud Pak for Security.
3. The bundled products, when used in combination with components described in (2), also follow the same support lifecycle policy as Cloud Pak for Security.
4. The bundled products, when installed and used as stand-alone (that is, not with the components described in (2)), follow their individual support lifecycle policies, including options for extended support. Based on the Cloud Pak for Security license:

Licensee can deploy and use any then currently supported version or release of the listed programs.

*Announcement Letter

IBM® Cloud Pak for Security follows the IBM® Continuous Delivery (CD) Software Support Lifecycle Policy, adhering in every way except as listed. This applies to software and products listed in the cases (1), (2) and (3) defined in the Overview section.

• Cloud Pak for Security does not have any plans for a Long Term Support Release (LTSR) option.
• The numbering scheme for the version of IBM® Cloud Pak for Security is based on the V.R.M.F Maintenance Stream Delivery Vehicle VRMF Maintenance Stream Delivery Vehicle Description.
• Cloud Pak for Security treats each Version or Version Release as a new IBM® CD Release with new support dates.  New modification and fix pack versions are both equivalent to an IBM® CD "CD update package".
  • Bug and security fixes are provided during the first 6 months from Version or Version Release General Availability date.
  • General support is provided during the first 12 months from Version or Version Release General Availability date.
• In addition to IBM® software and products, Cloud Pak for Security includes components derived from Open Source Software and Red Hat products. Support for all of these is available through your usual IBM® Support channels, with defined response goals. If the defect is determined to be in a Red Hat product or open source project, then your IBM® Support representative works to resolve the defect and deliver a fix. More details are available in the next section.

Supported Open Source in Cloud Pak for Security

Cloud Pak for Security represents the tested and supported integration of many open source projects used in combination to deliver the product capabilities and user experience.

However, IBM® will fully support (in accordance with the characteristics of support) these open source projects, support is limited to their use in delivering the product capabilities and user experience of Cloud Pak for Security. IBM® does not support the use of these open source projects when they have been unbundled from Cloud Pak for Security, or, after the installation of Cloud Pak for Security, they are used separate from or independently of Cloud Pak for Security.

Any reported problems must be reproducible on a Cloud Pak for Security CD update package.

Updating the component parts of Cloud Pak for Security with later versions of the included open source components is not supported.

For supported open source components of Cloud Pak for Security:

• If an identified problem requires a fix to an open source project, the ability to deliver this fix is contingent on the open source community project accepting and publishing the fix for the required version.  IBM® supplies reasonable effort to identify the fix and work with the community to have the fix included in an appropriate release.

Support Lifecycle Policies of Included Supported Products

As described in the Overview section, Cloud Pak for Security bundles the products listed, which continue to exist as stand-alone products with their own support lifecycle policies. The existing support lifecycle policy of each bundled supported product remains unchanged even though that product is included in IBM® Cloud Pak for Security, and is in effect for case (4) described in the Overview section:

4. The bundled products, when installed and used as stand-alone (i.e. not with the components described in (2) in the Overview section) product, follow their individual support lifecycle policies, including options for extended support.

The ratio table in the license also governs how much of each bundled product can be deployed by using Cloud Pak for Security entitlements. Fractional entitlements are not allowed.

For a description of the existing policies that apply, refer to the following links:

• Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (RHOCP)
• IBM® Cloud Private

Support Schedule for Cloud Pak for Security

Software support discontinuance, or end of service, for a product is announced at least six months before it becomes effective. If you require more technical support from IBM®, including an extension of support beyond the discontinuance date, contact your IBM® representative or IBM® business partner.

The following table shows the support dates for Cloud Pak for Security.

Related documentation and updates on the support schedule is kept in IBM Documentation.