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Important Guidance for IBM Control Desk Customers

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Abstract

What Happens After December 31, 2026?

Content

As per blog Important Guidance for IBM Control Desk Customers, IBM Control Desk has supported IT service management teams for many years, and as the product approaches the last stage of its supported lifecycle, customers are encouraged to begin planning their transition to IBM Maximo IT, IBM’s modern, continuously delivered IT service management solution. This document outlines what support remains for Control Desk, what changes after December 31, 2026, and how customers can prepare for what comes next. This document is intended to help IBM Control Desk customers plan confidently and leverage the latest features of IBM Maximo IT.

 

Key Lifecycle Milestones to take notice of
IBM formally announced the transition to extended support for IBM Control Desk 7.6.1.x and compatible products in September 2023 (IBM Announcement Letter #922‑024). Since that announcement, the following milestones apply:

  • Announce end of Marketing: April 19, 2024
  • Completion of Standard Support: September 30, 2025
  • Extended Support (optional, one year only): October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026
  • Sustained Support: October 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026

After December 31, 2026, all IBM support for Control Desk wraps up.

 

After December 31, 2026: What Changes?
After December 31, 2026, IBM Control Desk becomes unsupported. At that point:

  • No IBM support options
  • No fixes, patches, or security updates are provided
  • No defect or critical issue support is available
  • No regulatory, security, currency, or compliance updates are delivered

While customers may technically continue running the software, most organizations — particularly those with compliance, security, or availability requirements — this represents significant and increasing risk over time.

 

The Supported Path Forward: IBM Maximo IT
IBM’s strategic and supported successor for Control Desk customers is IBM Maximo IT (Part of the Maximo Application Suite).

Moving to Maximo IT enables customers to:

  • Move to a modern, continuously delivered platform
  • Access ongoing innovation and functional enhancements
  • Improve security, scalability, and availability
  • Align IT service management with broader enterprise asset and operational data

Deployment options include on‑premises, hybrid, SaaS and cloud environments.

 

Planning Is Essential — Even If You’re Not Ready to Move Yet
Extended/Sustained Support through the end of 2026 provides customers time to plan thoughtfully, but it should be viewed as planning runway, not a destination. Extended Support, where applicable, offers temporary coverage for critical issues but does not change the final support endpoint.

All customers should have a migration plan in place well before end of 2026.

For customers on Flexible Contract Terms (FCT), migration planning should also include the required transition to Passport Advantage (PA).

 

Get Help and Next Steps
IBM provides a wide range of resources to support customers through this transition, including:

 

Final Takeaway
December 31, 2026 is the final endpoint for IBM Control Desk support.
After that date, there are no support, maintenance, or escalation options available.

Moving to IBM Maximo IT ensures your IT service management platform remains secure, supported, and positioned for the future.

Now is the time to plan. Reach out for how we can help.

Go to IT Service and IT Asset Management | IBM Maximo Application Suite and Click on Chat to find your sales team.

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Document Information

Modified date:
06 May 2026

UID

ibm17269505

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