IBM Support

Support Statement for the IBM Storage Virtualize Family of Products and Related Software

Preventive Service Planning


Abstract

This document provides information on the IBM Storage Virtualize Family and related software, Customer Service & Support, Software Product Delivery Definitions, Software Upgrade Program information, Maintenance Information, a Support Matrix, and IBM's Software Support Life-Cycle Policy.

Note that this document was formally known as Support Statement for the Spectrum Virtualize Family of Products and Related Software

Content

Refer to http://www.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle/ to find out about the end of support date for your product.

The information in this document pertains to the following software products that are referred to as "IBM Storage Virtualize Family software" in this document:

  • IBM Storwize V3x00
  • IBM Storwize V5x00
  • IBM Storwize V7000
  • IBM Storwize V7000 Unified
  • IBM SAN Volume Controller
  • IBM FlashSystem 5x00
  • IBM FlashSystem 7x00
  • IBM FlashSystem 9x00
  • IBM FlashSystem V9000
  • IBM Storage Virtualize as Software
  • IBM Storage Virtualize for Public Cloud

Customer Service & Support
The primary goal of the IBM Storage Virtualize Family software Customer Service & Support process, is to offer superior support and service levels to customers through regular transitions from current versions, or releases of IBM Storage Virtualize Family software products, to new deliveries of those products. These deliveries come in the form of new IBM Storage Virtualize Family software versions and releases. The IBM Storage Virtualize Family software products adhere to the IBM Software Support Life-Cycle Policy for International Program License Agreement (IPLA) products. Note for Storwize V3x00 products, the IBM Storage Virtualize software is License Machine Code and treated as firmware.

Product Delivery Definitions
Product deliveries are categorized according to a Version.Release.Modification (V.R.M) format. A new product "Version" typically would indicate that the designated delivery would have significant new code, features, or functions. A new product "Release" might indicate a new update of the same product Version, and might typically include changes to existing functions and features, or might include new minor product features. These new features would customarily be smaller in scope than those provided in a new "Version" product delivery.

A new product delivery "Modification" would typically consist of minor upgrades to some of the current product functions and features. A Modification might consist of defect fixes, with no new function additions.

Upgrades
IBM Storage Virtualize Family software intends to provide appropriate methodology for software transition (for example, migration or upgrade paths) to the new product deliveries from all currently supported product deliveries. The objective is for customers to be able to concurrently upgrade from their current code level to the most recent code level in one step. However, it might be necessary for the customer to upgrade to an intermediate code level, and then upgrade to the most recent code level, depending on the original level of IBM Storage Virtualize Family software from which they are starting.

Supported upgrade paths can be determined by consulting the Concurrent Compatibility and Code Cross Reference pages listed here:

Maintenance
The IBM Storage Virtualize Family software customer support objectives are to fix reported defects in the most current level of the product, and in prior supported levels where feasible. Fixes for less severe defects might be deferred to the next product release if it is not feasible to fix them in the current level of code. While the IBM Storage Virtualize Family software Support team evaluates all problems and issues on currently supported software (that is, offer Level 2 support) the customer might be required to install the most current maintenance level to receive defect fix support.

If a supported IBM Storage Virtualize Family software V.R.M is running with operating systems, storage controllers, or other SAN fabric elements that are no longer generally supported, IBM Storage Virtualize Family software Support might be limited to defects that can be duplicated on fully supported configuration environments.

Voice support is available for IBM Storage Virtualize Family software products by calling your country support phone number.

Support Status
When an "end of service" date is announced for a product release, it is updated here and in the Software Support Lifecycle page www.ibm.com/software/support/systemsstorage/lifecycle/ for Storage Software.

Key:
VRM = version, release, modification
EOS = end of service

IBM Storage Virtualize software:
VRM
Life-Cycle Policy
EOS Date
EOS Announcement Letter Number
8.6.x
8.5.x
Standard
8.4.x
 December 31, 2024 923-784
8.3.x
 December 31, 2023 922-113
8.2.x
 September 30, 2022 2 921-049
8.1.x
December 31, 2020
919-138
7.8.x
 December 31, 2022 921-049
7.7.x
September 30, 2019 1
918-047
7.6.x
April 30, 2019
917-149
7.5.0
December 30, 2018
917-149
7.4.0
April 27, 2018
917-045
7.3.0
September 29, 2017
916-149
7.2.0
April 28, 2017
916-090
7.1.0
April 28, 2017
916-090
6.4.0
September 30, 2015
914-182
6.3.0
April 30, 2015
914-056
6.2.0
September 30, 2014
913-179
6.1.0
April 30, 2014
913-068
5.1.0
April 30, 2014
913-012
4.3.1
April 30, 2012
911-055
4.3.0
4.2.x
September 30, 2010
909-176
4.1.x
September 30, 2009
908-183
3.1.x
April 24, 2009
907-185
2.1.x
April 25, 2008
907-064
1.2.x
April 27, 2007
905-206
1.1.x
September 29, 2006

1 Exception: V7000 Gen1 with compressed volumes
2 Exception: V5010, V5020, and V9000

   

Storwize V7000 Unified File Module software:
VRM
Life-Cycle Policy
EOS Date
EOS Announcement Letter Number
1.6.0
Standard
 September 30, 2022 921-049
1.5.0
 September 29, 2017 916-149
1.4.0
June 30,2015
915-020
1.3.0
April 30, 2015
914-056

   

For information about which VRM is supported by a particular model of hardware enclosure, consult the following Hardware Interoperability Matrices:

   

Install packages for IBM Storage Virtualize family software can be obtained from IBM Fix Central.

IBM Software Support Life-Cycle Policy
The IBM Software Support Lifecycle policy specifies the length of time support is available for IBM software from when the product is available for purchase to the time the product is no longer supported. Full details are available from www.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle

   

   

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Document Information

Modified date:
22 March 2024

UID

ssg1S1002280

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