The Product Support Life Cycle table describes the phase during which SonicWall products are eligible for product support and new release downloads. Models not listed here are considered to be current and have not yet entered the End of Support life cycle.
SonicWall products have five post-release phases:
Last Day Order (LDO) is advanced notification that we intend to start the end of life process. LDO is informational only and products in this phase are active and continue to sell support contracts.
Active Retirement Mode (ARM) is an announcement that we are no longer actively manufacturing or selling the product. Support contracts for products in this phase will continue to be available. During this time, we may release a limited number of new features and will issue bug fixes only to the latest version of firmware available on the device. Support is available throughout ARM for products with an active support contract. The duration of ARM is two years beginning one day after the end of Last Day Order.
One-Year Support Last Day Order represents the final day to purchase a one-year support contract or subscription service that bundles support from SonicWall Partners. You may purchase and activate the one-year support contract so that the product will be eligible to receive support until the product has reached End of Support.
Limited Retirement Mode (LRM) is an announcement to indicate that we will no longer develop or release firmware updates or new features for these products. Software and firmware support for products in LRM is limited to critical bugs and security vulnerabilities. The duration of this phase is three years beginning one day after the end of Active Retirement Mode.
End of Support (EOS) is an announcement to indicate that we will no longer provide technical support, firmware updates/upgrades or hardware replacement for the product, and that all remaining unique inventory or materials will become unavailable. We may continue to offer security service subscriptions during the End of Support phase, but we will no longer provide technical support for the product or any security service running on it.
Our firmware release model helps you make the right choice when it comes to deciding which firmware version to load onto your appliance.
General Release
General Release software is a mature, widely deployed and proven release and is the software of choice for reliability. General Releases are used for production environments.
Feature Release
Feature Release software is a new release that introduces major new features in the product. A Feature Release has gone through multiple and thorough engineering, quality, alpha, and beta test cycles and is being launched for general availability. A Feature Release is a candidate to move to General Release after the maturity criteria is met. Please refer to the release notes for a list of major features.
Maintenance Release
Maintenance Release software includes bug fixes and enhancements made to a previous release. A Maintenance Release has gone through engineering & quality test cycles and is launched for general availability. Maintenance Release is a candidate to move to General Release after the maturity criteria is met. Please refer to the release notes for full details.
Initial Release
Initial release software is the first release of a new product. It is recommended to upgrade to General Release upon availability.
Hotfix Release
Hotfix releases contain the latest fixes and patches, and are provided to customers who are looking to address specific issues. Eventually Hotfix releases are integrated into the Maintenance/General release.
Please note: The above release definitions reflect our current release types. References to legacy or retired release types, including “Early Release,” may continue to exist throughout the website and technical documentation. Before performing any software or firmware upgrades, it is recommended that you consult the relevant Release Notes as they may include exception notices or warnings.
