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Clarification about life cycle of the Service Pack of Windows Products

Answered Clarification about life cycle of the Service Pack of Windows Products

  • Friday, November 30, 2012 10:57 AM
     
     
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    Support ends 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first. 
    Does the above statement mean that if the product Windows 2000 Server Retired in July 2010, its latest Service Pack 'Windows Servier 2000 SP4' also got retired on the same date.

    If yes, is it be true to say that if the primary product has retired, all of its service packs and enhancements have also retired?

     

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  • Friday, November 30, 2012 11:25 AM
     
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    Hiya,

    Yes and yes.

    Primary product does not retire, if Service packs are still holding support.

    "Microsoft provides support on the current service pack, and in some cases the immediately preceding service pack, for the products listed below. See the Lifecycle Support Policy FAQ for details on the Service Pack Support Policy. As a convenience to you, Microsoft is providing a list of the currently supported service packs: Supported Service Pack List. If you have any questions regarding support for a product, please contact your Microsoft representative. If you need technical support, visit the Contact Microsoft Web site."

    Microsoft Product Lifecycle Search
    http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/search/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

    Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ
    http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy

     
  • Friday, November 30, 2012 11:38 AM
     
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    Hi,

    End of support for a product means that Microsoft will no longer provide support after this date.

    • For Consumer products, end of support is at the end of the Mainstream Support phase.
    • For Business and Developer products, end of support is the end of the Extended Support phase.

    After these dates, no further support will be provided for the product. This means that customers will not have access to:

    • Security updates or non-security hotfixes
    • Free or paid assisted support options
    • The option to engage Microsoft product development resources
    • Updates to online content (KB articles, etc.)

    Online content may be available, if the product is still within the Online Self-Help Support phase.

    End of support for a product service pack is 12 or 24 months after a new release, depending on the product family. Click here for details on the Service Pack Lifecycle Support policy. After the end of support, customers should expect the following:

    • No security updates or non-security hotfixes
    • Limited break/fix support incidents continue to be available, but there is no option to engage Microsoft product development resources
    • If the support incident requires escalation to development for further guidance, requires a hotfix, or requires a security update, customers will be asked to upgrade to a supported service pack

    The same info is in FAQs of MS support cycle.

    If above info doesn't answers your query seek help in http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/#ServicePackSupport

    Regards, Ravikumar P