McAfee Network Security Platform Release Process

Transcription

1 McAfee Network Security Platform Release Process Revision B This document details the McAfee Network Security Platform (also referred to as NSP) software release process. Network Security Platform s release process is based on customer requirements, and best practices followed by other McAfee teams. The primary objective of this process is to create and maintain well-defined and predictable release cycles, while addressing diverse customer needs that require them to stay on a single release for an extended period vs. adopting latest security features. NSP supports the following types of releases: Main Release: A main release [also known as baseline release] is suitable for customers who are under tight change control. A main release will provide new features and enhancements, is certified, and customers can stay on this version for an extended period. Feature Release: A feature release will provide new features and enhancements, and is suitable for customers who are willing to participate in early adoption of new features. Maintenance Release: A maintenance release [also known as patch release] will provide software fixes, and will be provided once every two months for both main releases and feature releases. Hotfix Release: A hotfix release will provide software fixes for both main releases and feature releases. This will be done only on a need basis to select customers who request for immediate fixes and cannot wait for the maintenance release. A hotfix release could also include more than one fix. Note: NSP Engineering will determine at the time of Release Plan Commit (RPC) whether a release will be a feature or main release. The version number for the release will be chosen accordingly. Below is a sample release cadence for NSP software releases: * The timelines depicted in the diagram are examples, and the exact months could differ. Page 1

2 Note the following terms used in this document to explain NSP s software support policy: End of Life Period [EoLP]: End of Life Period refers to the timeframe beginning with the day that McAfee announces product version discontinuation until the last date that the product version is formally supported by McAfee. EoLP is the period between EoLS and EoLE. End of Life Start [EoLS]: The following two scenarios are applicable: After EoLS is declared, there will be no further maintenance releases during the EoLP. Full signature set support and hotfixes will be provided for the next 12 months. In case of main releases, there will be an extended support of another 12 months [a total of 24 months after EoLS]. During this period, there will be no further maintenance releases. Full signature set support and limited critical hotfixes will be provided. End of Life End [EoLE]: No signature set or hotfix will be provided. The software is End of Life. Below is a diagrammatic representation of a main release and feature release life cycle: Listed below are characteristics of a main release vs. a feature release: Versioning Release Scope Timeline Support period Main Release The second digit of the product version will be numbered as.1. For example, 9.1, 10.1, 11.1 etc. A main release can include software enhancements for: New features Infrastructure update Supportability New hardware introduction Certification The main release will be approximately every 18 months. The main release support period will be 48 months: 24 months of Engineering and Technical Support - MRs, hotfixes, and full signature set support 24 months of Technical Support months - no MRs, full signature set support, and hotfixes months - no MRs, full signature set support, and limited critical hotfixes Feature Release The second digit of the product version will be numbered as.2,.3 etc. For example, 9.2, 9.3, 10.2, 10.3 etc. A feature release can include software enhancements for: New features Infrastructure update Supportability New hardware introduction The feature release will be approximately every 6 months until the next main release. The feature release support period will be 20 months: 8 months of Engineering and Technical Support - MRs, hotfixes, and full signature set support 12 months of Technical Support - no MRs, full signature set support, and hotfixes Page 2

3 End of Life Start (EoLS) End of Life Period (EoLP) End of Life End (EoLE) Maintenance Release Hotfixes Signature set Vulnerability fixes Support for new hardware/ platform Certification Localization Main Release EoLS will be 24 months after GA. An End of Life announcement will be sent to indicate this phase. EoLP will be 24 months. EoLE will be 24 months after EoLS. Maintenance release is planned to be provided once every 2 months on a need basis, up to EoLS. Hotfixes will be provided on a need basis using the following two scenarios: After EoLS is declared, hotfixes will be provided for the next 12 months. For the remaining period till EoLE, limited critical hotfixes will be provided. Signature set update will be provided up to EoLE. Vulnerability fixes will be provided on a need basis, up to EoLE. Feature Release EoLS will be 8 months after GA. An End of Life announcement will be sent to indicate this phase. EoLP will be 12 months. EoLE will be 12 months after EoLS. Maintenance release is planned to be provided once every 2 months on a need basis, up to EoLS. Hotfixes will be provided on a need basis, up to EoLE. Signature set update will be provided up to EoLE. Vulnerability fixes will be provided on a need basis, up to EoLE. Important: NSP Engineering may take an exception in certain cases where significant effort is required to support the fix. The Business Head s approval will be taken for exceptions. Any new NSP hardware or platform will be supported in either the main release or the feature releases, depending on the scope of changes involved. Each main release will be certified for CC/FIPS/UC APL etc. Certification releases will be numbered as x, x, x Localization of Manager Reports module UI and product documentation will be done for the main release, and will be available by MR1 of the main release. Each feature release s Manager Reports UI and Documentation will not be localized. The Manager Reports UI and overall product documentation are localized into the following languages: Japanese, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Page 3

4 Frequently Asked Questions Q: I am an existing NSP customer. When can I expect the implementation of the current version of the NSP release process? A: The NSP release process described in this document is effective Q4, 2017 onwards. Q: I am a new customer and want to install NSP. Which release branch should I use? A: McAfee recommends that you install a feature release to take advantage of the latest features and enhancements. However, your decision will need to account for the change control process of your organization. McAfee recommends you use the main release, if your organization: Applies a strict upgrade policy, Wishes to stay on a single release version for a long period Q: I am using the main release 8.1. Can I move to feature release 8.3? A: Yes. However, once a feature release is adopted, you must remain on the feature release path until the next main release is made available. If you need to go back to the previous main release, you would need to reconfigure and start fresh. Q: What are the supported upgrade options between feature releases and main releases? A: The supported upgrade scenarios for both Sensor and Manager software are: Upgrade from the previous main release to the next main release is supported. For example, from 8.1 to 9.1, 9.1 to 10.1 etc. Upgrade from the previous feature release to the next feature release is supported. For example, if there are feature releases 8.2 and 8.3, and you are currently on 8.2, you can upgrade to 8.3. Upgrade from the previous two feature releases to the next main release is supported. For example, if there are releases 8.2 and 8.3, you can upgrade from 8.2 and 8.3 both to the 9.1 release. Q: Will feature releases of the Manager support heterogeneous Sensors of feature and main releases? A: The supported scenarios are: The mainline Manager release will support heterogeneous Sensors for the immediate previous main release and immediate previous feature release. For example: The 9.1 Manager will support Sensors running on 9.1, 8.1, and the last feature release in 8.x Sensor software. The feature Manager release will support heterogeneous Sensors for the immediate previous feature release and the immediate previous main release. For example: The 8.3 Manager will support Sensors running on 8.3, and 8.1 Sensor software. Page 4

5 Note: The third digit will vary for different Sensor models. For example, M-series will be x and NS-series will be x. Q: Will feature releases of the Central Manager support heterogeneous Managers of feature and main releases? A: The supported scenarios are: The mainline Central Manager will support Heterogeneous Managers for the immediate previous mainline Manager release and immediate previous feature Manager release. For example: The 9.1 Central Manager will support Managers running on 9.1, 8.1, and the last feature release in the 8.x Manager software. The feature Central Manager release will support heterogeneous Managers for the immediate previous feature release and the immediate previous main release. For example: The 8.3 Central Manager will support Managers running in 8.3, and 8.1 Manager software. Q: Will McAfee provide advance notification when recommending customers to upgrade the Sensor software to a minimum recommended version for critical reasons? A: When McAfee announces a new Sensor software image to address any critical issue or vulnerability, McAfee will provide: A 6-months window for customers to upgrade to the minimum recommended image in case of a feature release (For example, from 8.2 to 8.3) or a maintenance release (For example, from to ) A 12-months window for customers to upgrade to the minimum recommended image in case of a main release (For example, from 9.1 to 10.1) Copyright 2017 McAfee, LLC McAfee and the McAfee logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its subsidiaries in the US and other countries. Other marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others. Page 5