138 lines
6.9 KiB
Markdown
138 lines
6.9 KiB
Markdown
Support for BeeGFS <!-- omit in toc -->
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==================
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- [Overview](#overview)
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- [Documentation](#documentation)
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- [Community Support](#community-support)
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- [Enterprise Support](#enterprise-support)
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- [Support Lifecycle and Policies](#support-lifecycle-and-policies)
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- [BeeGFS Versioning](#beegfs-versioning)
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- [Release Lifecycle](#release-lifecycle)
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- [End-of-Life (EOL)](#end-of-life-eol)
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- [End-of-Support (EOS)](#end-of-support-eos)
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- [Example Scenarios](#example-scenarios)
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# Overview
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The BeeGFS community edition is available free of charge and shares a common codebase with our
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[enterprise edition](https://www.beegfs.io/c/enterprise/enterprise-features/). The enterprise
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edition includes support alongside additional features, and is how we fund ongoing BeeGFS
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development. Regardless of whether you use the paid or community edition, we welcome [GitHub
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issues](https://github.com/ThinkParQ/beegfs/issues) for bugs and feature requests from everyone in
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our community.
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**Please note:** GitHub issues are not the place for general questions on how to deploy or use
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BeeGFS. Refer to the resources below. If you are unsure if your issue is a bug or "working as
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designed," feel free to open an issue, and we will politely direct you to community support options
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if necessary.
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Thank you for being part of the BeeGFS community!
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# Documentation
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* [BeeGFS Documentation Site](https://doc.beegfs.io).
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* [Building BeeGFS from sources](README.md) (for developers).
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* Check out the [contributing guide](CONTRIBUTING.md) if you'd like to contribute to BeeGFS!
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# Community Support
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BeeGFS is fortunate to have an active community of users who are often willing to help with general
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questions on designing, deploying, and otherwise administering BeeGFS.
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* [BeeGFS Google Groups](https://groups.google.com/g/fhgfs-user).
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* [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/ThinkParQ/beegfs/discussions).
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While our team moderates these forums to ensure posts are on-topic and meet our [Code of
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Conduct](code-of-conduct.md), we generally do not actively respond to posts. However, we are always
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keeping an eye out for ways to improve BeeGFS and our documentation.
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# Enterprise Support
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The BeeGFS [enterprise edition](https://www.beegfs.io/c/enterprise/enterprise-features/) offers:
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- Dedicated support from BeeGFS experts.
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- Access to features not available in the community edition such as storage pools and quotas.
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- Assistance with designing, deploying, and managing BeeGFS.
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If you are a current BeeGFS enterprise customer with a valid support contract, please contact our
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support team via the channels specified in your support contract documentation.
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If you are interested in enterprise support, professional services, or learning more about the
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additional features of the enterprise edition, please contact us at
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[info@thinkparq.com](mailto:info@thinkparq.com).
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# Support Lifecycle and Policies
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## BeeGFS Versioning
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Starting with BeeGFS 8, we will more strictly adhere to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
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to ensure a predictable and consistent support lifecycle. BeeGFS releases follow a MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
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versioning scheme, where:
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* Major releases (e.g., 8.x) introduce breaking changes and new features.
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* Minor releases (e.g., 8.1, 8.2) add functionality in a backward-compatible manner.
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* Note: Enabling new functionality typically requires all components to be on the same version
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otherwise older components may see errors about unknown functionality.
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* Patch releases (e.g., 8.0.1, 8.1.2) contain only backward-compatible bug fixes and security
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updates.
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## Release Lifecycle
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* Latest Major Release (e.g., BeeGFS 8.x)
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* Actively maintained with bug fixes, security patches, and feature enhancements.
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* Receives support for new operating systems, kernels, and DOCA/OFED versions.
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* New deployments are recommended to use this version to ensure continued support without
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requiring a major upgrade.
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* Previous Major Releases (e.g., BeeGFS 7.x)
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* Receive critical security and stability fixes until the release reaches EOL.
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* Receive best effort support for new operating systems, kernels, and DOCA/OFED versions until the
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release reaches EOL.
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* New deployments are strongly discouraged from using these versions.
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* Minor and Patch Releases (e.g., 8.1.0, 8.0.1)
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* To receive bug fixes and security patches, users must upgrade to the latest available patch or
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minor version within their major release, as fixes will not be backported to older minor
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versions.
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## End-of-Life (EOL)
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* A BeeGFS release reaches EOL when it no longer receives regular updates, including:
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* Bug fixes
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* Security patches
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* Support for new OS/kernel/DOCA/OFED versions.
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* New deployments should not be performed using a release that has reached EOL.
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* Users with active support contracts for systems originally deployed on that version may still
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receive best-effort patches if they cannot upgrade to the latest major version due to
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incompatibilities.
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* Patches made after a release reaches EOL will typically be private unless they address a
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security vulnerability that affects all users.
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* EOL timing: When a new major BeeGFS is made available, adoption trends, stability, and customer
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feedback are considered before announcing the EOL date for the previous major release. Generally
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the EOL date will be no less than 12 months from the release date of the new major version.
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## End-of-Support (EOS)
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* When a BeeGFS release reaches EOS it is considered obsolete and no further updates will be
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made—even for customers with a support contract.
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* EOS timing: Depending on customer demand and extended support contracts EOS will typically follow
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EOL by 12-24 months.
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* ThinkParQ support will assist all customers holding a valid support contract regardless if the
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BeeGFS version has reached EOS.
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If support identifies a software issue in an EOS release, the recommended action will be to upgrade
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to a supported version where the issue is (or can be) resolved. Support will assist as needed to
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define a recommended upgrade path.
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## Example Scenarios
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* A user with/without support running BeeGFS 8.0.0 finds a bug before BeeGFS 7 reaches EOL:
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* If critical, it may be fixed in a patch release (8.0.1).
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* If less severe or found/fixed close to the next scheduled release, it may be fixed in a minor
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release (8.1.0).
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* If this bug also affects BeeGFS 7, it would be backported to the latest 7.x patch release (e.g.,
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7.4.x).
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* A user with support running BeeGFS 7 after it reaches EOL finds a bug impacting performance or
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stability:
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* If the bug affects BeeGFS 8 and has not yet been fixed, a fix will be made in the latest 8.x
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release and the user advised to upgrade if possible.
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* If the user is unable to upgrade to BeeGFS 8 due to incompatibilities in their OS/kernel/etc.,
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the feasibility of patching BeeGFS 7 will be evaluated and decided on a case-by-case basis
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working in conjunction with the user to identify the best possible solution.
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