Software Release Definitions and Entitlements for Solaris and OpenSolaris OS
Software Release Definitions and Entitlements for Solaris and OpenSolaris OS
This information guides you through the terminology used for Solaris and OpenSolaris Operating System (OS) releases, updates, and related entitlements based on Solaris and OpenSolaris OS software license agreements' and Sun Service Plans (Solaris Subscriptions or SunSpectrum System Service Plans) terms and conditions.
Solaris Named Releases include significant functionality changes. Although Solaris Named Releases may have kernel improvements, no incompatible changes are made to the Solaris Application Binary Interface. Solaris guarantees binary compatibility between releases. See the Solaris 10 Binary Applications Guarantee Program, for details. Solaris Named Releases have a number change such as Solaris 9 to Solaris 10.
Solaris Updates
For each Solaris Named Release, Sun may offer several Solaris Updates; these are designed to provide new functionality in a controlled manner. Although new functionality may be present, no incompatible interface changes are made . The result of these controls is binary compatibility between Solaris Updates of the same Solaris Named Release. Solaris Updates contain the software packages included in a Solaris Named Release, and may include Software Updates. Solaris Updates may also contain new packages. Customer typically need to install or upgrade to a Solaris Update which includes the new packages in order to utilize the new features they provide. A licensee can use a Solaris Update to install the Solaris OS on a new system or to upgrade a system that is already running an older Solaris Named Release. In either case a license and entitlement to use the software must be obtained from Sun. Solaris Updates are identified by a date after the related release number, e. g. Solaris 10 10/08.
Software Updates
Formerly referred to as patches, Software Updates include fixes and feature enhancements to pre-existing Solaris packages. They are applied on top of a Solaris installation and update the existing packages. Software Updates may contain a mixture of bug fix and feature code. Where Software Updates include new features, the features are almost always switched off by default ("NewBoot" is the notable exception) so that users applying the Software Update to get bug fixes will not experience an unexpected change to functionality. There's a separate set of Software Updates for each Solaris Named Release. The same set of Software Updates will apply to all Solaris Updates for a Solaris Named Release. All available Solaris Software Updates are pre-applied into the next Solaris Update so each Solaris Update has successively better quality.
OpenSolaris Definitions
OpenSolaris Package Updates and Support Repository Updates
Package Updates include fixes and features for OpenSolaris in the form of Security Updates, New Hardware Driver Updates, Data Corruption Updates, Availability Updates, Non-Critical Updates and Feature Updates. Support Repository Updates include Critical Updates as determined by Sun in its sole discretion. Package Updates and Support Repository Updates are designed to fix one or more existing software components in OpenSolaris by revising existing features or adding new features. Support Repository Updates only include those updates made available directly from Sun to customers with a current Sun Service Plan (such as SunSpectrum System Service Plan, OpenSolaris Subscriptions, or Sun Software Service Plan). Package Updates and Support Repository Updates do not include freely available updates accessible from the OpenSolaris community. Customer will be entitled to receive Support Repository Updates at such time, if any, as such items are made commercially available by Sun. At Sun's sole discretion, Package Updates are released approximately every 6 months ("Package Update Release Cycle") and Support Repository Updates may be released outside of the Package Update Release Cycle. At Sun's sole discretion, Customer may be required to download and install Package Updates and/or Support Repository Updates that have been released since Customer's previous installation of OpenSolaris in order to receive the latest Package Updates, Support Repository Updates and support.
OpenSolaris Package Updates do not include freely available updates accessible from the OpenSolaris community. OpenSolaris Package Updates only include those updates made available directly from Sun Microsystems to customers with a current Sun Service Plan (such as, SunSpectrum Service Plan, OpenSolaris Subscriptions, or Sun Software Service Plan).
OpenSolaris Entitlement
The OpenSolaris Binary Code License Agreement entitles the customer to use the OpenSolaris OS software and OpenSolaris Package Updates under the respective terms of the license.
For further information on the features of Sun's Service Plans related to OpenSolaris including a description of the technical support deliverables, visit Sun Software Service Plans and SunSpectrum Service Plans or OpenSolaris Binary Code License.
Contact Us
To learn more about any of the Solaris or OpenSolaris Entitlements, contact your Sun Sales Representative or Sun Authorized Reseller.
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