1. What is the Support Lifecycle policy?

The Microsoft Support Lifecycle (MSL) policy standardizes Microsoft product support policies for Business and Developer products, and for Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products. The Support Lifecycle policy was originally announced on October 15, 2002. A Support Lifecycle policy update went into effect June 1, 2004. The Support Lifecycle policy update applies to most Business and Developer products that were in Mainstream support on June 1, 2004, and to future product versions. The new Support Lifecycle policy provides:

Business and Developer products

Microsoft will offer a minimum of 10 years of support for Business and Developer products. Mainstream Support for Business and Developer products will be provided for 5 years or for 2 years after the successor product (N+1) is released, whichever is longer. Microsoft will also provide Extended Support for the 5 years following Mainstream support or for 2 years after the second successor product (N+2) is released, whichever is longer. Finally, most Business and Developer products will receive at least 10 years of online self-help support.

Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products

Microsoft will offer Mainstream Support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product’s general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product (N+1) is released, whichever is longer. Extended Support is not offered for Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products. Products that release new versions annually, such as Microsoft Money, Microsoft Encarta, Microsoft Picture It!, and Microsoft Streets & Trips, will receive a minimum of 3 years of Mainstream Support from the product's date of availability. Most products will also receive at least 8 years of online self-help support. Microsoft Xbox games are currently not included in the Support Lifecycle policy.

To find the support timelines for your product, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

2. Does this policy affect U.S. customers only, or is this policy global?

The Microsoft Support Lifecycle (MSL) policy is a worldwide policy. However, Microsoft understands that local laws, market conditions, and support requirements differ around the world and differ by industry sector. Therefore, Microsoft offers custom support relationships that go beyond the Extended Support phase. These custom support relationships may include assisted support and hotfix support, and may extend beyond 10 years from the date a product becomes generally available. Strategic Microsoft partners may also offer support beyond the Extended Support phase. Customers and partners can contact their account team or their local Microsoft representative for more information.

3. What is the difference between Mainstream Support, Extended Support, and online self-help support?

Note A hotfix is a modification to the commercially available Microsoft product software code to address specific critical problems.

4. Will Microsoft offer support beyond the Extended Support phase?

Microsoft understands that local laws, market conditions, and support requirements differ around the world and differ by industry sector. Therefore, Microsoft offers custom support relationships that go beyond the Extended Support phase. These custom support relationships may include assisted support and hotfix support, and may extend beyond 10 years from the date a product becomes generally available. Strategic Microsoft partners may also offer support beyond the Extended Support phase. Customers and partners can contact their account team or their local Microsoft representative for more information.

5. If my program is currently supported under the Support Lifecycle policy, but my operating system is no longer supported, can I still receive support for the program? For example, can I receive support for Microsoft Office 2000 running on Microsoft Windows 98?

If the problem is specific to the program, Microsoft will provide support. If the problem is a result of the combination of the operating system and the program, that particular problem will not be supported.

6. Why are you defining the Support Lifecycle policy?

Customers have asked Microsoft to be consistent and to demonstrate predictability. The Support Lifecycle policy establishes a clear and predictable policy for product support timelines. The policy helps customers and partners manage their support requirements. The policy also allows both product planning and information technology planning in organizations based on knowledge of the support timelines for Microsoft products.

7. How was the Support Lifecycle policy developed?

Microsoft worked closely with Microsoft product teams, with customers, with partners, with leading analysts, and with research firms to determine clear and consistent policies.

8. What products will the Support Lifecycle policy cover and when will it go into effect?

The Support Lifecycle policy went into effect October 15, 2002, with a major revision on June 1, 2004. This policy revision covers most products that were available through retail purchase or volume licensing as of June 1, 2004, and most future products versions. For information about end-of-support timelines and Extended Support options* for all products, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

* Extended support is not offered for Consumer, Hardware, Multimedia, or Business Solutions products.

9. Does the June 1, 2004 policy revision of the Microsoft Support Lifecycle have any impact on product license availability?

The plan for license availability as it relates to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy has not changed. All of the current license availability dates are still in effect.

10. If I have multiple Microsoft products do they all share the same support lifecycle timelines?

The Microsoft Support Lifecycle timelines are consistent by product family for new and future versions of its products. However, older versions of Microsoft products may have different lifecycle timelines. Therefore, it is important to verify the exact product support dates for your product. To do this, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

11. Who can receive support in the Extended Support phase?

Extended Support will be available to all customers*. Extended Support includes paid support (support that is charged on an hourly basis or per incident), security update support at no additional cost, and paid hotfix support. To receive hotfix support, an Extended Hotfix Support contract must be purchased within the first 90 days following the end of the Mainstream Support phase. Microsoft will not accept requests for warranty support, design changes, or new features during the Extended Support phase.

* Extended Support is not offered for Consumer, Hardware, or Multimedia products.

12. After the Microsoft assisted and paid support offerings have ended, what are my options if I want to continue to receive support?

Microsoft has created a Web site that lists the support options that are available for Microsoft products that no longer receive assisted support from Microsoft. For more information, visit the Retired Product Support Options Web site.

13. How does the Support Lifecycle policy work with the Essential and Premier support agreements?

In the Mainstream Support phase, customers receive the same support as they do today with no additional contracts or agreements. In the Extended Support phase, paid assisted support and security update support are provided. An Extended Hotfix Support contract is required for hotfix support. Customers with existing support contracts can work with their technical account manager (TAM) or with their technical account specialist (TAS) to determine the options that are available for their specific circumstances. Non-managed accounts (customers who have no support contract) have the option to participate in the Extended Hotfix Support program that provides minimal account management to allow for hotfix requests.

14. How can customers who do not have an Essential or Premier agreement obtain an Extended Hotfix Support contract for hotfixes?

Customers can contact their local Microsoft sales office. Visit the Microsoft Worldwide Web site, locate your country, and then click Go to obtain information about purchasing an Extended Hotfix Support contract. Ask to speak with the local Premier Support sales manager.

15. I do not need hotfix support, I need only phone support during the Extended Support phase. Must I have an Extended Hotfix Support contract?

No. You can purchase telephone support during the Extended Support phase as required.

16. How will the Support Lifecycle policy affect Personal Support (telephone and Web support options that are customized to meet the requirements of home users and home office customers)?

During the Mainstream Support phase, customer support options remain the same as they are today. Customers can check product lifecycle information at the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site for their product’s Extended Support options. If Extended Support is available, customers can purchase either phone-only support or an Extended Hotfix Support contract for hotfix support.

17. What is the Security Update policy?

Microsoft has not changed its Security Update policy:

Business and Development software

Security updates will be available through the end of the Extended Support phase (five years of Mainstream Support plus five years of the Extended Support) at no additional cost for most products. Security updates will be posted on the Microsoft Update Web site during both the Mainstream and the Extended Support phase.

Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products

Security updates will be available through the end of the Mainstream Support phase.

18. Is the Extended Hotfix Support program required for customers to receive security updates?

No. Any customer can report a security issue to Microsoft. Microsoft will review the issue. If a security update is created, it will be made available to customers as described earlier in this document.

19. What is the policy for service packs?

The Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy requires that the product’s supported service pack be installed to continue to receive support (including security updates).

For information about support for a product or for a service pack, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

20. How long can I legally use Microsoft software after I have licensed it? Is the term of my software license affected by the Support Lifecycle policy?

The Support Lifecycle policy has no effect on how long you can use a product. The Support Lifecycle policy outlines how long Microsoft will provide technical support for products.

21. How can customers and partners estimate the support lifecycle for products that are not yet available or that are still in the Mainstream Support phase?

The Support Lifecycle policy is designed to help take the guesswork out of the length of time Microsoft provides support for a product. For Business and Developer products, Microsoft standardizes a minimum of 10 years of support. The lifecycle combines 5 years of Mainstream Support or 2 years after the successor product (N+1) is released, whichever is longer and 5 years Extended Support or 2 years after the second successor product (N+2) is released, whichever is longer. For Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products, Microsoft standardizes a minimum of 5 years of Mainstream Support or 2 years after the successor product (N+1) is released, whichever is longer. Products that release new versions annually will receive 3 years of Mainstream Support. Extended Support is not offered for Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products, and for products that release new versions annually. For information about end-of-support dates and any Extended support options (if applicable) for all products, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

22. Must I have the latest service pack installed to apply a security-related hotfix or a hotfix that is not security-related?

You must install a hotfix on the service pack for which the hotfix was designed. Microsoft creates security updates for supported service packs whenever commercially viable, and are available to all customers through the Microsoft Security Web site. You can request a hotfix that is not security-related for either the current service pack or for the previous service pack (if it is still supported).

23. How long will security updates be available?

Microsoft will provide security updates at no charge for most products as follows:

• Business and Development Software
  
  Security updates are available on the Windows Update Web site to all customers until the end of the Extended Support phase at no additional cost for most products. That phase consists of five years of Mainstream Support plus five years of Extended Support. Security updates will apply only to the supported service packs for these products. Customers do not have to sign up for an Extended Support contract to receive security updates during the Extended Support phase. For more information about the support timeline for a specific product, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.
  
  
• Consumer, Hardware, and Multimedia products
  
  Security updates will be available through the end of the Mainstream Support phase to customers at no additional cost for most products. Security updates will apply only to the supported service packs for these products. For more information about the support timeline for a specific product, visit the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

24. What is the Support Lifecycle policy for "program add-ons"?

When you request support for add-ons (such as the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1) to products that have reached the end of their lifecycle (such as Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0), support for the add-on will not generally be available unless you have a custom support agreement in place. Therefore, make sure to verify the exact product support dates as posted on the Select a Product for Lifecycle Information site (products listed by Product Family) or the Support Lifecycle Index site.

25. How does Microsoft manage replacement parts, such as CDs and manuals, in support of the Lifecycle policy?

Microsoft manages replacement parts, such as CDs and manuals, by product version. Replacement parts will be available for the current version of the product and one earlier version (N-1).

26. What is the Support Lifecycle for products or companies that Microsoft acquires?

Products that were released before the acquisition date may not be covered under the Support Lifecycle policy and may not be supported. In these cases, support will be subject to the terms of the individual acquisition. Microsoft will publish the end of support dates for each acquisition product on the Support Lifecycle Web site, where applicable. For these listings, the "General Availability Date" is the acquisition date and the "Mainstream Support Retired" is the end of support date for the acquired product. Generally, the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy applies to new software releases that are released under a Microsoft brand, following the acquisition.