About MySQL Enterprise Releases

• How are bugs addressed in the Community vs. Enterprise servers?
• What is a MySQL Enterprise HotFix?
• What issues are eligible for a MySQL Enterprise HotFix?
• What happens if a HotFix bug has already been fixed?
• What happens if a HotFix bug has not yet been fixed?
• What is an Enterprise Server Service Pack?
• Are Service Packs cumulative?
• Does a HotFix provide a complete binary?
• How does the Enterprise Server Service Pack Program Work?
• What is the MySQL Enterprise Early Adopter Program?
• What is the Quarterly Service Pack Program?
• What happens if I skip installing monthly or Quarterly Service Packs?
• How does Emergency Bug Fix Escalation work?

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How are bugs addressed in the Community vs. Enterprise servers?

In general bugs are fixed first in the Enterprise Server code, and are afterwards released to MySQL customers in regularly scheduled Enterprise service packs. The same bug fixes are later applied to the Community server. However this is not done according to as much of a predictable schedule, and also occurs later than for Enterprise customers.

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What is a MySQL Enterprise HotFix?

MySQL offers HotFix support to MySQL Enterprise customers who encounter a known or undiscovered MySQL Enterprise server bug which causes a major business interruption. If no fix is currently available in an Enterprise service pack, MySQL will endeavor to create a HotFix patch for the customer's use.

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What issues are eligible for a MySQL Enterprise HotFix?

HotFixes are emergency database server patches. The issue must be validated by MySQL Support as a Severity 1 case. The bug must not be addressed in a current MySQL Enterprise server service pack.

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What happens if a HotFix bug has already been fixed?

If the fix currently exists in a yet-to-be published MySQL service pack, MySQL Support will create a new binary that contains the needed patch as part of the yet-unpublished service pack. The new binary may therefore include other bug fixes unrelated to the reported problem.

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What happens if a HotFix bug has not yet been fixed?

If the fix does not currently exist in any published or unpublished MySQL service pack, MySQL Support will validate the bug and assign it to a MySQL developer for investigation. When a HotFix bug fix is returned by MySQL Development, MySQL Support will deliver to the customer a new MySQL server binary containing that HotFix.

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What is an Enterprise Server Service Pack?

As part of the effort to continually improve MySQL AB software, security updates and bug fixes are created and regularly released for the MySQL Enterprise server in a batch format known as a "Service Pack."

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Are Service Packs cumulative?

Yes. Service packs are cumulative. This means that each one contains all the fixes that were included with previous service packs, plus any new fixes. A customer does not have to install earlier service packs before they install the latest one.

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Does a HotFix provide a complete binary?

Yes. A HotFix build is a complete and entire replacement of an existing MySQL binary (executable). It does not consist of patches only that the customer applies to an existing MySQL installation.

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How does the Enterprise Server Service Pack Program Work?

MySQL Enterprise will have two service pack programs, the Early Adopter Program, and the Quarterly Service Pack Program.

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What is the MySQL Enterprise Early Adopter Program?

The Early Adopter Program serves customers who desire to stay as up to date as possible with releases of the MySQL Enterprise server. Service Packs are issued once per month for current Enterprise versions. They are available for download on the MySQL Enterprise web site.

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What is the Quarterly Service Pack Program?

The Quarterly Service Pack Program program serves conservative customers who wish to stay current with fixes to the MySQL Enterprise server, but do not want to update their servers every month. This program provides cumulative, tested service packs that contain fixes to the MySQL Enterprise server, which are released every quarter.

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What happens if I skip installing monthly or Quarterly Service Packs?

Service Packs are cumulative. So if a customer wishes to update, for example, only twice per year, then they would simply take two service packs and apply them instead of four (assuming four quarterly service packs are released in a calendar year).

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How does Emergency Bug Fix Escalation work?

This applies to a reproducible, verified bug that has been reported in the MySQL Bugs Database. For a bug essential to you, we will escalate the priority given to fixing it in source code. Once fixed and tested, the next Enterprise Server Service Pack will include your fix. Because bugs vary so widely in scope and complexity, MySQL cannot promise to fix any escalated bug within a specific resolution time but only to prioritize it relative to other development work.

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