Support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux Improved Through Enhanced Product Life Cycle
Updating the Enterprise Linux Life Cycleより、
Everyone, as of today, the first phase of the life-cycle for every Red Hat Enterprise Linux major release is being extended from three years to four. During the first phase of the life cycle we provide support for new hardware that is released by our partners, important new software functionality, bug fixes and security patches.
このため
One immediate effect of the change is, that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.7 will *NOT* be the last release in the Enterprise Linux 4 life cycle to enable new hardware: 4.8 is planned for early 2009 and *will* contain limited hardware enablement. After that we will enter the Production 2 phase and newly added 4.9 release will then be the final, bug-fix only minor release marking the transition into Production 3.
とのこと。RHEL4.8が半年後、RHEL4.9が更にその半年後といった感じだろうか。
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Errata サポートポリシーより
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (version 4): Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES, Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS, Red Hat Desktop 米国における製品初期出荷日:2005年2月15日 フルサポート終了日:2008年5月15日 デプロイメントサポート終了日:2008年10月31日以降 メンテナンスサポート終了日:2012年2月29日
なのが、Red Hat Enterprise Linux Life Cycleによると
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 General Availability: February 14, 2005 End of Production 1 phase: March 31, 2009 End of Production 2 phase: No earlier than Q4 of 2009 End of Production 3 phase: February 29, 2012
になるということ。