Add as a preferred source on Google


Dynamics Service-Pack Support Extended to 2 Years

  • By Kurt Mackie
  • 06/25/09

Microsoft has extended service-pack support for its Dynamics products from 12 months to 24 months, the company announced Tuesday.

The change in policy applies to various Microsoft enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management products, including Dynamics AX, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics GP, Dynamics NAV and Dynamics SL. Previously, Microsoft provided service-pack support for just one year.

Microsoft lists the new support periods for Dynamics service packs at its help and support page here.

Microsoft also breathed new life into some service packs where support had expired. For instance, even though service-pack support ended in April for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5 RTM, under the new policy, Microsoft now provides support for it until April 13, 2010.

A spokesperson for the company explained that the new policy provides more time for customers and partners to plan their product upgrades and manage costs in "tough economic times."

Microsoft's service packs are periodic bug fixes and updates. In addition, Microsoft offers overall product support called "mainstream support" and "extended support." Those support plans, which follow five-year intervals, remain unchanged.

Microsoft typically offers just one-year or two-year support for its service packs, according to Paul DeGroot, research vice president and channel licensing strategies analyst at Directions on Microsoft.

"With systems like these, IT typically likes to be more conservative and do more testing and evaluation of an upgrade, and a year may not be enough," DeGroot explained by e-mail.

Microsoft typically provides support to those who have applied the latest service pack.

"Basically, once support expires on a service pack, what it means is that if you call for technical support, Microsoft may ask you to upgrade to the latest SP first," DeGroot stated. "They won't automatically try to fix the problem if there's a chance that an SP did so."

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is online news editor, Enterprise Group, at 1105 Media Inc.

Featured

  • hooded figure types on a laptop, with abstract manifesto-like posters taped to the wall behind them

    Hacktivism Is a Growing Threat to Higher Education

    In recent years, colleges and universities have faced an evolving array of cybersecurity challenges. But one threat is showing signs of becoming both more frequent and more politically charged: hacktivism.

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.

  • digital book with circuit patterns

    Turnitin and ACUE Partner on AI Training for Educators

    Turnitin is teaming up with the Association of College and University Educators to create a series of courses on AI and academic integrity designed to help faculty navigate the responsible use of AI in learning and assessment.

  • student with headphones engaged in virtual learning

    Virtual Learning that Works: 4 Ways to Build Real Engagement

    As colleges and universities expand online offerings, the goal now is clear: Build environments where students actively participate, not passively attend.