Comment Openedge Odbc Dataserver Retired? Product Availability Guide Update Jan 2017

[SJW]

Has anyone else seen the updated Product availability guide for version 11?
It states that Openedge ODBC dataserver has been retired as of 1st Jan 2016 - they may mean 2017.
11.6 will be the last supported release.

Link to Page:
OpenEdge Product Availability Guides and Life Cycle Guide - Wiki - OpenEdge General - Progress Community

Quote from Document: (page 10)

OpenEdge ODBC DataServer (Effective Jan, 2016)

OpenEdge ODBC DataServer has been retired as of 1 January 2016. Progress will continue to support the ODBC DataServer with OpenEdge 11.6 until OpenEdge 11.6 is retired. There is no current retirement date for OpenEdge 11.6.x, but as per the lifecycle policy, the retirement date is expected to be around 11 October 2018.

This will be the last release of the ODBC DataServer supported by Progress. Additionally, clients up until the final supported release, OpenEdge 11.6, will be allowed to connect to previous OpenEdge ODBC DataServers back to the oldest supported ODBC DataServer release, 10.2B08. Any DataServer releases previous to OpenEdge 10.2B08 will not be supported.

Regarding the compatibility of newer clients connecting client/server to older versions of the OpenEdge ODBC DataServer, this will be limited to 11.x releases. OpenEdge 12 will not be backward compatible. Given that the ODBC DataServer is retired in 11.6 and OpenEdge 11.7 is the last expected minor release of the 11.x product family, OpenEdge 11.7 clients will only be supported in client/server mode to earlier ODBC DataServers that are still under support. OpenEdge 11.7 clients is expected to be the last client supported with backward-compatible connection capability. Please note: It is important, from a security standpoint, that the client and drivers be OpenEdge 11.5.1 or above.

 

[Rob Fitzpatrick]

I don't know if I've read the latest guide but I did hear several months back that the ODBC DataServer was going to be retired after 11.6.

 

[Cringer]

So what option does that leave those of us with who rely on the DataServer product to interface with SQL?

 

[TheMadDBA]

The DataServer for SQL Server and Oracle aren't going anywhere.. its just the generic ODBC dataserver they are retiring. So at least there is that.

 

[Cringer]

Ah my mistake. I completely misunderstood then.

 

[TheMadDBA]

The day is still young though (over here at least).. with all of the recent staff reductions and reorgs at PSC things might change

 

[Cringer]

Well yes that is a worry.

 

[TheMadDBA]

Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about those products. A few of the larger vendors depend on them for meaningful amounts of their revenue.

My biggest concern at the moment is the level of support and enhancements for OE going forward. Way too early to tell obviously and damage control is already underway for some of the things said during the earnings call.

Who knows.. they may have a new CEO in a few months with different ideas