Oracle extends Solaris 11.4 support until 2037

https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/29/oracle_extends_solaris_support/

by jjgreen • 2 years ago

28 31 2 years ago

jeffbee3• 2 years ago

Emphasis on paid. I do appreciate the business genius of identifying and capturing a market consisting of customers so inept that they can't get off Solaris even if you give them half a century to do it.

joncp• 2 years ago

customers so inept that...

I used to think like that until I got to see some legacy systems in action. Sometimes it just makes financial sense to keep paying Larry and avoid a big rewrite.

dijit3• 2 years ago

This, and also Solaris was years ahead in some areas. Hopefully linux will overtake it completely before 2037.

robotnikman• 2 years ago

Yep, same reason why a lot of businesses also still run AS/400

astrodust• 2 years ago

I do like how this seems to stop curiously short of 2038.

sockaddr• 2 years ago

This was my first thought too

throw0101d• 2 years ago

Per the official support document:

Sustaining Support Ends: Indefinite

* https://www.oracle.com/us/assets/lifetime-support-hardware-3...

If you're willing to cut a chequing, they're willing to sell you a support contract.

Solaris has supported a 64-bit time_t since (at least) 2010:

The 64-bit system interfaces are inherently more capable than some of their 32-bit equivalents. Application programmers concerned about year 2038 problems (when 32-bit time_t runs out of time) can use the 64-bit time_t. While 2038 seems a long way off, applications that do computations concerning future events, such as mortgages, might require the expanded time capability.

* https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19455-01/806-0477/6j9r2e2ah/inde...

snvzz• 2 years ago

can vs must, or even should.

2038 will be a problem, because using 64 bit time was optional.

Binary compatibility was kept, but 2038 will have some chaos, and Oracle won't care because support will have already ended.

jjgreen2• 2 years ago

I have a couple of pizza boxes under a bed in the spare room. My SO wants me to throw them out, I say in a low voice "you'll thank me when the balloon goes up ..."

zrules• 2 years ago

Can you expand on what you mean by this? I researched online for this reference and consulted with some colleagues while discussing this topic but none of them could figure out what you mean by when the balloon goes up.

aatharuv• 2 years ago

In general, when the SHTF, or things rapidly deteriorate. When the war finally starts. Etc.

dboreham• 2 years ago

Quite hard to believe when typing the phrase into Goggle brings up the dictionary definition as the #1 result.

apimade• 2 years ago

Balloon goes up comes from WW1[0]. It's a term that, in this instance I suspect means "when shit kicks off", probably world war or armageddon.

Pizza boxes are these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_box_form_factor

They're basically saying, when shit hits the fan, they'll be able to rely on these old servers.

Next time ask an LLM.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/balloon-...

justinclift3• 2 years ago

Because you'd need like 10 solar panels to run one of those, compared to like 2 for a modern system? ;)

jjgreen2• 2 years ago

Modern systems are already BIOS-compromised by the state, powering them up would instantly summon the "termination drones".

tristanb• 2 years ago

Brings back memories. I started my first business providing Weblogic hosting on a e450 in a cabinet we bought from Enron, running off of a DSL line. Fun times!

sillywalk• 2 years ago

I never used it myself, but had to transport an e450. I got an Ultra 10 out of it.

Oracle extends Solaris 11.4 support until 2037

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