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Forum Discussion
Latest Generation ReadyNAS
I just received notification that my current ReadyNAS is end of life (last OS update). This is the second device that I have had that made it to End Of Support. What is the latest model and what...
Microsoft's business model (and scale) is of course very different. Though their decision to migrate Win7 to Win10 is something I wish Netgear had done with OS 4.2 -> OS 6. You can of course migrate yourself if you ok with losing support.
Netgear's explanation is here: http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/189/~/eol----end-of-life-explanation
Despite their stated policy, in the past they have provided security updates and minor bug fixes for ReadyNAS long after EOL. From my point of view, that makes a lot of sense since these units are very different from their mainstream routers and switches.
I have had some time to think about this after my gut reaction of "Oh my lord!" What bothers me most about this is that they just hit bob with a notice. "We've decided we can no longer support this product, so be prepared for your final update." Seems like it just showed up one day. What makes Microsoft's EOL strategy so much better is that it's clear from the moment you buy the product what date support/updates will end.
I'm a recent ReadyNAS buyer and if I had access to a list of EOL information, I might not have bought the box I bought. I have no idea when it launched (I think it was about two years ago) and I have no idea when it will become unsupported. If I get a few years out of it, maybe it was worth it. It's difficult to make informed purchase decisions without all of the information, though. Unlike with other products where I may keep using it long after support ends as long as it works, I'm hesitant to try that when (1) the RN is networked and (2) the RN is full of precious data. Just my two cents.
If you know of an EOL date page, please send it along. It would be good to start planning ahead now. I couldn't find one when I made my purchase.
RAIDiator-x86 4.2.x firmware was first released back in 2008 with the launch of the ReadyNAS Pro over 7 years ago and the latest firmware for this model is 4.2.28.
With any product there comes a time when the updates stop. It's unfortunate that this has to happen and when any vendor makes such a decision there is understandable disappointment.
In 2013 we made a revolutionary change with new products with a new OS and a different filesystem. This is the kind of major change that would be made very rarely.
Our latest ReadyNAS products run the same OS as the products we released in 2013.
My unit is relatively new, so I'll be getting at least five more years out of it before it goes EOL if 7 years continues to be the norm moving forward. Still, though, my grievence remains. There is no list of anticipated EOL dates for the ReadyNAS product line. I have found Microsoft's transparency in this regard to be very helpful over the years. Publishing these projections would help consumers make better purchase decisions.
mdgm wrote:RAIDiator-x86 4.2.x firmware was first released back in 2008 with the launch of the ReadyNAS Pro over 7 years ago and the latest firmware for this model is 4.2.28.
In 2013 we made a revolutionary change with new products with a new OS and a different filesystem. This is the kind of major change that would be made very rarely.
And therein lies the issue. People bought brand new NAS's in early 2013 with absolutely no idea that the support for the OS, including security patches, would end in less than three years. Original release date of the OS is immaterial. Some of those units are still under warranty! That is appalling customer support. No, that's a total lack of support.
Sandshark wrote:
...People bought brand new NAS's in early 2013 with absolutely no idea that the support for the OS, including security patches, would end in less than three years...
Though the warranty terms for 4.2.x NAS did clearly state coverage for hardware only, I agree it would have been much better if security patches and any critical bug fixing had continued through end of the business model warranty period when the RN516 was launched (e.g., to Q2 2018). My Pro was purchased in July 2011, so my own warranty continues about 9 months after the EoL announcement. It is unsettling.
There was an easy answer for Netgear (and one which I suspect the developers intended). That was to fully support migration from 4.2.x to OS 6. But Netgear chose not to take that path. Fortunately customers can migrate anyway if they want to stay current on security patches.
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