Application patch releases
Beginning in version 8.4, Pega delivers application fixes for Pega Customer Service, Pega Sales Automation, and Pega Call by way of patch releases. A patch release includes fixes for both customer-submitted and internally identified issues. In critical situations, Pega delivers fixes to targeted clients by way of a hotfix, and then the hotfix changes are included in the next patch release.
Application patch releases, unlike application hotfixes, go through a full regression test before the release. Patch releases are cumulative, and bundle all fixes on a given minor version since the general availability (GA) date of that minor version. For example, the 8.6.3 version patch for an application includes fixes for the 8.6.1 and 8.6.2 version patch releases.
The newest patch release for a minor application version is called the available version. For example, if three patch releases are available for a version 8.6 application, then the available version is 8.6.3. When you update an application from an earlier minor release (for example, 8.5 to 8.6), always install the latest available version of the new minor release (for example, 8.6.3), and not an older patch for that minor release.
Benefits of patch releases
Application patch releases offer the following benefits:
- Include cumulative fixes for a given minor version.
- Eliminate hotfix compatibility issues because all fixes in a patch release are tested together.
- Get included with the latest application installation files.
- Go through a consistent six-week test-and-fix cycle that increases the quality and reliability of minor releases over time.
Available and upcoming patch releases
For information about upcoming application patch releases, see Pega Infinity patch calendar.
For information about already released patches, see the following topics:
Patch requests and installations
All application clients (Pega Cloud services environments, on-premises instances, and third-party cloud instances) can request a patch release through Pega Software Digital Delivery.
The Pega Service Reliability Team (SRT) applies patch releases for Pega Cloud services environments. On-premises and third-party cloud clients can download and apply the patch release. For information about how to use the Import tool to install a patch release, see Importing rules and data by using the Import wizard.
Use cases for hotfixes
Individual hotfixes are still provisioned in the following scenarios:
- Fixes in an industry edition of Pega Customer Service or Pega Sales Automation
- Fixes for critical client issues
- Industry application fixes
- Fixes for the Communications, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Insurance editions of Pega Customer Service and Pega Sales Automation are delivered in hotfixes. Industry clients also receive the patch releases for the base application (Pega Customer Service and Pega Sales Automation), because the base application is part of the industry application's built-on application stack.
- Emergency hotfixes
When Pega or a client identifies a critical issue, Pega can rapidly assist by preparing an emergency hotfix for that client. Pega provides a hotfix only when the following conditions are met:
- The client is on the latest available patch release for their version.
- Pega product management provides explicit approval.
- The issue has been identified as having a critical business impact (that is, Pega Support has assigned it a category of Sev-1 or Sev-2).
Examples of critical issues that might warrant a hotfix include:
- Operators cannot log in.
- Data is lost or corrupted.
- Production system is not stable.
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