[f-nsp] IronWare 8.0.40 not supported on most products...

[Brant Ian Stevens]

Not having the remove-vlan feature available in previous releases, despite it being the #1 complaint I get from customers (“why does changing VLANs suck so bad?”, with why does the lacp configuration suck so bad being a close #2), is enough to make you want to spit.

-Brant.

> On Jan 5, 2016, at 3:10 AM, Robert Hass <robhass at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 1:57 AM, Mike Allen <mkallen at gmail.com <mailto:mkallen at gmail.com>> wrote:
> Hi Robert, I am forwarding this into the product team at Brocade.  It does sound disconcerting, but what I will say is that new software will continue to be released for the ICX6xxx series, it will be as patch or maintenance releases.  I believe the reason for this is that there are some major features being added in the next couple of releases, and the older hardware will not support some of these.  Over the past few versions, some specific minor features have been ported or back-rev'd into certain patch releases as well, so I wouldn't view this as the end of the line in any way for the ICX 6xxx product.  There are some unique advantages in the newer 7xxx hardware, but the 6610s are still very versatile platforms.
> 
> Hi Mike
> 
> But from my point of view Patch & Maintenance means dead product. Let me do quick explanation - from perspective of existing customer running 300+ ICX'es 6430/6450/6610/6650 as Patch & Maintenance means simply that any new even software features (I picked up two very usefull features just for give you example) will not appear in switches which we're using - eg. in 8.0.30 build.
> 
> Examples of new features from 8.0.40 which we probably never see in 8.0.30:
> http://www.brocade.com/content/html/en/configuration-guide/fastiron-08040-managementguide/GUID-CE006189-671C-4623-B49E-F867FED75CEB.html <http://www.brocade.com/content/html/en/configuration-guide/fastiron-08040-managementguide/GUID-CE006189-671C-4623-B49E-F867FED75CEB.html>
> http://www.brocade.com/content/html/en/command-reference-guide/fastiron-08040-commandref/GUID-9C96575B-639F-411A-9D09-7E5E455F5498.html <http://www.brocade.com/content/html/en/command-reference-guide/fastiron-08040-commandref/GUID-9C96575B-639F-411A-9D09-7E5E455F5498.html>
> 
> Explanation for vendor is really simple. Integrating these features in 8.0.30 or even release 8.0.40 without new hardware features (ERSPAN, SPX) costs because software teams receiving payrolls. But after that probably we will not buy any new Brocade switch again. Imagine your potential profit loss (due we will not buy anything new from Brocade) VS cost of software teams. Maybe Brocade is not interested spending money for dead products as they have new products - 7250/7450/7750 series. But it not just cost - it's about customer satisfaction and vendor trust.
> 
> From my perspective as former programmer I don't see what is problem with integrating some software features into older software release ? Is it really so big effort and cost ? I always receiving feedback from PMs that becouse product testing cost a lot. This never convince me - as saying that testing cost a lot is pure bullshit as I hit a lot of times in bugs for new features/platforms which simply means that money for testing if mostly wasted.
> 
> Just want to add it never happen to Cisco or even HP Procurve products - old switches are still receiving software features.
> Asked my friend regarding EX series in JNPR - also old EX still receiving new functions.
> 
> Rob
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