Overview of Spotfire Statistica® Releases – Mainstream and LTS (Long-Term Support)
There are two types of Spotfire Statistica® releases: Mainstream (MS) and Long-Term Support (LTS). As a Statistica administrator, it is very important that you understand the differences before you choose what type is best suited for you and your users.
Mainstream releases are frequent; currently approximately every 6-8 months, and were introduced to accelerate the availability of new features for customers who want access to the latest improvements and enhancements as quickly as possible. Hotfixes and Service Packs are released only for the latest Mainstream version, unless an LTS version precedes, so Mainstream users should plan to always upgrade to each new Mainstream version as soon as it is released.
Long-Term Support releases are less frequent; typically every 18-24 months, and they are typically supported with Hotfixes and Service Packs for 2 years. This approach provides an option more suited for strictly regulated environments, or for customers who prefer a fully supported environment for an extended period of time, without the need for upgrades.
No matter what type of release, upgrades are incremental and backwards compatible. If you are on the Mainstream track, it does not matter if a new version is LTS or Mainstream. The upgrade process is the same, and you will simply continue your standard process of upgrading to the latest version as it becomes available.
The following table highlights the various differences between Mainstream and Long-Term Support versions.
Note: What is described here in terms of time intervals are typical cases but there may be variations.| Mainstream versions | LTS versions | |
|---|---|---|
| Release frequency | A new Mainstream version is released approximately every 6-8 months. | A new LTS version is typically released within 18-24 months after the previous LTS release. |
| Support (access to open support cases) | Mainstream versions continue to be supported for at least 12 months after the next version (either LTS or Mainstream) becomes available. | LTS versions are typically supported for at least 2 years. |
| Extended support (access to open support cases, past End-of-Support date) | Extended support is not available. | Extended support for an LTS version can be purchased. Note: Hotfixes and Service Packs are not created for versions in extended support. |
| Hotfixes and Service Packs | Hotfixes and Service Packs are provided for high severity issues, at Spotfire discretion, for the latest Mainstream version only, if the Mainstream version is the latest release. They may instead be released as part of the next LTS version if that release is already out or a part of the next Mainstream/LTS version if that release is imminent. | Hotfixes and Service Packs are provided for high severity issues, at Spotfire discretion. |
| Upgrades | Mainstream versions can be upgraded from one version to the next. | LTS versions can be upgraded from one LTS version to the next LTS version. It is also supported to upgrade the latest LTS version to any subsequent Mainstream version. |
| Downloads | Only the latest Mainstream version is generally available for download from the TIBCO eDelivery site. Access to older versions can be requested on the eDelivery site. | Only the latest LTS version is generally available for download from the TIBCO eDelivery site. Access to older versions can be requested on the eDelivery site. |
Versions Status for Spotfire Statistica®
Statistica products with version 14.1.x and newer follow a Long Term Support (LTS) release model.
| Version | Release Date | Type | Currently supported with Hotfixes and Service Packs | Can open support cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.3.0 | February 2025 | Mainstream | Yes | Yes |
| 14.2.x | April 2024 | Mainstream | No | Yes |
| 14.1.x | June 2023 | LTS | Yes | Yes |
| 14.0.x | October 2020 | pre-LTS | No | Yes |
