Sangfor Product Life Cycle Policy

Due to the iterative development of technology and the rapid changes in market demand, product upgrades and replacements have become common trends in the IT industry. To mitigate the potential impacts of a product life cycle end on our customers, Sangfor Technologies has established a comprehensive product life cycle management policy.

The purpose of this policy is to standardize product life cycle management practices to assist you in making an informed purchase, support and upgrade decisions.This policy applies to all Sangfor products (excluding third-party products sold by Sangfor). Customers operating Sangfor products under a valid Support & Maintenance Agreement are entitled to the benefits associated with this policy.

2.1 Product Life Cycle Management

The term 'Product' mentioned here includes both Hardware-Software Combinations and Pure Software Products

Typically, Sangfor Technologies will issue a product discontinuation notice 6 months in advance, notifying customers through a product End of Marketing announcement. Customers can find information about the discontinued products and related details on the official website.

Sangfor commits to providing at least five (5) years of service from the product purchase date (but no more than eight (8) years, even if the product has not reached its End of Support date). However, to ensure the best user experience, as well as continuity and high availability, Sangfor recommends an optimal hardware service life of five (5) years from the purchase date.Hardware operating beyond five years may present unpredictable operational risks, and associated warranty costs may increase significantly.

From the product End of Marketing date (EOM), Sangfor Technologies will not accept any new orders or capacity expansions. Customers can refer to recommended successor models provided by Sangfor for new purchases and expansions.

From the product End of Marketing date (EOM), support will cease after the following service duration for hardware and software respectively:

Hardware Component: Up to five(5) years of hardware support (repair, spare parts, etc.) will be provided, with all support only applicable to products within the service validity period (as per service contracts). Specific hardware warranty policies can be found in Sangfor's hardware product warranty policy documentation.

Software Version: The software life cycle is decoupled from hardware and is governed by the Software Version Life Cycle Management Policy (see Section 2.2).

From the product End of Marketing date (EOM), up to five(5) years of software technical support will be provided for Pure Software Products, the service renewal term for new and renewing service contracts should not exceed the product's End of Support date (EOS).

From the product End of Support date (EOS), Sangfor Technologies will generally no longer provide maintenance and support services for these products.

The above-mentioned are general principles, with specifics outlined in the End of Marketing announcements for each product.

Product(Hardware-Software Combinations and Pure Software Products) Life Cycle Roadmap

2.2 Software Version Life Cycle Management

As a general rule, maintenance services for software versions will be provided for 3.5 years from the General Availability (GA) launch, including but not limited to software issue troubleshooting, software patch repairs, and security vulnerability fixes. After 3.5 years, the software version will enter the End of Support stage (EOS).

Following the software version’s End of Support date (EOS), Sangfor Technologies will no longer provide troubleshooting or patch repair services for that software version. Customers will need to upgrade to a new software version to continue receiving these maintenance support services.

The above-mentioned are general principles, with specifics outlined in the life cycle information provided for each software version announcement.

Software Version Life Cycle Roadmap

2.3 XaaS(Anything as A Service) Subscription Product Life Cycle Management

Typically, Sangfor Technologies will issue an XaaS subscription product (subscription items) discontinuation notice six(6) months in advance, notifying customers through a product End of Marketing announcement. Customers can find information about discontinued XaaS subscription products and related details on the official website, and information about any new successor subscription products will also be announced (if available).

From the XaaS subscription product End of Marketing date (EOM), no new orders or expansions will be accepted.

After the XaaS subscription product End of Marketing date (EOM), for customers still within the subscription period (as per contract), Sangfor Technologies will continue to provide the service (including transitions to replacement subscription items) until the existing subscription period expires. After the subscription period concludes, Sangfor Technologies will generally no longer provide maintenance, updates, and support services for these subscription products.

The above-mentioned are general principles, with specifics outlined in the End of Marketing announcements for each XaaS subscription product (subscription item).

2.4 Additional Notes

Partners and resellers are obligated to inform lower-tier resellers or end-users accurately and completely about the life cycle information of Sangfor products. If partners fail to fulfill this obligation and cause losses to lower-tier resellers or end-users, partners will be responsible for compensating those losses.