Microsoft releases explanation

Belias

Hi everyone,
I've been working in nav as a developer for more than 4 years up to now, but i've never understood how microsoft manages their hotfix releases. Now I want to clarify this, because i couldn't find a good explanation anywhere. i have some questions:
1. What is the difference between hotfix, update, patch, service pack? (i know about service pack, but i added it to the question for completeness)
2. What is a hotfix roll-up?
3. If my client have problem "A" and problem "B" which are solved by 2 different hotfixes, should i apply both of them? and what if some files are common to both the hotfixes?should i apply the file(s) with the higer number?
4a. Why microsoft doesn't update the download link for the installation package with the latest hotfix?
4b. Because of (4a) i can't download a fully hotfixed NAV installation package. How can i create it? (i guess by applying all the files with the higher build no.)
5. after having known about the first questions, what is the meaning of this article? http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nav/archive/2011/02/08/combined-hotfix-release-for-microsoft-dynamics-nav-2009-sp1-and-microsoft-dynamics-nav-2009.aspx
(that blog needs to be reorganized: the scroll is deadly slow on my IE7)

P.S.: i know i should be aware of all this stuff even before knowing nav, sorry for my ignorance about it :oops:
Thanks in advance to all the people that will find time to fill this gap for me (and i guess for many other people). I know i'm asking a huge amount of informations. Obviously, if you have a useful link that explains all the stuff, it would be great!

kine

I will try to describe what I know, but I cannot grant that it is fully true:

ad 1)
hotfix: correction for specific problem (in most connected with some specific KB article)
update: collection of hotfixes (may be the same as hotfix-rollup?) (no full QA?)
patch: in some meaning the files correcting other files (like some types of "patch files" etc.)
service pack: collection of hotfixes, service pack version went through full path of the QA (testing)

ad 3) If you are talking about client problem (client itself, not the business application), than hotfixes should be incremental - it means each newer version of hotfix should include previous hotfixes (you need to apply the latest one only). If you are talking about business application, each hotfix is separate and possible pre-requisites are mentioned in the related KB article (you need to apply all relevant hotfixes).

ad 4a) because the link is to the latest fully tested version, not the hotfixed one, which are not fully tested
ad 4b) as you answered yourself, just take the last official one, replace the files with the newest version available

ad 5) it means, that the hotfixes since mentioned one are same for NAV 2009 SP1 and R2.

Some things were changed and it was not same in history. I will try to ask some MS support people if they will make these things clear...

kine

Ok, I have confirmation that what I wrote is correct, it seems that there will be more detailed description about the point 5 in near future on the partnersource or directly here in this thread. We will see... In general:

Now there are only hotfixes for NAV 2009 SP1, not for NAV 2009 R2, but it is because they automatically includes all changes made for NAV 2009 R2. It means, applying the resource hotfix for NAV 2009 SP1, will change your SP1 version to R2 version with all the new things inside (DotNet, Jump lists, Go To Definition etc.). After that, SP1=R2 and you can use any new hotfix which is same for both versions.

Belias

Thanks a lot for giving me some of your spare time (you answered on sat-sun!! :thumbsup: )
it's all very clear, but i have a final question (i'm just talking of platform hotfixes here):
Hypotesis:
Firstly, i download build no. 33333 (it contains files A, B, C)
Then, i download build no. 44444

Questions:
what files will build no. 44444 contain if:
1. between build no. 33333 and build no. 44444 there HASN'T been any hofix rollup
2. between build no. 33333 and build no. 44444 there HAS been an hofix rollup

You said

it means each newer version of hotfix should include previous hotfixes

then, what's the meaning of an hofix roll-up, if you can simply apply the latest patch? :-k
Thanks in advance

kine

That's what I do not fully understand too. But it looks like the platform hotfix is somehow similar to the roll-up hotfix now. May be the difference is again in the QA part (HF not tested, roll-up tested for some basic things).

Belias

Ok, thanks for the explanation (and congrats for the 11k posts!!!! :thumbsup: )
the fact that YOU also don't fully understand this mess, it's kinda relieving

kine

Ok, more official info:

update - A broadly released fix for a specific problem addressing a noncritical, non-security related bug.

update rollup - A tested, cumulative set of hotfixes, security updates, critical updates, and updates packaged together for easy deployment. A rollup generally targets a specific area, such as security, or a component of a product, such as Internet Information Services (IIS).

service pack - A tested, cumulative set of all hotfixes, security updates, critical updates and updates, as well as additional fixes for problems found internally since the release of the product. Service packs may also contain a limited number of customer-requested design changes or features.

feature pack - New product functionality that is first distributed outside the context of a product release, and usually included in the next full product release.

critical update - A broadly released fix for a specific problem addressing a critical, non-security related bug.

security update - A broadly released fix for a product-specific security-related vulnerability. Security vulnerabilities are rated based on their severity which is indicated in the Microsoft® security bulletin as critical, important, moderate, or low.

hotfix - A hotfix is a single package that includes one or more files that are used to address a problem in a product and are cumulative at the binary and file level. Hotfixes address a specific customer situation and may not be distributed outside the customer organization. Additional Information: Hotfixes are distributed by Microsoft Product Support Services. Customers may not redistribute hotfixes without written, legal consent from Microsoft.

You can see, that update and update rollup is wider than the hotfix. It means it could include another parts of the application than only e.g. fin.exe and some dlls. Another thing is the "limitation" of the hotfix (cannot be redistributed etc.).

The NAV hotfixes are incremental, thus very similar to updates. But I think that the main difference is the internal and legal things around (distribution, QA etc.).

Belias

kine wrote:

The NAV hotfixes are incremental, thus very similar to updates. But I think that the main difference is the internal and legal things around (distribution, QA etc.).

ok, thanks i think this clear it out: thanks for your effort in research.
But there's one thing that make me think: if MS publishes some hotfixes (for example the 2 hotfixes published for the R2) can we redistribute them to our customer? (i mean, legally)
I have already substituted the original files with the hotfixed ones in the installation cd of my nav2009r2, mainly to fix the "modified" flag bug in the object designer...We are definitely going to install THAT version of nav in our future installation, and after you told me about all this stuff, i think i should ask MS before installing :shock: which is odd

kine

Customers may not redistribute hotfixes

I think it is clear, you, as a partner, can redistribute it, if it is solving the problem of the customer...

Jorge_Torres_[MSFT]

Just wanted to add some points.

Platform (binaries) hotfixes are cumulative between versions (for instance, for issues that have been fixed in NAV 2009 SP1, bigger versions will include older hotfixes). Normally, hotfixes that come from previous versions will be included in the following service pack or update (for instance, issues that are fixed in 5 SP1 will be applied to NAV 2009 SP1 update x or SP2), and depending on the date that they were fixed will also make it to the next version (i.e. NAV ver. Next). Otherwise, hotfixes will not cross versions.

The blog post that is referred below (combined-hotfix-release-for-microsoft-dynamics-nav-2009-sp1-and-microsoft-dynamics-nav-2009.aspx) states that NAV 2009 SP1 is hotfixed together with NAV 2009 R2, which means that customers running NAV 2009 SP1 that need a recent hotfix (build 32074 and higher) must perform the change to R2 and then apply the corresponding hotfix.

Normally, service packs will include translation, so, they most likely contain changes in the *.stx or *.etx files, otherwise, updates will normally will not be translated, so… no need to update the *.stx or *.etx files (or other country specific files). Also, service packs will most likely also contain application fixes in the database. Sometimes updates contain changes to the *.stx and/or *.etx files, but will not include other changes.

About redistribution of fixes:

The customer is entitled to hotfixes if they are on BREP.

Hope this clarifies.

Jorge Alberto Torres