5.3.1 is the final version that will support...

[johng231]

Hello -

I am very upset to discover that Cisco will no longer be supporting new software releases beyond 5.3.1 on the hardware that is widely deployed in my environment, including the core which is a pair of 7371 at 2 datacenter locations. Can anyone confirm if this is correct? Why would the WAVE-574/674 that just came out maybe 4-5 years ago not support anything beyond 5.3.1? What about version 6 coming out next year? What does this say about the future for WAAS?

Cisco WAAS, Release 5.3.1 is the final version that will support the WAE-674, WAE-7341, WAE-7371, WAVE-274, WAVE-474, and WAVE-574 platforms. 

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/app_ntwk_services/waas/waas/v531/release/notes/ws531xrn.html#wp63349

The last day of hardware support is not until August 31, 2017. So am I supposed to be stuck on 5.3.1 for the next 4 years and not take advantage of any new feature sets in the upcoming major releases? It's not like the WAVE series doesn't have enough CPU/memory to handle thew newer versions. I know the 7371 comes with plenty of juice to be able to support any new features you throw at it.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/contnetw/ps5680/ps6474/eol_c51-700260.html

[John Gaskell]

Yes I have that problem too (with my customer). So I sympathise.

Of course we don't know what will be in 5.4 or 6.0. If it were to be a massive change for the better, the stance might be more understandable.

[akeller]

The WAE 274/474/574/674/7341/7371 all reached End of Sale in August 2012. WAAS release 5.3.x is the final release which will support these now end of sale platforms.  The announcement for WAAS release 5.3.x in the release notes as being the final release supporting these now end of sale platforms is to assist customers in proper migration and software upgrade planning.

Cisco has provided major feature functionality well after the end of sale for the WAE 274/474/574/674/7341/7371 in August 2012, for example WAAS release 5.1 in December 2012 and release 5.2 in June 2013 were released well after the end of sale and provided new major features and functionality for the now end of sale WAE 274/474/574/674/7341/ 7371.

These end of sale platforms will continue to be supported in the WAAS release 5.3.x maintenance release-train cycle which will continue with software maintenance releases in accordance with standard Cisco policy for software end of sale.   Software maintenance releases will continue in the WAAS release 5.3.x until the end of sale for WAAS release 5.3.x is announced and the end of sale milestone is reached at a later date and the now end of sale platforms will continue to be supported with release 5.3.x as needed.

This is NOT an announcement of stopping support for these now end of sale platforms and these platforms will continue to be supported in release 5.3.x.  At a later date the end of sale/support for release 5.3.x will be considered/announced and after the first year after the end of sale for release 5.3.x we will provide bug fixes, maintenance releases, workarounds or patches for a period of 4 years in accordance with standard Cisco end of sale policy.