# Upgrades and Patch Management

### Upgrades and Patch Management

CertiNext follows a structured and predictable approach to **upgrades and patch management**, balancing platform stability with the need to evolve functionality and security over time. The upgrade model differs between **cloud-hosted deployments** and **on-premises deployments**, reflecting the shared-responsibility nature of each model.

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#### Upgrade Scope and Version Policy

Across all deployment models, CertiNext follows these general principles:

* **Minor version upgrades** (feature enhancements, improvements, and non-breaking changes) are covered as part of standard upgrades during the lifecycle of the product, unless contractually agreed otherwise.
* **Major version upgrades** (architecture changes, breaking changes, or significant platform shifts) are not automatically included and are handled separately.
* **Upgrade and patch support is typically provided up to the immediately previous major version** of the product. Versions older than this may require an upgrade before patches can be applied.
* All upgrades follow backward-compatibility guidelines where feasible, especially for APIs and automation workflows.

This approach ensures platform stability while allowing customers to plan upgrades in a controlled manner.

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#### Security Patches and Commercial Considerations (On-Prem)

Security is a continuously evolving domain, and the security posture at the time of deployment may differ significantly over time due to:

* Newly discovered vulnerabilities
* Changes in threat models
* Evolving regulatory and compliance requirements

For **on-premises deployments**:

* Security-related patches are typically **covered functionally**, but may involve **additional commercials**, depending on scope and effort.
* This reflects the ongoing nature of security hardening and the variability of customer environments.
* Any commercial impact is discussed transparently before patch delivery.

This ensures customers receive appropriate security remediation without compromising long-term sustainability.

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#### Cloud-Hosted Deployments (SaaS)

For **cloud-hosted CertiNext deployments**, upgrades and patches are **fully managed by the CertiNext operations team**.

Key characteristics:

* Regular application, OS, and database patching
* Continuous monitoring and proactive remediation
* Use of a **sandbox environment** to validate:
  * Application upgrades
  * Security patches
  * OS and database updates
* Only after successful validation are changes promoted to **production environments**

This approach minimizes operational risk and ensures platform stability while maintaining strong security posture.

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#### On-Premises Deployments

For **on-premises deployments**, upgrade and patch activities are guided by the **customer’s patching and maintenance schedule**.

In this model:

* CertiNext provides the upgrade or patch artifacts and guidance
* Deployment timing is coordinated with customer IT and operations teams
* Customers retain control over:
  * Maintenance windows
  * Change management approvals
  * Environment-specific testing

This aligns CertiNext operations with enterprise IT governance and change control processes.

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#### Planned Downtime and Communication

For both deployment models:

* Planned upgrades or patches that require downtime are communicated in advance
* Maintenance windows are scheduled to minimize operational impact
* Clear rollback procedures are defined where applicable

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#### Summary

CertiNext’s upgrade and patch management approach is designed to be **predictable, transparent, and aligned with enterprise operational realities**:

* Minor upgrades are included as part of standard lifecycle support
* Security patches for on-prem may involve additional commercials due to evolving security requirements
* Support is generally limited to the current and immediately previous major versions
* Cloud deployments benefit from fully managed, tested, and regularly applied upgrades
* On-prem deployments follow customer-defined patching schedules

This model ensures CertiNext remains secure, stable, and evolvable while respecting customer control and contractual boundaries.


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