Deprecated Modules and Features

Deprecation refers to the stage in a Laserfiche feature, functionality, or product's lifecycle in which it is no longer under active development and is planned for removal in a future release. Deprecation serves as an intermediate phase between active development and final End of Life (EOL), allowing customers time to transition while enabling Laserfiche to reallocate development and support resources.

Unlike End of Life (EOL), deprecation does not include a predetermined timeline for the complete end of support. Instead, it provides advance notice that an EOL date will be established in the future. A list of deprecated modules can be found in KB 1014582: Deprecated Modules and Features.

When a module or feature is deprecated, you may continue to use it. However, Laserfiche strongly recommends switching to a newer module or feature if available. High priority issues, such as security fixes, will still be addressed, but other updates (such as to support new features or address low-priority bugs) will not. In addition, support will be limited; Laserfiche may determine that a resolution is not feasible.

A product or feature may be deprecated because:

  • A replacement technology is necessary but is still in development.
  • The cost or effort required for customer transition is significant, and additional notice is appropriate.
  • The technology is outdated but does not currently have known significant compliance or security risks.
  • Effort to maintain a feature is currently low and usage is moderate.

A deprecated product or feature may move to EOL when:

  • A replacement solution is fully available.
  • Customer usage declines to a sufficiently low level.
  • Compliance, security, or functional issues arise that cannot be adequately addressed with reduced development resources, including:
    • Dependent libraries becoming outdated to the point of causing compliance concerns.
    • Security vulnerabilities emerging without viable mitigation options.
    • The product functioning only on unsupported operating systems.
    • Device or platform updates rendering the product nonfunctional.

Implications of deprecation:

  • No new features or enhancements will be developed.
  • New customers should avoid adopting the deprecated product, even though use may still be technically possible.
  • Security-relevant issues will continue to be addressed in accordance with Laserfiche policies for Cloud and Self-Hosted environments.
    • Rate of acceptance of risks may be higher than for non-deprecated products.
  • Support is limited: Laserfiche will make reasonable efforts to address issues but may determine that resolution is not feasible, even for moderately severe issues. (In contrast, EOL products do not receive any hotfixes.)
  • If a replacement product or option exists, customers may be required to transition to the replacement as part of resolving a support case.
  • The transition to EOL may occur on a shorter timeline than usual, including immediate EOL if necessary.