B2B Data Integration and Transformation Blog

** Update: Cleo acquired EXTOL in April 2016.  EXTOL Business Integrator is now called Cleo Clarify and EXTOL EDI Integrator is now called Cleo EEI.

Continuing in my effort to give our readers up-to-date information regarding their integration and EDI software, below is product information for EXTOL®.

The current version of EXTOL® EDI Integrator for System i (EEI) is 6.4 with no stated sunset date for the product. EXTOL provides software maintenance (PTFs) for EEI 6.3 and 6.4, but will provide customer support for any version of EEI with a valid maintenance contract.

Getting end of support dates for EDI/B2B software is proving to be a tougher task than I thought!  As I mentioned in my last blog, I wanted to complile a list of products that may be coming up on end of support dates to provide you with information related to your product and the potential next steps.

Below are the links to the IBM pages that list the end of life/end of support dates for Gentran, Sterling B2B Integrator and Sterling File Gateway.   I was unable to get the specific pages for DataStage, Transformation Extender, Sterling Connect:Direct, Sterling Control Center, and Sterling Secure Proxy, but there is a software lifecycle search portal that allows you to enter the product name and it will list all the versions with their end of support date, which I have linked to below.

For those with IBM software, but not aware of Subscription and Support terminology, this is what has been known in the past as maintenance and support.  By renewing your subscription and support annually you extend the help line, problem resolution, and patch/upgrade rights (among others) that were provided for in the first year following the acquisition of your IBM software.  In other words, year 1 of Subscription and Support is provided for in the original software price. Subsequent years are billed by IBM or a Partner and due on your software acquisition anniversary date, unless you are on a common renewal date with IBM across many different software titles.