Teradata Product Support Policies

Support Lifecycle

HARDWARE SERVICES

Hardware Support Lifecycle

For Teradata hardware platforms, Teradata will provide remedial maintenance services for six (6) years from its Platform Sales Discontinuation Date. Platform Support Discontinuation is the end of support date for a particular Teradata hardware platform.  Teradata may, at its discretion, support Teradata hardware for longer periods after its Sales Discontinuation Date.

Operating System

Teradata considers the operating system (OS) to be a part of the hardware platform. Therefore, Teradata will install any Teradata certified OS patch or fix (including Microsoft or Linux) on any hardware platform (e.g. Database Nodes, TMS, SWS/AWS, stand-alone server) under a Teradata maintenance contract, not to exceed a quarterly calendar cadence.  Delivery of patches or fixes more than once quarterly will be subject to Additional Service Rates. Note: Certain Teradata Software Products contain a virtualized OS that is considered part of Teradata Software (e.g. TD_VMware) and not the hardware platform and will be included under the Teradata maintenance contract agreement. 

Teradata will not install any non-Teradata certified OS patches or fixes on any hardware platform. If customer wants any non-Teradata certified OS software installed on any platform, they must perform themselves. However, non-Teradata certified OS software and problems resulting from non-Teradata certified OS software are not covered under any maintenance contract. Any associated cases resulting from the non-Teradata certified release will be considered out-of-scope and subject to Additional Service Rates.

For Customer initiated third party security scans, resulting scan reporting and analysis are the Customer’s responsibility.  Any request for Teradata to analyze and implement recommendations are out of scope and requires a Teradata Information Security consulting engagement, which is subject to Additional Service Rates. 

Installation of non-mandatory Teradata certified OS fixes or patches will be performed during business hours (9x5) and follows the then current change control notification practice (currently 28 days notification). Any OS changes considered mandatory by Teradata are installed per the FRO policy (see: Installation of Hardware Engineering Changes or Field Retrofit Orders (FROs) for the contracted level of service.

Major/minor OS upgrades or Service Pack (SP) changes require an additional Software Implementation (SWI) service or Business Critical/Critical System Management or Teradata Essential and will be performed during the customers Severity 1 hours of coverage.

OS conversions (e.g. Windows to Linux) are performed under a custom OS Conversion service.

Any OS updates required/performed as part of a database change by Teradata are included with the appropriate Software Implementation service as long as the OS is under Teradata maintenance and the change is not a minor/major OS upgrade or Service Pack upgrade. These changes are installed during the customers Severity 1 hours of coverage.

Remedial Maintenance

Teradata will first attempt to fix the problem remotely before dispatching a service representative. When Teradata determines that a problem requires onsite assistance for repair, a service representative will be dispatched to provide on-site remedial maintenance. Remedial maintenance consists of those functions required to restore failed or malfunctioning equipment to an operational state, which is defined as conformance to the manufacturer's then-current customer-level documentation. It does not constitute the return of the equipment to an "as was" condition.

Remote Hardware Diagnostics

Teradata will use remote connectivity and service tools to diagnose problems prior to sending a Customer Service Representative on-site. Remote hardware diagnostics will be performed during the contracted hours of coverage only and determined by severity level.

On-Site Hardware Service

On-site support is the provision of remedial equipment maintenance that may require one or more visits to Customer facility or product location and may also include on-site software maintenance. On-site service will be provided during contracted on-site hours of coverage.

Hardware Changes or Field Retrofit Orders (FROs)

FROs are hardware safety modifications and other mandatory hardware changes typically resulting from new regulations or required product enhancements that address the performance, reliability or serviceability of Teradata equipment.  Teradata will proactively inform Customer of any safety-related FROs.

Teradata will install FROs during local business hours. If Customer has elected 24 x 7 Priority or Business Critical, Teradata will install FROs at a mutually agreeable time on a 7 day per week 24 hours per day basis. Teradata determined mandatory OS changes are implemented as FRO’s and follow FRO hours of coverage.

The implementation of an FRO includes developing a change control plan as well as the parts and labor to install the change. This service is included with hardware maintenance for a period of 6 months from the FRO bulletin's release date. Teradata will also work with Customer to schedule the installation. Should Customer require Teradata to wait longer than 6 months to provide installation of an FRO, at Teradata’s discretion, both parts and labor are chargeable at then-current rates.

Customer Replaceable Parts

Teradata has designated or will designate from time to time certain parts (such as disk drives and power supplies) as Customer replaceable/repairable. Customer is responsible for replacing Parts designated as customer replaceable unless the Teradata Parts Replacement Service is ordered.  If Teradata determines that Customer replaceable/repairable equipment requires remedial maintenance, Customer agrees that it will perform such maintenance and that it will use only Teradata-provided parts, instructions, processes and documentation to return the Teradata system to a ready-to-run state.  In the event that Teradata chooses to install parts that are currently or subsequently designated as Customer replaceable / repairable, Customer acknowledges and agrees that such service shall not constitute a waiver of any requirement that Customer perform such remedial maintenance. 

If a Customer replaceable/repairable part fails, Teradata will ship such a part to Customer using overnight shipping with business day delivery in exchange for the failed part.  Three business days after the replacement part shipment, Teradata will dispatch its designated freight carrier to the Customer site to pick up the failed part.  If the part is not returned to Teradata due to Customer neglect or refusal, Customer will be charged Teradata’s then-current list price for the part. 

Customer must identify in writing, and always make available, at least two employees who are familiar with the processes and procedures of parts replacement as instructed by Teradata.

Battery Replacement

Only “2U” batteries are covered as part of any maintenance service.

Support for Solid State Drives (SSD)

Teradata will provide support for 2.5” solid state disks for the longer of 5 years from installation or when the solid-state disks reach their endurance threshold limit.

Parts Management

All replacement parts are stocked remotely and managed by Teradata. Teradata is responsible for all spare parts inventory management, shipping, tracking and reporting.

Parts Usage

Teradata provides and installs (unless the equipment has customer replaceable parts) replacement parts for all failed hardware components as part of maintenance. Parts are replaced on an exchange basis and all failed parts become property of Teradata upon removal unless Customer has purchased Drive Retention Service. Replacement parts become Customer property. Certain parts are excluded from service: 3U and older batteries, consumables, and storage media. Replacement of these parts is on a Time & Materials basis only.  Customer must store the on-site parts, along with all original packaging materials, in a secure area to which Teradata personnel have unrestricted access.  Failure to retain original packaging materials may result Customer being charged a restocking fee for the part(s) without such packaging. 

Support for Hot Standby Nodes

Any Hot Standby Nodes are supported at the same level of service as the production nodes.

Support for Dual Systems

Teradata will support Teradata Dual Active Solutions as two single systems. Each system will have an individual site ID for support delivery and tracking purposes. Certain third-party servers and software may not be supported by Teradata.

If one system is knocked out in a disaster situation, the other system will automatically be moved to the higher of the two support levels until the second system is restored to an operational state as defined in the Hardware Services section above.

SOFTWARE SERVICES

Teradata will provide remote software support for non-discontinued and certified software products during Customer’s contracted hours of coverage. Teradata will provide services to diagnose and resolve problems for supported operating system, Teradata Software, utilities and supported BAR products. Any on-site software service is provided at Teradata’s discretion.

Software support generally consists of: 1) guidance in locating (via Teradata Support) solutions to known problems, information to resolve procedural problems and answers to frequently asked questions, 2) recommendations to upgrade if solution is available in a later software release, 3) providing a temporary workaround procedure to circumvent a problem until an e-fix/code-level change is provided.

Software maintenance includes providing an e-fix/code-level change that resolves the reported problem or providing access to a software maintenance release.

Once remote support for a Severity 1 call begins, Teradata will continue to address the problem uninterrupted only during contracted hours of coverage.

Teradata Database Software Support Lifecycle

See Supported Software Releases for Software release naming definitions.

Teradata Database 16.10 and Later Advanced SQL Engine Releases

Teradata’s Database Support Policy for Teradata Database 16.10 and later Advanced SQL Engine releases is to provide 3 years of maintenance & support, from the General Customer Availability date of the minor or major release, until the End-of-Maintenance (EOM) date and a 2-year (at Teradata’s discretion) Extended Database Maintenance Period (EDM) (see below) – referred to as a 3+2 support policy. During the maintenance & support period for Teradata database products, Teradata will provide software problem resolution services, which include code level maintenance, and any activity that provides existing corrections or work-arounds to correct reported software problems for no less than 36 months from its General Customer Availability (GCA) date. At the end of the EOM period, the system will default to the Extended Database Maintenance Period (see below) and is subject to additional fees. Following the end of the EDM period, the system will enter the Support Only period (see below) and is subject to additional fees. Teradata may, at its discretion, support additional Teradata releases but will not provide fixes or patches for such releases.

Teradata is committed to providing crash dump analysis while a Teradata Database software release is within the maintenance and support period plus a period of three months past the End of Maintenance (EOM) date published by Teradata.

 Teradata Database Pre-16.00 Releases

Teradata’s Database Support Policy for pre-Teradata Database 16.00 releases is to provide 3 years of Maintenance & Support, from the General Customer Availability date, until the EOM date and a 2-year (at Teradata’s discretion) Extended Maintenance period – referred to as a 3+2 support policy (see below).  During the maintenance & support period for Teradata Database products, Teradata will provide software problem resolution services, which include code level maintenance, and any activity that provides existing corrections or workarounds to correct reported software problems for no less than 36 months from its GCA date. At the end of the EOM Period, the system would default to the Extended Maintenance period (see below) and is subject to additional fees. Teradata may, at its discretion, support additional Teradata releases but will not provide fixes or patches for such versions.

Teradata is committed to providing crash dump analysis while a Teradata Database software release is within the maintenance and support period plus a period of three months past the End of Maintenance (EOM) date published by Teradata.

For any third-party BAR Software, Teradata (i) will provide Customer with software problem resolution for the current and most recent prior maintenance release updates of the current major/minor software release upgrade, and (ii) may, at its discretion, support the final maintenance release update of the most recent prior major/minor software upgrades.

Note: Certain Teradata software products contain a virtualized OS that is considered part of Teradata software (e.g. TDVM) and not the hardware platform.

Extended Teradata Database Maintenance (EDM) Period

EDM is subject to additional fees. During the EDM period, Teradata provides Extended Database Maintenance for the development and distribution of critical patch/e-fixes for a limited time for Teradata Database and Teradata Tools & Utilities (TTU) software. At Teradata’s discretion, the EDM period ends 2 years after the End-Of-Maintenance date. At the end of the EDM period, the system would default to the Support-Only period and will be subject to additional fees, for as Teradata provides such support for affected software.  Aster Database, and Hadoop Software releases and DIY Public Cloud deployments are not eligible for EDM service unless Teradata specifically makes EDM service available for a specific release.

EDM Service includes:

  • Case call acceptance 24 hours per day, 7 days per week
  • Code level maintenance for critical Severity 1, emergency / fixes (e-fixes) for new and existing problems through the Patch Server via Teradata Support
  • Ability create cases for problems through Teradata Support
  • Guidance with Customer migration plans to support Teradata database releases
  • Back porting only of critical patches and fixes if no acceptable workaround exists
  • Remote service support methodology only, no on-site support provided
  • Continuance of Customer’s current hours of coverage

To be eligible for Extended Teradata database maintenance services, Customer must meet the following criteria subject to Teradata acceptance (Non-eligible systems will default to Support Only Period):

Customer must have a stable Teradata data warehouse environment that is not experiencing growth in user load or subject to planned large-scale application changes. EDM services are not available if Customer is planning a new application deployment on a Teradata system.  Customer must be on the latest maintenance release of the major/minor release and be willing to upgrade to the latest e-fix in order to obtain the correction. Teradata will not provide Time and Material service for EDM services.

EDM services do not include:

  • Site specific release / non-general e-fixes
  • Any equipment services
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA) for code fix
  • Certification of supported programs, new operating system releases or new applications
  • Updated software certification lists for software past its normal lifecycle dates
  • Software updates, general maintenance releases or functionality releases
  • Resolution or restoral times – Commercially reasonable effort only
  • Any other client or application software programs
  • Extended services after the end of the ordered period

Teradata Database Support Only Period

The Support-Only period is subject to additional fees and provides: preventative service, problem reporting, case creation, down system recovery, access to knowledge articles and workarounds – no maintenance or patches are provided, and no crash dump analysis will be performed during the Support Only period. Customers with a maintenance & support contract are entitled to support past the End-of-Maintenance date and as long as the contract is renewed by Teradata and all fees are paid.

Teradata Tools & Utilities Software Support Lifecycle

For Teradata Tools & Utilities software, Teradata will provide software problem resolution services, which include code level maintenance, and any activity that provides existing corrections or work-arounds to correct reported software problems for no less than 36 months from its General Customer Availability (GCA) date.

Supported Software Releases

Most Teradata software products are characterized by four different types of software releases. These releases are differentiated by release number X.Y.Z.n

  • X number refers to a major software release upgrade, also known as Version number for Vantage
  • Y number refers to a minor software release upgrade
  • Z number refers to a maintenance release update
  • n number refers to fixes or patches

“Service Pack” and “Hotfix” are the third-party names for software fixes. Following Teradata standards, a “Service Pack” is a maintenance release (Z) and a “Hotfix” is a patch (n).

Access to Software Maintenance and Patch Releases

All Platform maintenance & support service levels include access to any software maintenance, patch and fix releases. For most products, Customer will have access to Teradata Support to obtain software patches, fixes, and maintenance release updates for some customer-installable software, or (at Customer request) Teradata will provide a single media copy at no additional charge. For software patches and maintenance release updates that cannot be directly obtained, the necessary order information will be provided on Teradata Support.  Customer may replicate and/or apply the patches or maintenance release updates for each copy of the Software to which it pertains and for which Customer has paid the applicable fees and licenses.

Software Maintenance and Support Following Discontinuation

Software code remedy maintenance will not be available on discontinued software. The availability of support for discontinued products is not guaranteed and is dependent on the availability of knowledgeable technical specialists and other resources necessary to support the product.

Software Maintenance and Support for Altered Software

Teradata provides software releases on a Generally Customer Available (GCA) basis to all customers. Should Customer make changes to their designated software, the software will be referred to as “Altered.” Teradata does not provide software releases at any level, X, Y, Z, or n, that is developed compatible with altered versions. Teradata does not warrant that new software will operate as Teradata states it will in conjunction with altered versions.

Customer Installable & Upgradeable Software

For customer-installable software, which is Software that is available for Customer download via the Teradata Support portal, Teradata will provide access to online Community Support user forum, which offers support and discussion within the Teradata community. Teradata will also provide remote installation assistance consisting of (i) guidance in locating (via Teradata Support) solutions to known problems, (ii) information to resolve procedural problems, (iii) answers to frequently asked questions, or (iv) providing a solution that resolves the reported problem.  Without limitation, such support does not include the following (which are considered out of scope: (1) remote installation, (2) step-by-step installation consultation, (3) testing of Customer installed patches and maintenance releases, or (4) recovery of the Product or system after a failed installation performed by Customer.  Unless specifically stated, Analytic Application products are not customer installable or upgradable.  Customers are expected to engage Teradata Professional Services for this activity. 

Software Subscription / Software Upgrade Licenses

Through this service, Customer is entitled to receive major (X) and minor (Y) releases that are generally commercially available for licensed software. Teradata subscription or software upgrade license include Teradata database software, utilities, and mainframe tools that are covered under Customer’s maintenance & support agreement and any paid license fees. Implementation of software is not included in Subscription or Software Upgrade Licenses.

Virus Protection Scanning Software

Teradata does not provide a bundled solution for virus protection scanning software and Teradata does not provide consultation on configuration and software selection for any virus protection software.

Teradata is not responsible for viruses on Customer systems. If a virus is detected on a Customer’s system hard drive(s), service to repair the system and quarantine the virus is out of the scope service of maintenance and support. While Teradata will use commercially reasonable efforts to assist upon request when a virus is detected on a Customer system, Teradata is not responsible for data loss relating to such a virus.

TERADATA APPLICATIONS

Teradata Managed Application, UDA, Analytic Application, and Other Software Support Lifecycle

For Teradata Managed Application, Analytic Application, and Unified Data Architecture (UDA) software, Teradata will provide software problem resolution services, which include code level maintenance, and any activity that provides existing corrections or work-arounds to correct reported software problems for the then current major/minor software release version.  When Customer’s software release is no longer current and Customer has not upgraded to the latest version, Teradata will offer support on a support-only basis for the Support Only Period and such support may be subject to additional fees. 

Current Managed Application and UDA Products in these categories include, but are not limited to, Viewpoint, Data Mover, Unity, Ecosystem Manager, Workload Analytics, AppCenter and QueryGrid software. 

Analytic Application Products include: TWM (Teradata Warehouse Miner), CIM (Customer Interaction Manager), RTIM (Real-Time Interaction Manager), TCIS (TD Channel Integration Services), DCM (Demand Chain Management), MDM (Master Data Management), TAS (Teradata Analytics for SAP), TDE (Teradata Decision Expert), and TVA (Teradata Value Analyzer).

Extended Application Maintenance (EAM)

For a maximum of 2 years after the expiration of support for certain Analytic Application Products (currently DCM and CIM), Teradata may offer an Extended Application Maintenance service.  Extended Application Maintenance service is available in 1year increments.  Extended Application Maintenance service includes:

  • Case call acceptance 24 hours per day, 7 days per week
  • Code level maintenance for critical Severity 1 & 2 emergency fixes (e-fixes) for new and existing problems through the GSO (if possible)
  • Ability to log calls for problems through Teradata Support
  • Back porting only of critical e-fixes if no acceptable workaround exists (if possible)
  • Remote service support methodology only, no on-site support provided
  • Continuance of current level of coverage

To be eligible for Extended Application Maintenance Services, Customer must meet the following criteria:

  • Customer must have a stable environment that is not experiencing growth in user load or subject to planned large-scale application changes.  Customer must remain in a supported configuration according to the Supported Configuration Matrix for their current version.
  • Customers must be on the latest maintenance release of the major/minor release and be willing to upgrade to the latest e-fix in order to obtain the correction; and
  • An EAM contract cannot allow for any gap in support coverage.  Customers are encouraged to move to an EAM contract as soon as e-fix support expires for their current software release.  Customers requesting support who do not have an EAM agreement will need to initiate a new EAM agreement and pay for coverage in arrears from the date e-fix support ended. 

Extended Application Maintenance service does not include:

  • Any equipment services
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA) for e-fixes
  • Certification of supported programs, new operating system releases or new applications
  • Updated software certification lists for software past its normal lifecycle dates
  • Software updates, general maintenance releases or functionality releases
  • Resolution or restoral times – Commercially reasonable effort only
  • Any other client or application software programs
  • Extended Application Maintenance service after the end of the ordered period

OTHER THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE

Teradata Aster and Hadoop Software Support Lifecycle

Teradata’s Aster Software Support Policy is to provide 3 years of maintenance & support, from the Teradata General Customer Availability (GCA) date, until the End-of-Maintenance date.  Teradata’s Hadoop Software Support Policy is to provide 3 years of maintenance & support, from the Hadoop distribution vendor General Availability date, until the End-of-Maintenance date.  During the maintenance & support period for Aster Database, Aster Execution Engine and Hadoop software products, Teradata will provide software problem resolution services, which include code level maintenance, and any activity that provides existing corrections or work-arounds to correct reported software problems for no less than 36 months from its availability date as determined above.  Teradata may, at its discretion, support additional releases but will not provide fixes or patches for such versions.

Teradata will provide Hadoop Support-Only service for expired Hadoop versions, provided that Hadoop Support-Only cannot be renewed past December 31, 2021.  Current contracts for maintenance and support offers for expired versions of Hadoop will be honored until the end of renewal date.  Hadoop Support-Only provides problem reporting, case creation, access to knowledge articles, and workarounds on a commercially reasonable effort basis.

Third-Party Operating System Software Certification

Teradata’s policy is to test and certify all OS patches to guard against any potential impacts that may result in system degradation or downtime. The testing cycle for an OS patch shall begin immediately upon delivery from the OS vendor.

Teradata completes patch certification as soon as feasible after receiving the OS patch from the vendor. Most patch certifications are completed in less than 35 days. Teradata uses its best efforts to complete the most time-consuming certifications (patches to sensitive areas in the code) in less than 50 days.

In an emergency fix situation, Teradata will make e-fixes available on Teradata Software Server (TSS) within days, with the expectation that the fix has not gone through the full certification process.

Teradata processes for notifying customers of new OS patches and posting the packages for download shall remain consistent with this policy. Teradata does not recommend that customers apply any OS patch to their Teradata system before it has been tested and certified by Teradata engineering.

Support for Third-Party Software

Support for third party software products is provided by the vendor unless Teradata has a specific arrangement with that vendor to provide support for the third-party software. When Teradata does have a specific arrangement with the third-party vendor and the customer contracts Teradata to provide support for the third-party vendor’s product(s) the installation, implementation, upgrades & updates of the third-party software and firmware is the customer’s responsibility i.e. Backup and Restore (BAR) third-party software and firmware. In cases where Teradata does not have a formal support relationship with the third-party vendor Teradata does not perform any certification or testing of these software products. It is a customer responsibility to determine if the software is certified by the vendor for use in the environment they are deployed. Teradata will not assume any responsibility for installation, integration, maintenance or support of third-party products even if they have been certified to work with a Teradata product.

In most cases, Teradata will agree with the customer installation and use of third-party software unless Teradata has previously identified a compatibility problem. If Teradata identifies a third-party product to be adversely impacting performance, compatibility or functionality, Teradata will recommend this product be immediately disabled or removed and to contact the third-party vendor for support. If Customer is unable to comply with the Teradata recommendation, such refusal could negatively impact the level of support which Teradata provides and possibly nullify the Customers support agreement with Teradata.

As Teradata learns of issues with third party products, Teradata documents such issues and makes them available for customer viewing via Teradata Support.   Any problem diagnosis and/or resolution caused by third party products will be considered “out of scope” with respect to the Customers service agreement.

SAS Software

SAS is responsible for the installation of server and client-based SAS software.  Teradata is responsible for installation (and upgrade) of node resident SAS EP in accordance with the general rules and policies of the optional Teradata Software Implementation Service (SWI).

Upon completion of SAS EP installation, SAS is responsible for configuration, bring-up and tuning of the overall solution.   Once operational, SAS EP product support is the responsibility of SAS.

Global Support