Question

Aleph 20/Oracle 11.1

Extended Support for Oracle 11.1 ended in August 2015. What are our options in regard to upgrading Aleph and Oracle? Will Ex Libris support for version 20 (which uses Oracle 11.1) be ending? What version of Oracle does Aleph 22 use?

Aleph 21/22/23 - Oracle 11r2 / 12c 

What are our options with Aleph 21, Aleph 22, and Aleph 23 in regard to Oracle versions and support?  

Answer

It's Ex Libris' policy to provide new fixes only for the current version and - if feasible - for one version back. At this point in time (July 2020), that's v23 and v22. But we continue providing advice and support which does *not* involve new fixes indefinitely. (If you encounter a problem which is fixed in a Service Pack which you have not yet applied, you are, of course, still able to apply that Service Pack.)

Thus, we have already stopped providing new fixes and Service Packs for versions 20 and 21. But there are not likely to be significant new problems requiring Aleph fixes with Aleph 20 or 21.  They have been in use by many customers over many years.

The article " Aleph version / Oracle version relationships " shows the Aleph version to Oracle version relationships.  

Extended Support for Oracle 11.1 (used with Aleph 20) ended in Aug. 2015.  Sites continuing to use 11.1 have needed to switch to Sustaining Support. As described at https://www.oracle.com/support/lifetime-support/ , Sustaining Support does not include new updates, fixes, security alerts, datafixes, or critical patch updates.   The minute you switch off of Extended Support, there's the chance, though small, that there could be some critical vulnerability discovered in Oracle which would be fixable only by going to a new version of Oracle (and Aleph).

Also, there could be enhancements to third-party products (such as Java, Perl, etc.) which could be implemented only with the higher version of Oracle (or Aleph).

Aleph 21/22

As described in ,  Aleph 22 is using Oracle version 11.2.0.4 (11r2).  
Extended Support for 11.2.0.4 will last until December 2020.  Then you would need to go to the Sustaining Support described above. 

Also per the article, Aleph 21, which is using Oracle 11.2.0.3, is certified for upgrade to Oracle 11.2.0.4 (11r2). 
Extended Support for Oracle 11.2.0.4 will last until December 2020. 

Note: Sites using Aleph 22 (or Aleph 21 with 11r2) should plan to move to Aleph 23 by the summer of 2020 at the latest.

Aleph 23

Aleph 23 uses Oracle 12.1 (12c)

Extended Support runs through July 31, 2022."

Aleph 23.3 and above is also available with Oracle 19c

Extended Support will start May 01, 2024 through April 30, 2027

Aleph 24

Planned for June 2022.

See also:   " Aleph Service Pack and Release Schedule ".