IBM WebSphere Application Server End of Support Dates by Version
IBM WebSphere Application Server end of support dates: 6 versions are listed below. 6 are already past IBM's end of support, most recently WebSphere Application Server 8.5 on Apr 30, 2022. IBM sells IBM Extended Support for a limited period after that date. Third-party support keeps any of these versions in production after the vendor date, with 24x7 incident response, vulnerability mitigation and compliance documentation, typically at 40-70% below the vendor's renewal.
IBM WebSphere Application Server versions and end of support dates
"Vendor end of support" is the date IBM stops free fixes and security updates. "Extended end" is the end of the paid extension where IBM offers one. Each version links to its own page and quote form.
| Version | Vendor end of support | |
|---|---|---|
| WebSphere Application Server 8.5 | Apr 30, 2022 | Get support |
| WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5 | Apr 30, 2022 | Get support |
| WebSphere Application Server 7.0 | Apr 30, 2018 | Get support |
| WebSphere Application Server 8.0 | Apr 30, 2018 | Get support |
| WebSphere Application Server 6.1 | Sep 30, 2013 | Get support |
| WebSphere Application Server 6.0 | Sep 30, 2010 | Get support |
3 further IBM WebSphere Application Server entries in the catalog have no published date: WebSphere Application Server 9.0, WebSphere Application Server Liberty, WebSphere Application Server ND 8.5.5.
Why IBM WebSphere Application Server versions stay in production
WebSphere Application Server still hosts the Java EE workloads that run back-office processing in banks, insurers, utilities and public sector bodies. Many of those applications were written against a specific WAS version and have not moved since.
IBM's direction is Liberty and containers; the installed base is largely traditional WAS. The gap between the two is what makes the end-of-support date a budget event rather than a technical one.
How IBM's support lifecycle works for IBM WebSphere Application Server
IBM announces end of support per version in a withdrawal letter, typically with at least twelve months' notice, and then offers paid Extended Support for a limited period and sometimes Sustained Support after that. Your perpetual licence does not expire: without Subscription and Support you keep the right to run every version released before your S&S lapsed, provided you downloaded the media and fixes before the expiry date.
The IBM-specific risk is reinstatement. If you drop S&S and later want it back, IBM charges for the lapsed period plus a reinstatement fee, so the decision should be made per product with the exit checklist on the IBM support page.
What changes on the end of support date
- IBM stops publishing fix packs, interim fixes and the Java SDK updates bundled with the release.
- Support cases are refused without paid Extended Support.
- Applications, plug-ins and the deployment manager keep running exactly as before.
Your options after IBM WebSphere Application Server end of support
1. Upgrade to a supported version
Right when the application above it is ready and the budget exists. Wrong as a forced move: an upgrade driven by a support date rather than a business need is where regression bugs and surprise licence costs come from.
2. Buy IBM Extended Support
IBM's paid extension buys more time at a price that rises each year and typically covers security fixes only. It keeps the deadline in place and is often the most expensive line in the renewal.
3. Third-party support
Replaces the vendor contract with ours for the versions you run, with no deadline. For IBM WebSphere Application Server that covers:
- Application server, deployment manager, node agent and web server plug-in incidents, 24x7
- JVM tuning, heap and thread-dump analysis on the SDK level you run
- Vulnerability mitigation for new Java and WAS CVEs when IBM no longer ships interim fixes
- Migration planning to Liberty or a current WAS release on your timetable
Not included: new vendor patches or licences. Those stay with IBM; everything operational moves to us.
IBM WebSphere Application Server end of support: frequently asked questions
Which IBM WebSphere Application Server versions are out of support?
WebSphere Application Server 8.5 (Apr 30, 2022), WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5 (Apr 30, 2022), WebSphere Application Server 7.0 (Apr 30, 2018), WebSphere Application Server 8.0 (Apr 30, 2018), WebSphere Application Server 6.1 (Sep 30, 2013), WebSphere Application Server 6.0 (Sep 30, 2010). All of them can be covered by third-party support.
Our applications only run on an old WAS version. Can it stay supported?
Yes. Third-party support keeps the version in production with incident response, workarounds and mitigation guidance, and the perpetual licence remains valid without S&S.
What about the Java SDK inside WebSphere after end of support?
IBM stops updating the bundled SDK. We assess each Java CVE against your configuration and provide mitigation, and plan a Java or WAS upgrade when you decide to move.
What does third-party support for IBM WebSphere Application Server cost?
Typically 40 to 70% below the vendor renewal or extended-support price for the same versions, priced per instance, server or core depending on the product. We return an indicative price within 24 hours and a firm quote within 48.
How do we move IBM WebSphere Application Server to third-party support without a gap?
Start before the vendor renewal date: inventory versions and instances, download all media and fixes you are entitled to, confirm no bundled contract depends on the renewal, then let the vendor support lapse as ours starts. We handle the hand-over checklist with you.