Hexagon PPM software products are not static; they change continually to reflect engineering code addenda, operational enhancements, user requests, operating system modifications, and corrections. New versions are planned and targeted for a specific release date. However, there may be corrections necessary to the currently shipping version, before the next version can be released. When this occurs, an update to the currently shipping version is made. This update is referred to as either a hotfix or a service pack.
A hotfix resolves one or more specific problems, while a service pack typically contains a significant number of product fixes. Hotfixes have undergone a quick investigation and resolution with limited regression testing. However, hotfixes have not gone through the formal software testing and verification protocol. All hotfix issued on the eCustomer website are included in the next fully-certified product release (either a service pack or a full version). When issues occur that require a service pack update, the update is finalized, announced, and posted to the eCustomer website.
Some Hexagon PPM users have expressed concern over tracking, archiving, and distributing the various update generated between major releases. In order to alleviate this problem for our users, all service packs for new releases contain all previous service pack updates. In other words, service pack update Y contains update X. This increases the download size and time required to obtain the update, but only one update is required at any given time.