Sunset (computing)

{{Short description|Planned ending of a service or feature}}

In information technology (IT), to sunset a server, service, software feature, etc. is to plan to intentionally remove or discontinue it. In most cases, the term also connotes that this discontinuation is announced to users in advance, generally with an expected timeline. After sunsetting is announced, usually very few changes are made to the hardware or software in question, as such work would be counterproductive, when its termination is soon to follow. In some cases, however, individual features of an application, server, or service may be phased out at different times, leading up to the eventual full shutdown.{{cite web |title=Managing the Product Lifecycle Course |url=https://ecornell.cornell.edu/courses/technology/managing-the-product-lifecycle/ |last1=Cornell University |date=2021 |access-date=2021-05-07 |website=eCornell |archive-date=2021-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508054805/https://ecornell.cornell.edu/courses/technology/managing-the-product-lifecycle/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Information Technology: The Dark Side of Sunsetting |url=http://www.bssdlaw.com/files/sunsetting.pdf |website=Context Law |last1=Salyers |first1=Jen C. |date=2019-04-19 |access-date=2021-05-07 |archive-date=2020-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020120238/http://www.bssdlaw.com/files/sunsetting.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=What Is The Product Lifecycle? Definition, Benefits and Challenges |url=https://airfocus.com/glossary/what-is-the-product-lifecycle/ |website=airfocus.com |last1=airfocus GmbH |date=2020-02-16 |access-date=2021-05-07 |archive-date=2021-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142530/https://airfocus.com/glossary/what-is-the-product-lifecycle/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=How to Smartly Sunset and Deprecate APIs |url=https://nordicapis.com/how-to-smartly-sunset-and-deprecate-apis/ |website=Nordic APIs |last1=Sandoval |first1=Kristopher |date=2019-08-22 |access-date=2021-05-07}}{{cite web |title=Application Lifecycle Management |url=http://itproforum.org/archive/201003_ballas.pdf |website=IT Professionals Forum |last1=Ballas |first1=Linda |date=2010-03-16 |access-date=2021-05-07 |archive-date=2023-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519235822/http://itproforum.org/archive/201003_ballas.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Lifecycle Management – Let the Sunshine in |url=https://ea.rna.nl/2019/08/14/lifecycle-management-let-the-sunshine-in/ |website=R&A Enterprise Architecture |last=Wierda |first=Gerben |date=2019-08-14 |access-date=2021-05-07 |archive-date=2021-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508054809/https://ea.rna.nl/2019/08/14/lifecycle-management-let-the-sunshine-in/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Product Lifecycle Stages |url=https://support.particle.io/hc/en-us/articles/360039251234-Product-Lifecycle-Stages |website=Particle Support |last1=Particle Industries, Inc. |date=2020-06-05 |access-date=2021-05-07 |archive-date=2021-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142450/https://support.particle.io/hc/en-us/articles/360039251234-Product-Lifecycle-Stages |url-status=dead }}