Adding upstream version 18.2.2.upstream/18.2.2

Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>

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+.. _ceph-releases-general:
+
+=======================
+Ceph Releases (general)
+=======================
+
+.. toctree::
+    :maxdepth: 1
+
+Understanding the release cycle
+-------------------------------
+
+Starting with the Nautilus release (14.2.0), there is a new stable release cycle
+every year, targeting the month of March. Each stable release series will receive a name
+(e.g., 'Mimic') and a major release number (e.g., 13 for Mimic because 'M' is
+the 13th letter of the alphabet).
+
+Releases are named after a species of cephalopod (usually the common
+name, since the latin names are harder to remember or pronounce).
+
+Version numbers have three components, *x.y.z*.  *x* identifies the release
+cycle (e.g., 13 for Mimic).  *y* identifies the release type:
+
+* x.0.z - development versions
+* x.1.z - release candidates (for test clusters, brave users)
+* x.2.z - stable/bugfix releases (for users)
+
+Release candidates (x.1.z)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+There is a feature freeze roughly two months prior to the planned
+initial stable release, after which focus shifts to stabilization and
+bug fixes only.
+
+* Release candidate release every 1-2 weeks
+* Intended for final testing and validation of the upcoming stable release
+
+Stable releases (x.2.z)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Once the initial stable release is made (x.2.0), there are
+semi-regular bug-fix point releases with bug fixes and (occasionally)
+feature backports.  Bug fixes are accumulated and included in
+the next point release.
+
+* Stable point release every 4 to 6 weeks
+* Intended for production deployments
+* Bug fix backports for 2 full release cycles (2 years).
+* Online, rolling upgrade support and testing from the last two (2)
+  stable release(s) (starting from Luminous).
+* Online, rolling upgrade support and testing from prior stable point
+  releases
+
+For each stable release:
+
+* `Integration and upgrade tests
+  <https://github.com/ceph/ceph/tree/master/qa/suites/>`_ are run on a regular basis
+  and `their results <http://pulpito.ceph.com/>`_ analyzed by Ceph
+  developers.
+* `Issues <http://tracker.ceph.com/projects/ceph/issues?query_id=27>`_
+  fixed in the development branch (master) are scheduled to be backported.
+* When an issue found in the stable release is `reported
+  <http://tracker.ceph.com/projects/ceph/issues/new>`_, it is
+  triaged by Ceph developers.
+* The `stable releases and backport team <http://tracker.ceph.com/projects/ceph-releases/wiki>`_
+  publishes ``point releases`` including fixes that have been backported to the stable release.
+
+Lifetime of stable releases
+---------------------------
+
+The lifetime of a stable release series is calculated to be approximately 24
+months (i.e., two 12 month release cycles) after the month of the first release.
+For example, Mimic (13.2.z) will reach end of life (EOL) shortly after Octopus
+(15.2.0) is released. The lifetime of a release may vary because it depends on
+how quickly the stable releases are published.
+
+Detailed information on all releases, past and present, can be found at :ref:`ceph-releases-index`
+