Why Stabilized Builds of OpenJDK Matter for Enterprise Java
When it comes to OpenJDK builds for enterprise Java, developers, architects and IT Teams have choices to make.
For example, developers need to decide hardware platforms and application server architecture. Developers also need to decide whose OpenJDK build to use and whether a full Patch Set Update (PSU) build of OpenJDK and/or a stabilized CPU (Critical Patch Update) build is the best way to go.
There are many considerations that go into that decision, so here, we focus on what developers need to know about stabilized builds of OpenJDK.
So read on to learn:
- What’s a stabilized build of OpenJDK,
- Main problems they solve, and
- Advantages that stable and secure Java bring to developers, application owners, as well as to executive IT and business management.
What We Mean by “Stabilized Build of OpenJDK”
To make sure we have common understanding, let’s anchor our stabilized build discussion in how vendors create OpenJDK builds.
Distributors create OpenJDK builds by taking the reference OpenJDK source code. From there, they create prebuilt platform binaries that they distribute to others under open-source license agreements. Each quarter, the reference implementation and vendor-created binaries are updated to fix bugs and security vulnerabilities, and incorporate feature enhancements.
All free and most commercial builds contain all the latest and greatest features and functions – but are not mature in the sense that they have not had rigorous testing, either on internal infrastructures or by the community at large. Generally, developers and DevOps teams will test these builds before deploying, or deploy them for applications with low risk tolerance.
Some vendors, however, create stabilized builds that provide immediate security vulnerability fixes, alongside mature features and bug fixes, ensuring they are secure, stable, and ready for immediate risk-free production deployment and use.
As such, while stabilized builds don’t include all the new features and may not have the latest problem fixes, the releases have no bloat and are therefore highly stable, reliable and secure. This is why enterprises prefer to deploy them into production.
Let’s put this in context of the quarterly OpenJDK security update cycle.
Each quarter, when security vulnerabilities are announced and published, you can choose the stabilized security-only CPU – aka Critical Patch Update or the complete PSU – aka Patch Set Update.
The stabilized security-only CPU is a quarterly build that starts with the prior quarterly PSU and adds ONLY fixes for new security vulnerabilities. These CPU binaries are designed to be:
- Secure because they focus on immediate security fixes
- Stable, because the included non-security fixes and feature enhancements have proven to be stable through community use and testing over the prior quarter
- Immediately deployable
Therefore, a Stabilized Security-Only CPU binary has minimum risk.
The PSU is a quarterly build, generally available at the same time as the Security-Only CPU. It starts with the prior quarterly PSU. It then adds ALL the security fixes in the CPU PLUS all completely new non-critical fixes and enhancements – impacting hundreds of lines of code and Java classes.
The trouble is, no one can truly know the impact of the additions on existing infrastructures. They are not proven to be stable. For these reasons, a PSU binary – potentially including untested bloat – is generally less secure and less stable than a Security-Only CPU binary.
Stabilized Builds of OpenJDK Solve Some Big Problems
Now that we established that a stabilized build of OpenJDK refers to a binary or binaries taken from the OpenJDK Project reference implementation that are packaged and thoroughly tested for security and stability, let’s talk about what they tackle.
The biggest problems they solve really depend on your enterprise.
It can depend on which industry you’re in, your security risk tolerance, application performance needs, whether your application is revenue-producing, customer-facing or mission-critical, and the depth of your IT budget.
If your enterprise has heavy compliance requirements, a stabilized build of OpenJDK insures you stay in compliance with laws, regulations and industry standards.
Regardless of your industry, a stabilized build of OpenJDK improves security and makes sure your key systems do not suffer regressions or glitches.
With that, let’s explore why you should consider deploying safe and secured Java.
Technical and Business Advantages of Stabilized OpenJDK Builds
A stabilized build of OpenJDK offers security and stability advantages to applications teams. But it doesn’t end there. Stabilized builds are also a boon to the senior IT and business management to whom applications teams must report as they assure continued operational performance of key systems with minimal security risk.
Here, we discuss the top 6 reasons why enterprises need safe and secure Java and advantages of stabilized builds of OpenJDK.
Technology Upsides from Stabilized Builds
Some developers, DevOps and application teams weigh the OpenJDK decision on the technology alone. In this section, we focus on what stabilized builds of OpenJDK are and why they are important to Java developers and apps operations teams.
1. Stabilized builds offer easy, simple deployment of crucial security updates.
Every quarter, operations teams execute updates based upon one simple rule: unless you desperately need a given bug fix in the PSU, deploy the Security-Only CPU as soon as possible.
Then operations teams spend time to thoroughly test the PSU before the next update cycle so you can move quickly to deploy the next Security-Only CPU.
The key advantage here is that Security-Only CPU builds often can be deployed live immediately. If a CPU build has not been deployed, PSU builds usually take longer to test and verify, exposing your infrastructures to security risks as the keys to the temple – the security vulnerabilities in addition to the fixes that secure them – are publicly known.
At this point, stabilized builds are provided and commercially supported by only two vendors. Oracle and Azul, in Oracle’s case proprietary and in Azul’s case open source OpenJDK.
All other commercial builds and all free builds only ship a PSU as their quarterly OpenJDK update.
Beware, though.
Some vendors say they have a CPU update, thereby leading you to believe they’re really stabilized builds. However, you need to look under the hood of these “CPU” binaries. When you do, they almost always include security updates AND new features. And because they contain new features, it really makes them a PSU build in all but name.
2. Stabilized builds are more secure because they include Security-Only updates designed for rapid deployment.
Important stabilized updates contain new security updates and incorporate prior quarter PSU features and bug fixes now deemed stable. This means operations teams can quickly address security issues and patch away with absolute confidence.
Again, the upshot: stabilized builds ensure stability and minimize any operational disruption.
3. Stabilized builds are thoroughly tested binaries, tested over the prior quarter by the community to make sure they don’t break or de-stabilize your applications across all supported versions.
Unsupported OpenJDK builds only deliver Patch Security Updates that merge security updates with features and bug fixes. This means everything added by the OpenJDK community in the past 90 days, which also has to be backported to older versions, such as 11, 8 and maybe 7 and 6, thus creating additional backport uncertainty. Without extensive testing on them before placing it into production, there’s unknown risk.
However, stabilized builds are thoroughly tested with minimal new bloat, so your applications stay operational across more versions ensuring business as usual for your enterprise, whatever versions you use.
4. Stabilized builds eliminate regressions.
Constant updates can introduce changes that break application features or functionality that once worked. In software development, regressions are an inevitable fact of life.
When regressions occur in Java, they are usually remedied in the next PSU quarterly update or a mid-quarter fix with out-of-cycle updates. However, significant delays in getting security fixes to publicly known security issues can happen, impacting your infrastructures, adding risk and cost, especially where your applications impact business-critical functions.
Oh, and these security issues during security fix delays? Attackers and hackers everywhere now have the source code for them. You can’t just back up with an earlier release.
This is where a stabilized build with access to the CPU is critical. You could roll out the necessary security patches, secure your systems against imminent threats and wait, free from worry, for the revised PSU to be released.
How Stabilized Builds of OpenJDK Are Good for IT and Business Alike
The technology advantages of stabilized builds come with some important business benefits. And sure, some developers may be tempted to overlook some of the great business outcomes that come with stabilized builds of OpenJDK.
But knowing how a stabilized build translates to tangible business benefits can help Java developers and ops teams make the business case to both the IT boss and the business of exactly why they are worth the investment.
5. Stabilized builds keep your organization in compliance, protect your reputation, and lower the risk of costly fines or legal fees.
Usually, to remain in compliance with your industries standards and legal requirements, it all comes down to stable apps with timely security updates.
Therefore, customer-facing, revenue-generating or business-critical Java-based applications must be carefully managed by operations teams. The importance multiplies even more when you’re in industries like finance or energy and utilities.
This means making sure all runtime stack components have appropriate support that focuses on system stability and security – the benefit of a stabilized build of OpenJDK.
In practical terms, to keep regulators and standards bodies happy, you need timely access to and near-immediate deployment of vulnerability fixes and security updates, including also out-of-cycle bug patches. Further, they must ensure system security and performance at all times, even weekends and holidays.
This is why a stabilized build with complete system stability and security support is the only way to ensure compliance if you work in a compliance-affected industry or sector.
Without it, there’s no telling how much your enterprise might pay in fines, expensive investigations, legal fees, brand damage, or lost customers.
6. Stabilized builds improve work life and are more convenient for IT teams.
Stabilized builds of OpenJDK enable smoother operations and better operational conveniences.
Using a stabilized build with both CPU and PSU updates, ops teams can deploy CPU updates with minimal testing to keep Java runtimes up-to-date as soon as they’re published, thereby maximizing security. Team members can then take their time to thoroughly test PSU updates before deployment into production. Since you already deploy critical security patches, gone is the abject panic of having to fix known security vulnerabilities within a pressured, short time period.
The result: maximum stability for your applications, less chaos and stress, more predictable operations, and a better employee experience for IT. IT uses time better, reduces unnecessary testing time, and gives IT a better work life.
All of these benefits are great for the business case and entire enterprise.
Get More Java with Azul’s Stabilized Builds of OpenJDK
There’s a lot to consider when moving to a stabilized OpenJDK build with support.
When deciding on a stabilized build, you need to consider:
- Cost/licensing
- Security
- Deployment
- Transition
- Open-source license agreement impacts now and, in the future
With Azul stabilized builds, you get perfect Java performance at high value with no security and intellectual property compromises. Without the high prices and open source benefits, you get stabilized builds of OpenJDK from a committed Java community contributor that keeps pace with Oracle.
Furthermore, with Azul stabilized builds, developers like you can get access to the greatest range of the stabilized build versions in the industry today.
After all, Azul offers more stabilized versions than any other Java platform vendor, even Oracle. You can access Azul’s fully supported, stabilized builds of Long-Term and Medium-Term Support Java versions including JDK 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15 and 17 and it includes all security patches backported where applicable.
Finally, Azul stabilized builds come with the best support you’ll find anywhere.
We have more than 100 very experienced, full-time engineers that work solely on JVMs and JDKs. In addition, of 30 Java Champions chosen each year, Azul is honored to have four Java Champions on staff, working directly with customers and the Java community.
When you subscribe to Azul’s stabilized builds of OpenJDK, know your organization has anytime, anywhere access to the industry’s very best Java experts’ deep knowledge of the JVM, memory management, Java performance issues, and usage of production application visibility tools.
Ready to get more stable and secure enterprise Java? Stabilized builds of OpenJDK from Azul make it possible.