TL;DR
HPE has moved HP-UX 11i v3 out of standard support as of December 31, 2025; the product is now listed as a 'Mature Software Product' with no sustaining engineering through at least December 31, 2028. The final public release for Integrity (Itanium) servers appeared in May 2025, and observers point to the demise of Itanium as a key factor in HP-UX's decline.
What happened
HPE's support matrix shows that HP-UX 11i v3 (11.31) exited standard support on 31 December 2025. The vendor now classifies the product as "Mature Software Product Support without Sustaining Engineering through at least 31-Dec-2028." The last publicly posted HP-UX release for HPE Integrity servers appears to be release 2505.11iv3, published on 22 May 2025. HP-UX traces its lineage to the early 1980s and was ported across several processor families over the decades, including HP's FOCUS-based HP 9000 Series 500, a Motorola 68000 edition, PA-RISC, and later Intel's Itanium/EPIC architecture used in Integrity servers. Industry commentary and community outlets marked the end of support as a significant milestone, with some vendors offering migration options and hobbyist or niche projects continuing to maintain Itanium-related software.
Why it matters
- This marks the end of mainstream vendor support for one of HP’s long-running Unix distributions, affecting organizations still dependent on HP-UX.
- HP-UX's exit from standard support underscores how hardware platform discontinuation (notably Itanium) can drive an OS toward obsolescence.
- Enterprises running legacy HP-UX workloads will need to evaluate migration or extended-support options to manage risk and compliance.
- The change opens opportunities for alternative vendors and community projects to propose migration paths or continued maintenance.
Key facts
- HPE lists HP-UX 11i v3 (11.31) as having ended standard support on 31-Dec-2025.
- The product status is now 'Mature Software Product Support without Sustaining Engineering through at least 31-Dec-2028' per HPE's support matrix.
- The last release located in public records is HP-UX 11i v3 release 2505.11iv3, dated 22 May 2025 for Integrity servers.
- HP-UX originated in the early 1980s and was initially produced for the HP 9000 Series 500 using HP's FOCUS processor.
- The OS was ported over the years to multiple architectures: a Motorola 68000 build, HP's PA-RISC, and later Intel's Itanium (EPIC) for Integrity systems.
- Intel ended Itanium shipments in 2021, which the source identifies as a key factor limiting new hardware for HP-UX.
- Some vendors, such as SUSE, have publicly positioned their Linux offerings as migration routes for affected customers.
- Community projects like EPIC Linux and the T2 distribution are still maintaining Itanium support, and an individual (René Rebe) is noted for Itanium work in GCC.
What to watch next
- Adoption of migration paths promoted by vendors (for example, SUSE's messaging around migration) and how customers respond.
- Whether HPE will alter the current 'Mature Software Product' status or provide additional sustaining engineering beyond 31-Dec-2028 — not confirmed in the source.
- The extent to which community and niche projects (EPIC Linux, T2) can cover remaining Itanium workloads and tooling needs — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- HP-UX: Hewlett-Packard's proprietary Unix operating system that was developed for various HP server and workstation architectures.
- Itanium (EPIC): Intel's EPIC-family processor architecture marketed as Itanium, used in HPE Integrity servers; shipments ceased in 2021 according to the source.
- End of Life (EOL): The point at which a vendor stops providing standard support for a product, potentially including updates and security fixes.
- PA-RISC: HP's in-house reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architecture that was once a primary platform for HP-UX.
- Sustaining engineering: Ongoing development work by a vendor to maintain and fix existing software outside of active feature development and standard support.
Reader FAQ
Is HP-UX 11i v3 still supported by HPE?
Standard support for HP-UX 11i v3 ended on 31-Dec-2025. It is listed under mature product support without sustaining engineering through at least 31-Dec-2028.
What caused HP-UX to reach end of support?
The source links HP-UX's decline to the loss of viable hardware platforms, notably the end of Itanium processor shipments, which limited new server options.
Are there migration options available?
Vendors such as SUSE have presented their Linux offerings as migration routes; details about adoption or migration plans by customers are not confirmed in the source.
Will community projects keep Itanium software alive?
The source notes that EPIC Linux and the T2 distribution still provide Itanium support and that contributors continue Itanium work in GCC.
OSES 10 The last supported version of HP-UX is no more Remember when HP made its own CPUs and Unix? We wonder if it does Liam Proven Mon 5 Jan 2026 // 16:04 UTC…
Sources
- The last supported version of HP-UX is no more
- HP-UX hits end-of-life today, and I'm sad
- HP-UX End of Life 2025: The IT Paradox & SUSE Migration
- HP-UX 11i v3 2025 Operating Environment Update …
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