What does the End of Support (EOS) refer to in product lifecycle context?

In the context of a product lifecycle, End of Support (EOS) specifically refers to the last date a manufacturer will provide support for a product. This includes technical assistance, software updates, and security patches. After this date, users are no longer able to receive any official help or updates, which can expose them to security vulnerabilities and performance issues.

Understanding EOS is crucial for organizations as it helps them plan for necessary upgrades or transitions to newer products to maintain a secure and efficient IT infrastructure. Once a product reaches its EOS, continuing to use it can pose significant risks, especially if security flaws are discovered after support has ended. This timeline is critical for risk management in an organization's technology assets.

The other options, while related to product lifecycles, do not accurately capture what EOS entails within this specific context.