Troubleshooting Tip: 'The mature Level of the currently installed firmware is different than the feature level of the firmware version selected.'

[Ade_23]

Description	This article explains the maturity firmware tags and help customers understand what the warning message represents.
Scope	FortiGate, FortiOS.
Solution	In certain cases when upgrading the FortiGate firewall, a message similar to the following may appear: Feature Firmware. A feature OS version is prepended with '.F'. This can be seen by running the ‘get system’ status command.   It signifies releases that introduce new functionalities or capabilities compared to the previous release. This could include changes to CLI commands, enhanced functionality, or completely new feature sets. Feature firmware versions are often seen in the early stages of a major release cycle because this is when new elements are added to the system. Mature Firmware. A mature OS version is prepended with '.M' and signifies releases that include no major new features. These firmware versions simply focus on the stability and reliability of the previously released versions. In mature firmware versions, the emphasis is on bug fixes and security patches which improve existing features. Understanding the warning message. The warning message does not mean that an upgrade action should not be performed. It only serves as an advisory note which informs users about new features and functionality in the firmware being upgraded to. It is also important to note that the tags (Feature and Mature) are associated with individual releases and not the entire firmware code train. This means that a feature version can still come after a mature version in the same code train. It also means that when upgrading from one mature version to another mature version, the warning will not be received. However, new features introduced in the feature versions that were released between both mature versions (if any) will be added. Example: If an upgrade is performed from 7.2.b (Feature) to 7.2.c (Mature), the warning will be received. However, an upgrade from 7.2.a (Mature) to 7.2.c (Mature) will not trigger the warning. Even though no warning appears, the upgrade will still fully implement all new features introduced in 7.2.b (Feature). In conclusion, the decision to upgrade to a feature version lies with the customer. When the warning is received, it is recommended to review the release notes of the new version and make notes of new features as well as their impacts on the network environment before performing the upgrade.