Backup Exec 2012 support for VMWare ESXi 5.5 U1

[Artegic]

We're backing up a VMware ESXi 5.5 cluster with Backup Exec 2012 SP4. On the occasion of a VMware support call, the engineer urgently recommended that we install the pending patches, including Update 1.

The Backup Exec 2012 SCL dated 2014-05-07, which seems still to be the one in force according to http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH175581, lists as supported ESXi 5.5 with a blank Service Pack column. Previous ESXi releases sport separate entries listing "Update 1" in the Service Pack column. This seems to imply that ESXi 5.5 Update 1 is not supported.

Question 1: Is that true? Does Backup Exec 2012 with all current updates indeed support only VMware ESXi 5.5 without current updates?

If so,

Question 2: What course of action does Symantec propose for its customers using Backup Exec 2012 in conjunction with VMware ESXi 5.5 in order to maintain a secure operating environment?

[pkh]

Upgrade to BE 2014 which supports ESX 5.5U1.  See the SCL below

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH217478

[Artegic]

Not currently an option due to http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH223215 which states:

[T]his particular issue is not currently scheduled for any release.

Any other idea?

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

I checked internally and subject to change the issue in TECH223215 wil be solved by the GA release of BE 2014 SP1 which should be released soon. (For those using the beta/pre release version the fix is not contained in that version)

[Artegic]

Ok, so I'll wait for SP1 to be released and then schedule the upgrade to 2014.

Means my pending VMware updates will have to be postponed for much longer than I'm comfortable with, but I guess there's no way around that.