SCL Question: Can I install ESXi security patches without killing support?

[Artegic]

I'm running Backup Exec 2012 with Service Pack 4 to back up a VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5 cluster, which is running reasonably well. There are however a number of outstanding critical security patches for ESXi. Given Symantec's extremely restrictive support policy I am unsure whether I can install those.

The Backup Exec 2012 Software Compatibility List dated 2014-05-07 which seems to be the latest one available lists as its last entry in the VMware section:

Name: ESXi[4]
Version: 5.5
Service Pack: (empty)
CPU Architecture: x86-64

Footnote 4 says: "Backup Exec 2012 Service Pack 3 and higher. Please see the following tech note for more information: <http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH211940>"

TECH211940 does not provide any relevant information on the topic.

How can I determine whether I can update my ESXi hosts to the current patch level without losing Backup Exec support?

[CraigV]

Hi,

I would assume normal patches won't be covered by the SCL...this would be for major releases or Updates to VMware.

Otherwise log a call directly with Symantec and get them to answer...the SCL would be the official authority on support for applications.

Thanks!

[pkh · Accepted solution]

The technote that you are referring to is to highlight the fact that "Vddk 5.1 U1 does not work on vSphere 5.5 and VMware is aware of the issue."

For your question, you should refer to point 2 on page 2 of the SCL which talks about minor dot (.) version support.  This means that fixes to VMware 5.5 is supported in the sense that "Symantec will provide "reasonable effort" support on these versions until specific testing of them has completed.".  The fixes may break things and it will take time to fix them because Symantec would need to test and find out what the faults are and they may not get fixed until the next release.