upgrade to 11a but with some old agents installed

[GianlucaCroci]

Hello,

I've Veeam B&R 11.0.0.837 (2021.05.25) and now I've seen that there is disponible the new version 11.0.1.1261 (2021.10.05), also called 11a.
Unfortunately I've some servers that use an "old" agent (4.0.1.2169).
With the current version I've no problems saving these servers, but I wouldn't like to install the latest version and then fail to backup these machines.

Unfortunately I can't update them currently because I would have to restart them, and this isn't feasible (not soon at least).

Therefore, I'd like to know if I can do the update safely, because the 4.0.1.2169 agent is fully compatible with 11a.

Thank's in advance.
Kind regards

[Dima P.]

Hello Gianluca,

Yes you can install 11a and it's not required to update backup agents immediately. Just make sure that auto update is disabled in the Protection Group settings, otherwise new version will be installed to the agent during the next Protection Group rescan. Thanks!

[GianlucaCroci]

Thank's a lot.

yes, the auto update is disabled

[Dima P.]

Then you are good to go, but do not forget agents to the latest version at your convenience too

Have a good weekend!

[GianlucaCroci]

I know it. Unfortunately I cann't help but warn my colleagues of the danger of not updating the Agent, because this time it will be compatible, but the next time who can tell? and if I've to update forcibly because it solves a problem for me, I would not be very happy that I cann't do the update because then I could no longer save the servers with the old Agent, or I could update knowing that I'll not save those servers anymore because they can't be shut down.
However my colleagues are warned, and I hope they will allow me to update the Agent in the coming months (at least).

thank's a lot again

[Dima P.]

Thanks for the feedback Gianluca!

because this time it will be compatible, but the next time who can tell?

Our goal is to provide the agent upgrade capabilities for two major versions back (so minor update like 11a does not count).

I would not be very happy that I cann't do the update because then I could no longer save the servers with the old Agent, or I could update knowing that I'll not save those servers anymore because they can't be shut down.

Not sure I got this right: you are worried that backup jobs will stop running during the update or some compatibility issues with old operating systems? Thanks!

[GianlucaCroci]

The info about the agent upgrade capabilities for two major versions back (so minor update like 11a does not count) is very good.

It's not a question of difficulty in updating but with the update then we've to restart the servers, and that's where the problem is. We've some servers that can't be restarted (or very rarely) or that if we restart them maybe there're problems when they start.

thank's again.

[Mildur]

It's not a question of difficulty in updating but with the update then we've to restart the servers, and that's where the problem is.

I see restarts only for servers with the cbt driver installed. And sometimes if a really old .NET version was installed.
Linux agents and windows agents without the cbt driver normally do not needs restarts.

We have decided, to use the cbt driver only for windows servers with refs filesystems. For „only ntfs“ systems, the windows agent without the driver is enough for us.

If you update the Agents and cbt driver, veeam can use the old version todo the backups, until you reboot the vm. Only then the new version will be activated and the old one removed.

[GianlucaCroci]

I know this (restarts only for servers with the cbt driver installed) and we've this "option":-)
Also a server of a cluster of 4 I've already updated (updated the agent), without reboot, and I've seen that it needs a reboot to finish.
Two other servers are also older and will probably also need a .NET update, so I reboot.

But my goal has been achieved, which is to know if I would have any problems upgrading to 11a.
And I'll say more. My policy is to keep everything up to date to avoid problems, especially agents, and I'll succeed.