Latest VMware Updates/Patches to include/avoid RE: Veeam

[rreed]

Morning, all. W/ all the VMware v6 updates/patches breaking things it's been a challenge to keep up w/ what we should and/or should not be installing on our VMware hosts to help keep our Veeam backups running.

Do we have a list of updates/patches to include/exclude in our VMware host patching to make sure not break Veeam, CBT, etc. please?

[Gostev]

I don't believe there ever was a vSphere 6 build without some critical issue. What supports this is the fact that when I ask customers why in the world do they jump the latest vSphere updates and patches so quick, before they are proven not to bring new issues - they respond that they are forced to upgrade by VMware support, because these updates and patches fix the outstanding issues they currently have.

[rreed]

Thanks Gostev, I believe much of the world at large would agree w/ you. At that, do we have an specificity relating to breaking Veeam backups please? For instance does Update 2 break backups, corrupt data, etc.? Any particular patches that break Veeam backups in any way?

[NightBird]

May be ESXi 6 update1B is the more stable release of vsphere 6 ? with express patch 5 (security fix) ?

[cahaynes86]

I agree with NightBird. 6U1b patched up to EP5 is where I have been landing my Veeam B&R 9U1 customers lately and things appear to working smoothly so far.

[tommls]

We are on 6.0 update 2 but with hardware version 8 or lower on all VMs.

[rreed]

We're running U1 w/ I forget what misc. patches, I need to look. It's been stable for us so far, backups - and restores - seem to be working fine. We're due for another round of patching to satisfy some requirements, I just really don't want to break it. I have the impression U2 broke some stuff (CBT again?) so I'm very leery of applying it and risking our backups. Hardware version on VM's runs the gamut of I think 8 up to 11. Tools is 10.0.0.9 on at least most if not all but I've recently setup a Baseline to get those squared away.

[tommls]

Some of the issues people had were related to hardware version 10 or 11 so I never upgraded the hardware versions, since I don't know what the difference or improvement is between the various hardware versions.
I haven't done any updates beyond 6.0 U2 either. VMware forums are unhelpful nowadays compared to years past.