BIGFIX Client version Downgrade

1

Hi,

I am using IBM BIGFIX server 9.5.7 version and client version 9.5.7, but some machines having 9.5.8client version,
So can I use/deploy update windows client version 9.5.7 fixlet to those machines (which having BESClient 9.5,8) from BIGFIX console ?
If I use any problem will occur?

Thanks,
Nagaraj,

2

My recommendation would be to create a custom fixlet to uninstall the current version and then install the version you need.

3

You won’t run into any issues since your infrastructure is at version 9.5.7.

While it’s a best practice to have the infrastructure at the highest BES version, it’s no longer a requirement.

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4

If I uninstall the agent again can I use Install agent fixlet from bigfix console,

We have BESConsole access only ,so all uninstall and install action performed from console itself,

5

Why downgrade? You can just leave those clients on 9.5.8

6

management policy we have to maintain same version(9.5.7) for all client and server
10% client only running higher version (9.5.8)

7

Ok then. You’d need to make a custom action to remove the new client, and then make sure the old client gets reinstalled in the same batch file. You’ll want to test extensively, because once you remove the new client you won’t have a way to deploy the old one again (since the computers would no longer be reporting to your deployment). Good luck.

8

can I deploy directly first “Fixlet - update windows client - 9.5.7” for running BESClient v9.5.8 target machines ?
If I run will I get any problem ?

9

Probably not - it shouldn’t be Relevant. And if you changed the relevance, the MSI installer probably wouldn’t like downgrading either.

You’re way in undocumented / unsupported territory. Maybe you should open a PMR to get product support or contract with Professional Services if you’re not comfortable writing and testing custom fixlets to do this.

10

In the past, I have created a custom fixlet the uninstall first, then the install right after in the same fixlet. This allows the installed agent to run the script to uninstall the client then install another version.

If you uninstall the agent, then you will have no communication with the client to install another version.

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11

I would strongly recommend against downgrading due to the risk of losing the endpoint completely. It is very low-risk to have a higher BES Client running. I would recommend challenging management and have them understand the much higher risk of downgrading endpoints due to the reasons posted by others here vs. keeping them at the current version.

Source: My company has routinely deployed higher versioned BES Clients ON PURPOSE due to OS compatibility issues (like when Win 10 was reporting as a Win 8.1 on 9.0.x BES Clients). We typically only upgraded the infrastructure once a year due to resource-intensive integration testing with lots of custom code/integrations.

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