Patch Management Solution

I noticed Java is up to release 15 for JRE 7 but PMI import is only up to 13.  Java will no longer be releasing updates to 6 for public consumption but I still need it for a few systems.  Will PMI import continue to bring in updates for Java 6?  What takes so long for Symantec to update PMI import? Are there certain days of the week to expect updates?  So often there are zero day exploits and having to wait 2-5 days for symantec to update allows for possible situations that could have been avoided.

On a related note, I've always wondered whether Symantec is able to get patches from vendors "prior" to their general release to the public. If they're not getting them any sooner than we are, the expectation is there that they won't be able to immediately release a new PMImport as time has to be taken finding/downloading the updates, working out the command-lines, testing, etc. Maybe someone with Symantec will chime in and give us the inside scoop.

Someone within my agency has access to pretty much every oracle download ever so I was able to get the versions of java that I need and start deploying them through software management before they ever showed up in PM!

Agan, an update for java 6 and 7 are both available however only an updated version of 7 can through on PMI yesterday. Is Symantec dropping support for 6?  6u43 is available through oracle support with the right credentials.

Hopefully not offering 6u43 at the same time as 7u17 is an oversight by Symantec.  Don't see a reason why they'd stop including 6u43 in PMI; especially when I'm still running SEP 11.0.5 whose console doesn't support Java 7.  The funny thing is that I'm in the middle of migrating clients from Altiris 6 to ITMS 7.1 where I've already created software delivery policies on my Altiris 6 server to deploy 6u43 and 7u17 to the few remaining Altiris 6 clients I have left.  It'd be like going backwards if Symantec didn't include 6u43 in PM 7.1 as well.

Java 6 update 43 is included to the latest Patch Data 7.1.402.

Thanks,
Roman

Roman,

  This happened again. The most recent import brought in 7 update 21 but left out 6 update 45.  I find it hard to believe that I'm the only one looking for this. Again, I was able to get the patches through a co-workers oracle account but not everyone has an oracle account.  Also, I'd like to not have to build a custom report to make sure my systems are all compliant.

I echo your sentiments that people still do have a need for Java 6 updates because of requirements to maintain older apps that aren't compatible with Java 7 (e.g. SEPM 11.x console).

Depending upon what's running when the Java 6 install kicks off, I've heard of an issue where the update uninstalls the existing Java as it should but ends up not installing the new version; leaving the PC without any Java loaded.  Perhaps Symantec needs extra time to work on the Java 6 updates because of this known issue?  Last heard this problem existed way back in version 6u24 but maybe it was never resolved by Oracle and just carried forward to newer 6.x versions?

My apologies for the delayed view of this post, but in case the question is still present: Java 6-45 was included in PMImport 7.1.417 released on 4/23/13.

Thank you,

Joshua

I deploy java through Software Management rather than patch management.  It requires a little bit more work at the beginning but it allows for greater customization, e.g. silent install, removing auto-update features, etc..

  On issue I've noticed is when deploying with SMP the x86 install to a x64 system it refuses to run silently and moves on to the next item in my bat script.  Does it do the same to you in Patch?  When I manually copy my package to the system and run the install as me it runs fine.  The x64 components install fine. My admin account and the altiris application account have the same level of permissions on our network.

Maybe its an oracle issue?  Its doing it on both the java 6 and 7 releases.

Thank you.  But again, 6 and 7 were in two different imports.

Im hoping I'm having problems with my PMI import. Again, no Java 6 in the last week and a half that 51 has been out. 

Hello burndtjammer,

     Recent PMImport Version 7.1.436; lists the following Java Updates as the most recent in the Patch Remediation Center: Java 7 Update 25 & Java 6 Update 45.

     Additionally, the Java's Site detailed they are no longer developing anything past Java 6u45 where they posted the following: "All Java 6 releases up to and including 6u45 have been moved to the Java Archive on the Oracle Technology Network, where they will remain available but not receive further updates."

Hope this helps,

Joshua

6 update 45 is the end of public updates. However, there is still a need in the corporate and government environment to continue on the 6 line, and as of recently is up to 51.  6 has entered extended support and oracle is still releasing patches. 

 So I take it, its just a matter of a major IT corporation that is known for its security related applications not having access to the patches for a program that has vulnerabilities to provide to their customers that have paid for this service?

This was research found when verifying current available data on the Patch Remediation Center.

Patch Management Solution provides the updates from all supported vendors as made available to the public as soon as possible.

Thank you for the reference to a specific update. I will research this further and edit this post with my findings.

So how does one gain access to these "private" updates for Java 6 if you needed them?  BTW, I work for the local city/county government where we do need to maintain version 6 for some internal and 3rd-party applications.

Upon further research; appears that it is necessary to log into Oracle web site to get the URL that is used to download Java 6u51. This URL appears to be displayed to users who have extended support from Oracle. 

Patch Management Solution only provides support for updates that are publicly available to everyone without requiring users to logon to the vendor’s site. This is how Patch Management Solution has always supported non-public facing software updates; regardless of the vendor. If a public facing URL is made available from the vendor; Symantec Inc. will review adding support for this update.

Please contact the vendor if further assistance is needed for acquiring this update. The Software Delivery Solution may be utilized to deploy this particular update to the environment.

Clint,

  An account with oracle is required and from I understand you may have to pay for it and possbly have Oracle systems within your agency.  That is how I got access, through my Oracle SA.

You may have to contact your 3rd party applications, and hopefully they are trusted, to get the latest version of 6 for your clients if you dont have an oracle account. 

Thanks for the update Joshua I was curious how this was going to work.  This is going to make patching 6 more difficult along with checking its complaince as it will not be deployed via Patch.

Rick D

Thanks Rick. The compliance reports that come through Patch are actually my biggest concern.  They are a lot better than compliance reports that are created when you create a Managed Software Delivery.