Cisco Secure Endpoint Linux Connector Long Term Support

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Updated:February 16, 2024
Document ID:220216

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    Introduction

    This document details the Cisco Secure Endpoint Linux connector's Long Term Support (LTS) commitments.

    Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector Long Term Support

    Cisco Secure Endpoint connector LTS is the time period in which a Linux distribution will only receive bug fixes and security patches, and will no longer receive any new features.

    The connector LTS will only support the latest officially supported kernel on the Linux distribution. If a distribution has entered connector LTS then it is nearing its end of life as defined by the Distribution Vendor and customers will be required to update their endpoint to the latest officially supported version of the distribution and kernel available. Customers should also prepare to upgrade their endpoints to a newer distribution before connector LTS has ended.

    The connector LTS will align with the Distribution Vendor's policy to only support the latest version of the end of life distribution version. For example, the last minor release of Enterprise Linux 6 that the connector will support long term is 6.10. This is in accordance with the Secure Endpoint Software Support Policy:

    Secure Endpoint software support on all operating systems will align with the vendor’s published end-of-support schedule.

    The connector LTS only supports the latest patch version available in the connector LTS version family specified for a legacy distribution. For example, if the connector LTS version family is 1.20.X then X should be the largest available patch version. Customers are expected keep their connector LTS version updated to the latest patch version to continue to receive support.

    A Linux distribution that is used beyond the connector LTS period will lose support from Cisco Secure Endpoint. The following is true for a Linux distribution that is no longer supported:

    • Cisco Engineering will no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the Secure Endpoint connector on these distributions.
    • Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) will not provide support for the Secure Endpoint connector on these distributions.
    • All support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.
    note-icon

    Note: Support continues under the terms and conditions of customers' service contract on supported operating systems and distributions for customers with active service and support contracts.

    Refer to the Verify Secure Endpoint Linux Connector OS Compatibility article for more details on supported Linux distributions.

    Legend

    Supported
    Supported on LTS family version; Currently in Cisco Secure Endpoint connector LTS
    Unsupported; Past the end of Cisco Secure Endpoint connector LTS

    Enterprise Linux

    Cisco Secure Endpoint connector LTS for Enterprise Linux (EL) encompasses the following distros:

    • Rocky Linux
    • Alma Linux
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
    • Oracle Linux (RHCK)
    • CentOS Linux
    • Oracle Linux

    The "End of Maintenance Support" and "End of Extended Life Cycle Support" for RHEL is used to determine the connector LTS periods for EL based distributions.


    Distribution Distribution Vendor Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector
    End of Maintenance Support End of Extended Life Cycle Support End of LTS LTS version family
    EL9 May 31, 2032 May 31, 2035 May 31, 2035 TBD
    EL8 May 31, 2029 May 31, 2032 May 31, 2032 TBD
    EL7 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2028 June 30, 2028 TBD
    EL6 November 30, 2020 June 30, 2024 November 7, 2024 1.20.X

    Amazon Linux


    Distribution Distribution Vendor Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector
    End of Standard Support End of Security Support End of LTS LTS version family
    Amazon Linux 2023 March 15, 2025 March 15, 2028 March 31, 2028 TBD
    Amazon Linux 2 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2025 June 30, 2025 TBD

    SUSE Linux Enterprise and openSUSE Leap

    Distribution Version Distribution Vendor Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector
    End of General Support End of Long Term Service Pack Support End of LTS LTS version family
    SUSE Enterprise / Leap 15 SP5 / 15.5 TBD TBD TBD TBD
    15 SP4 / 15.4 December 31, 2023 December 31, 2026 December 31, 2026 1.24.X
    15 SP3 / 15.3 December 31, 2022 December 31, 2025 December 31, 2025 1.24.X
    15 SP2 / 15.2 December 31, 2021 December 31, 2024 December 31, 2024 1.24.X
    15 SP1 / 15.1 January 31, 2021 January 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 1.24.X
    15 SP0 / 15.0 December 31, 2019 December 31, 2022 January 31, 2024 1.24.X

    Ubuntu LTS


    Distribution Distribution Vendor Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector
    End of Maintenance & Security Support End of Extended Security Maintenance End of LTS LTS version family
    Ubuntu LTS 22.04 April 1, 2027 April 9, 2032 April 30, 2032 TBD
    Ubuntu LTS 20.04 April 2, 2025 April 2, 2030 April 30, 2030 TBD
    Ubuntu LTS 18.04 May 31, 2023 April 1, 2028 April 30, 2028 1.24.X

    Debian


    Distribution Distribution Vendor Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector
    End of Security Support End of LTS End of LTS LTS version family
    Debian 12 June 10, 2026 June 10, 2028 June 30, 2028 TBD
    Debian 11 July 1, 2024 June 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 TBD
    Debian 10 Sept 10, 2022 June 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 1.24.X

    Configure a Connector Long Term Support Policy

    The connector downloads an update (xml) seed with every policy sync if the policy for this connector is for a greater version, however the connector will not update if the update seed is for a version greater than the connector LTS family. Customers who want to avoid unnecessary update seed downloads can place their legacy distributions currently in connector LTS in a separate policy whose version is the latest in the LTS family for that legacy distribution.

    If you want to continue using a legacy distribution throughout its connector LTS period then it is recommended that you create a separate policy for the legacy distribution. See the "Enable Debug Mode Using the Secure Endpoint Console" section of the Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector for Linux Diagnostic Data Collection article for step-by-step instructions on how to duplicate a policy with new settings. When editing your policy you will take a few different steps:

    1. On the Edit Policy page, select the Product Updates tab.
    2. From the Product Version dropdown, select the latest product version in the connector LTS version family that aligns with your the legacy distribution.
      Product updates

    See Also

    Revision History

    Revision Publish Date Comments
    3.0
    16-Feb-2024
    Added LTS forecast for other Linux distributions
    2.0
    06-Nov-2023
    End of support announcement date added for Enterprise Linux 6, connector version 1.20.x
    1.0
    10-Feb-2023
    Initial Release
    TAC Authored

    Contributed by Cisco Engineers

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