Current stable release for PAN-OS 8.1

[MichaelWrigh]

Hello,

I was hoping someone would be able to tell me what the current stable release for 8.1 is? I am planning to upgrade from 8.0 in the next couple of weeks. I see that 8.1.8-h5 has been available for over a month so was wanting to check if this or 8.1.7 is the recommeneded release?

[kiwi]

Hi @MichaelWrigh ,

Check out the following url for a list of recommended releases:

Support-PAN-OS-Software-Release-Guidance

As per this page the recommended version is still 8.1.8 ... the hotfix version is only recommended for the customers running into the specific bug related to this hotfix.

Cheers !

-Kiwi.

[MichaelWrigh]

Thank you for the response, didnt realise Palo Alto had this web page for the stable releases is very handy.

I have another question regarding an issue i am runing into. When I run "check now" for the software, i am only seeing Wildfire packages for 8.1 and above rather than the PAN-OS, Panorama ones that I see on 8.0 so i cant at this time download Panorama 8.1. Has anyone else run into this issue.

[jeremy.larsen]

Make sure you are looking in the right place.  Panorama has 2 different locations for PAN-OS Software.  The first is for Panorama itself and the other (highlighted below) is for pushing PAN-OS to your firewalls.  Wildfire updates and threat/antivirus/etc are under "Dynamic Updates".  This also is split between Panorama specific and FW specific just like "Software".  See below pic.  Does this make sense?

[MichaelWrigh]

Thanks, i am looking in the right place in Panorama in the software tab.i have attached the below image, just checking the cli now to see if there is any difference. I have downloaded the files i need from palo alto support and uploaded them to Panorama successfully, however, they are still not visible in the GUI.

[jeremy.larsen]

Just so you know, there is an artificial 5 image software limit.  This can be changed but the partition is only 24G.  A big annoyance if you ask me that needs to be addressed.

[MichaelWrigh]

Thanks for the help and information Jermey.  I had a look from the CLI and was able to see the updates. You were right all along about me looking int he wrong place, I looked with fresh eyes this mornign and realised straight away that I was looking at software within device deployment instead of the one. Been able to download the updates without any problems.

[Ammar]

I'm installing 8.1.8-h5 instead of installing 8.1.8-h5, is that correct ???

[jeremy.larsen]

Fantastic!  That one has bit me before.  It's not very obvious, even more so the first time you look at it.

[jeremy.larsen]

Ammar, I don't understand your question.  You said the same version both time?

[Ammar]

i did the following during upgrade, 

8.0.10 -  8.0.18  - 8.1.0  - 8.1.8-h5 

is that correct or better to have 8.18 without the hotfix like :

8.0.10 -  8.0.18  - 8.1.0  - 8.1.8   -  8.1.8-h5 

which is the better path ?

[jeremy.larsen]

8.1.8 is the current posted preferred release.  I have never had any issue with a Hotfix release.  It's really a judgment call by you.

[jeremy.larsen]

Sorry I mis-read that.  Yes, you don't have to install 8.1.8 before 8.1.8-h5.  As long as you have the base image downloaded (ie - 8.1.0) you should be able to jump straight to any minor release without installing the base image.

8.0.10 -> 8.0.18 -> 8.1.8-h5 (but you must have the 8.1.0 downloaded)

You could also go straight from 8.0.10 -> 8.1.8-h5 the same way but I prefer to be running the current preferred of the running minor release (8.0.18 in this case) before any upgrade.

[kiwi]

@Ammar ,

If you are experiencing the bug for which h5 was created then it's recommended to install the hotfix. 

If you don't suffer from this bug then it's recommended to stay on 8.1.8

Cheers,

-Kiwi.