The IBM Spectrum Protect team has released version 8.1.11 of IBM Spectrum Protect Server and Operations Center. This version is full of new functionality, and APAR fixes. This write-up will include everything you need and want to know about this particular release!


New Features
Version 8.1.11 contains a lot of new features, and some that have been long awaited! Here is a complete list of the new functionality added to Spectrum Protect.

Server

• Copy data from container storage pools to tape for disaster recovery
• Send data to IBM Spectrum Protect by using S3 client applications
• Back up client data and the server database to Google Cloud Storage
• Include backup-archive client file spaces in retention sets
• Delete client nodes, node groups, and file spaces from retention sets
• Track the movement of volumes that are returned onsite by DRM for data restore operations
• View information about storage rule jobs and their statuses
• Default value of the TCPWINDOWSIZE option is changed to help improve performance

Security

• What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server
• Secure communications by using the TLS 1.3 protocol
• Optimize security with enhanced password encryption

Operations Center

• Operations Center updates

In addition to the links above, be sure to checkout the videos that demo the new features. You can find a link to all the videos here.

APARs & Security Bulletins
For a complete list of APARs fixed in this level refer to the link here. As for the Security Bulletins there are quite a few. These security fixes can be found below for Spectrum Protect server, client and the Operations Center:

• Security Bulletin: Improper Authentication of Websocket Endpoint in IBM Spectrum Protect Operations Center
• Security Bulletin: Vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty affects IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client web user interface, IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management, and IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments
• Security Bulletin: IBM Java Runtime Vulnerabilities affect the IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client, IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management, and IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments
• Security Bulletin: IBM Spectrum Protect Server allows Triple DES (3DES) ciphers to be used (CVE-2018-1785)
• Security Bulletin: Vulnerabilities in Apache Commons and Log4j affect IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client and IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments
• Security Bulletin: Vulnerabilities in IBM Db2 and IBM Java Runtime affect IBM Spectrum Protect Server

• Security Bulletin: Vulnerabilities in IBM Java Runtime, IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty, and Apache Commons affect IBM Spectrum Protect Operations Center and IBM Spectrum Protect Client Management Service
• Security Bulletin: Vulnerability in Urllib3 affects IBM Spectrum Protect Container and Microsoft File Systems Agents (CVE-2020-26137)

To download this version of Spectrum Protect server, follow the link here for additional information. For the Spectrum Protect Operations Center visit this link. Both links provide instructions for installation. If you prefer to download the packages from Fix Central, then you will need this link.

Other Important Links

• Publications 
• Blueprints
• System Requirements
• Known Issues
• Featured Documents
• Perl script to collect IBM Spectrum Protect server monitoring data V3.1

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