Contents

Introduction

Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector Long Term Support

LTS Announcements

Legend

Enterprise Linux

Amazon Linux

SUSE Linux Enterprise and openSUSE Leap

Ubuntu LTS

Debian

Configure a Connector Long Term Support Policy

See Also

Introduction

This document describes the Cisco Secure Endpoint Linux connector 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 must also prepare to upgrade their endpoints to a newer distribution before connector LTS has ended.

The connector LTS will align with the Distribution Vendor 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 must 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. This 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: 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.

See Linux System Requirements and tables for RPM-based and Debian-based compatibility.

LTS Announcements

Distribution

Version

LTS Announcement

Enterprise Linux (EL)

6

Ends on November 7, 2024

7

Ends on June 30, 2028

8

Starts on May 31, 2029

SUSE Enterprise / openSUSE Leap

15 SP2 / 15.2

Ends on December 31, 2024

15 SP3 / 15.3

Ends on December 31, 2025

15 SP4 / 15.4

Ends on December 31, 2026

15 SP5 / 15.5

Starts on December 31, 2024

Debian

11

Ends on June 30, 2026

12

Starts on June 10, 2026

Ubuntu LTS

18.04

Ends on April 1, 2028

20.04

Starts on on April 2, 2025

Amazon Linux

2

Ends on June 30, 2025

2023

Starts on March 15, 2025

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 these 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.

Distro

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

1.24.X

EL6

November 30, 2020

June 30, 2024

November 7, 2024

1.20.X

Amazon Linux

Distro

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 15, 2028

TBD

Amazon Linux 2

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

1.24.X

SUSE Linux Enterprise and openSUSE Leap

15 SP1 / 15.1January 31, 2021January 31, 2024January 31, 20241.24.X15 SP1 / 15.1January 31, 2021January 31, 2024January 31, 20241.24.X

Distro

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

December 31, 2024

December 31, 2026

December 31, 2026

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

Distro

Distribution Vendor

Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector

End of Maintenance & Security Support

End of Extended Security Maintenance

End of LTS

LTS version family

Ubuntu LTS 24.04

April 25, 2029

April 25, 2036

April 25, 2036

TBD

Ubuntu LTS 22.04

April 1, 2027

April 9, 2032

April 9, 2032

TBD

Ubuntu LTS 20.04

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2030

April 2, 2030

TBD

Ubuntu LTS 18.04

May 31, 2023

April 1, 2028

April 1, 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

1.24.X

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.

See Also

- Cisco Secure Endpoint Connector for Linux Diagnostic Data Collection

- Secure Endpoint Software Support Policy

- Verify Secure Endpoint Linux Connector OS Compatibility