Upgrades of Firmware / Automation

[Infotech22]

Hello forum,

I would like to know how many of you are dealing with upgrades of firmware from Fortinet Devices.
We have a range of Fortinet equipment, FortiGates, FortiAZ, FortiSwitches, FortiAPs.
We have them on multiple locations.

How you guys are dealing with upgrades, where to look if the upgrade is suitable for us, what type of automation you use, etc..

It's really hard to catch up with everything since I'm not just a Fortinet guy. I'm System Admin so I have a lot of other task's and its getting overwhelmed.. 

[Infotech22]

Hello @AEK,

At the moment we are on 7.0.12, and it's recommending for us to go to 7.0.13 which is also mature.

So in this example when 7.0.13 was new, it was not a good idea to immediately upgrade to that version unless I didn't need new feature from that version and only when then version becomes mature?

Thank you for the comment :)

[AEK]

Hello

Going from 7.0.12 to 7.0.13 is an update operation (patch, pug fix, security patch), and it doesn't contain any new feature. So actually it is recommended to update.

The new features are only in minor release and major release, e.g.: when you upgrade from 6.4.x to 7.0.x, or when you upgrade from 7.0.x to 7.2.x.

[Infotech22]

Thank you, now it's clear to me

[Jakob-AHHG]

Yep, that would be recommended.

Sometimes, though, test out new versions and see if issues have been fixed, that is not in the official releasenotes.
We have had a case open with FortiNet about IGMP (Multicast) on FS148F linked directly after a FS1048E. We could only get FW 7.2.1 to work. Have tried really many versions, and all from 7.0.x to 7.2.x and 7.4.0
The latest FW 7.4.2 fixed it, so when we need Multicast (TV's in hotelrooms), the edge switches is then pushed to 7.4.2 now.

We are a lot more 'conservative' on core switches and FG's.

[Infotech22]

Good to know this,
There are a lot of cases for problems with versions..