1. IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS

Before deploying this software version, please read the following recommendations carefully and contact Streamcore support if you have any questions.

1.1 Licensing

As of version 6-5.T06, the Streamcore software suite installs a new license management system that requires an update to the license currently in use on the SGM.

If you have already used an SGM in 6-5.T06, you do not need to update the license.

1.2 New password

Starting with version 6-5.T06, the default passwords for sgm and sc users are set to different values.

Please contact Streamcore support at support@streamcore.com to receive these new passwords.

2. Improvements and new features

With this new version, Streamcore brings new useful features to its SGM and SG.

2.2 SGM 22a

2.2.2 SG migration from M4G to M5G

This version of StreamView allows the online update of an SG in the new M5G architecture.

Not all SG types can be migrated, the list of eligible types :

Types of SGs eligible for migration to M5G

SG2412

SG3412

SG360e

SG4412

SG860e

SG1660e

SG3270e

The technical specifications of the equipment (processors in particular) prevent the portability of the M5G base on older machines (SGX00e, SGx50e, SG3260e series).

2.1.2 SG acceleration in Proxy mode

Prerequisite: SG in OPE 6-5.12 and T09 boot. For the moment not available for SG in M4G version

For the use of acceleration features, the server side SG can be deployed in proxy mode rather than in transparent mode (cut over traffic).

In this case, the number of required ports is still 4 (Admin, Ext, Wan1, Lan1) but only 2 will have traffic in proxy mode: the Admin port and the Wan1 port. The other ports needed to start the machine will not see any traffic.

The SG presents requests to the servers with its LAN/WAN address. It is no longer necessary to put the SG proxy in the break of a link to manage accelerated flows. The SG proxy can also be deployed on virtual platforms:

• VMware
• AWS
• Azure,
• GCP
• KVM

This SG allows you to have a physical or virtual acceleration relay integrated with Streamcore’s monitoring functions and driven directly from the SGM. It simplifies deployments in virtual environments and also allows for the multiplication of physical probes to address larger acceleration loads.

2.1.3 Documentation

Documentation is no longer embedded in the software suite. A link to the documentation hosted on the Steramcore website is provided. This ensures that documentation is always up to date and expanded as it becomes available.

Pour aller directement sur : https://streamcore.com/documents-techniques/

2.1.4 Presentation of bypass information in the inventory

Prerequisite: SG in BOOT version S55 or T09

Two new data can be displayed in the SG inventory:

• Bypass configuration: open (No) or closed (Yes)
• Type of physical bypass cards

2.1.5 SGM base evolution

Debian 11 base for new virtual releases.

In order to maintain compatibility with Cloud providers’ offerings, virtual versions can now be delivered on a Debian 11 base. These versions also have new versions of PHP, PostgreSQL slightly more powerful.

The physical versions of the SGMs remain on Debian 9.

The software suites are delivered in both versions.

2.1.6 SGM virtual versions

SGM is now available on the following platforms. Deployment documentation is available to facilitate the installation and operation of these versions.

• VMWare
• HyperV
• AWS
• Azure
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• KVM
• Virtual SGMs require an internet connection to refresh their license, which is checked daily. In exchange, licenses are not tied to a hardware footprint and can be moved without limit between racks, sites and regions.

The documentation for these versions is available at the following link:

Documents techniques

2.2 FROM OPE 6-5.12

The M5G Base allows today to run several versions of OPE on compatible devices (new platforms or M4G platforms migrated to M5G).

Streamcore OPEs can be classified into 4 categories:

• OPE kernel single core
• Single-core appliance mode OPE
• App mode OPE with parallelized QoS
• OPE in application mode with parallelized QOS and monitoring

1. Single-core kernel OPE

The single-core kernel OPE mode available in M4G is no longer produced or available in M5G.

2. OPE in single-core appliance mode

The OPE mode in single-core appliance mode is the current standard version in M5G.

It covers all the functions of the Streamcore solution (visibility, QoS, acceleration, load balancing) and offers a substantial performance improvement (x3 compared to a probe in M4G)

3. OPE in application mode with parallelized QoS (QHP version)

The multicore version of QoS is also called QHP (Qos High Performance).

The QoS cores are separated from the monitoring core and are specialized by traffic direction.

This version offers x2 performance in QoS compared to the single core version and covers the same functional spectrum.

This version is currently in beta test and can be obtained on request from Streamcore support. This version is intended to replace the single-core version which will disappear in the next versions.

4. OPE in application mode with parallelized QOS and monitoring (version 6-6)

This version in application mode also parallelizes the monitoring functions on several cores in addition to the 2 specialized cores for QoS. This OPE is also referenced under the version number 6-6.

The improvement reaches x10 for some platforms compared to the single core kernel version.

This version currently still has some functional limitations:

• No dual,
• No tandem,
• No grooming, so no load balancing
• No acceleration

This version is suitable for use cases where monitoring or QoS at very high speeds (several gigabits per second or even several tens of gigabits per second) are required (datacenter monitoring, Internet access management)

This version is currently in beta test and can be obtained on request from Streamcore support.

Developments are underway to progressively lift the functional restrictions.

 

2.2.1 SG virtual versions

SG is now available in virtual versions on the following platforms

• VMware
• AWS
• Azure
• GCP
• KVM

These versions are intended to operate in monitoring mode only and traffic must be transmitted to them via a mirroring port.

2.2.2 SG Proxy

For the SG to work in proxy mode for acceleration, see section 4.1.2, it must be at least in OPE 6-5.12

2.3 SG : BOOT S55
Reading the bypass information in the inventory

To retrieve the bypass configuration information, see section 4.1.4, the SG must be in a version of Boot S55 (or higher).

2.4 SG: BOOT S62
Migration from SG M4G to SG M5G

Install this version on an SG to migrate it automatically, at installation, to the M5G version (boot T07).

2.5 SG : BOOT T09

2.5.1Bypass management

It is possible to control the management of each bypass of an SG for certain types of cards.

The bypass can be configured in closed mode (in case of failure, the SG closes its bypasses and behaves like a wire ensuring the continuity of the service in case of electrical failure, loop (triggering of the watchdog) or during the boot phases or when the SG is in OPE bypass mode or in BOOT mode). This is the default configuration mode.

The bypass can also be configured in open mode to trigger the opening of the bypass during the previous phases. In this case the traffic is cut off in case of power failure, loop (triggering of the watchdog) or during the boot phases or when the SG is in OPE bypass mode or BOOT mode

2.5.2 SG Proxy

For the SG to work in proxy mode for acceleration, see paragraph 4.1.2, it must be in boot version T09 (or higher).

2.5.3 Reading the bypass information in the inventory

To read the bypass status information, cf. paragraph 4.1.4, the SG must be in a T09 boot version (or higher).

2.6 ACC 26

The ACC26 acceleration module is available for the SG M4G and M5G.

For SG M5G it is however recommended to upgrade to ACC30.

2.7 ACC 30

The ACC30 acceleration module is only available for the M5G SGs and will not be offered or installed on the M4G SG. The latter SG will have to stay on the ACC26 version of the acceleration.

3. Problems corrected by the Software Suite 22a

All components of the software suite are delivered as updated versions.

Note: In this software suite, the BOOT components are S55. and T09. The correct version, depending on the type of SG (M4G or M5G), will be installed automatically by the SGM when a BOOT is deployed on the StreamGroomers.

The following tables list the issues that have been corrected in version 22a of the software suite and the new features if they are reported as [implemented]:

Customer Ticket	Reference	Description of the problem that was solved (SGM 22a)
SGM 22a
	SC-638	[SGMConf] : do not embed M3G and M3Ge OPEs anymore
	SC-640	Migration SG M4G to M5G
	SC-643	[SGMConf] : sorting of the packages presentation
SCC-00001376	SC-653	[License]: Impossible to change the proxy configuration for the license as long as it is activated
Customer Ticket	Reference	Description of the problem that was solved (SGM 22a.1)
SGM 22a.1
SCC-00001394	SC-1035	[Migration SG M4G to M5G]: Unable to migrate a SSH managed SG M4G

Customer Ticket	Reference	Description of the problem that was solved (OPE 6-5.13)
OPE 6-5.13
SCC-00001386	SC-950	Dual behavior problem on DUAL2 traffic
Customer Ticket	Reference	Description of the problem that was solved (OPE 6-5.14)
OPE 6-5.14
SCC-00001393	SC-1023	Port status report of a non-functional SG-M5G
	SC-1027	QOS block on invalid frame or without output route Regression on 6-5.11