Blue Coat SGOS 4.x Upgrade Guide

Summary of Changes to the Upgrade Process

•The upgrade path must include a system that shows all possible deprecation warnings, so that these can be corrected in advance of the upgrade, to avoid policy compilation failures after upgrading. Migrating through SGOS 3.2.4 or greater satisfies this requirement.

•If the currently installed policy issued deprecation warnings when compiled, downloads of systems in which that syntax has been abandoned will fail with the error " ". Which error message you see depends on whether you were using the Management Console or the CLI.

From the Management Console:

Policy deprecation warnings exist. Please resolve them prior to upgrading to the next major release of system software

From the CLI:

WARNING: The installed policy contains deprecation warnings. Please fix these warnings prior to upgrading to the next major release, or use load upgrade ignore-warnings at your own risk. Upgrading to the next major release with deprecation warnings will cause the policy compilation to fail on boot.

This means that you cannot download major version upgrades while policy contains deprecated syntax.

Generally, the deprecation warnings indicate the appropriate corrective action. See "Policy Deprecation" on page 22 for instructions on how to view the deprecation warnings that indicate the syntax to be corrected.

Note: The Visual Policy Manager (VPM) automatically generates up-to-date CPL syntax. If the deprecations warnings are issued from the VPM policy file, you should start VPM and reload the policy to get the latest version of the generated CPL.

You can force an upgrade while deprecation warnings are present using the CLI command load upgrade ignore-warnings; however, policy compilation will fail after the upgrade and the ProxySG reverts to the default policy of ALLOW or DENY. Corrective action is required to restore normal operation.

•Any CPL local policy that performs operations such as ALLOW, DENY, Authenticate, or Redirect, or that modifies Cookie/Set-Cookie headers, might interfere with the Notify User policy. Before using the VPM Notify User policy, remove all coaching/splash/notify policy from the CPL local policy file.

Restoring to Previous Versions

When upgrading from the SGOS 3.2.4 or higher release, a copy of the settings is saved prior to any transformations by SGOS 4.x so that the original settings are available if the ProxySG is downgraded to SGOS 3.2.4.

Keep in mind that changes made after upgrade are not preserved on a downgrade. After an upgrade and a downgrade, the state is exactly what it was before the upgrade.

8

Page 7 Page 9
Page 8
Image 8
Blue Coat Systems SGOS 4.x manual Restoring to Previous Versions, Summary of Changes to the Upgrade Process
Page 7 Page 9

SGOS 4.x specifications

Blue Coat Systems SGOS 4.x is a robust operating system designed for the Blue Coat ProxySG series of appliances, which serve as content filtering and web security solutions. The SGOS (Secure Gateway Operating System) is crafted to enhance network performance while providing extensive security and policy enforcement capabilities. This article delves into the numerous features, technologies, and characteristics that define SGOS 4.x, making it an essential tool for organizations looking to fortify their web traffic management and security.

One of the standout features of SGOS 4.x is its advanced web filtering capabilities. The system employs a comprehensive URL categorization database that allows organizations to enforce content policies effectively. By categorizing millions of web pages, SGOS enables users to block or allow access to specific sites based on their content category, ensuring a safe browsing experience for employees and preventing access to harmful or non-work-related content.

Another notable technological characteristic of SGOS 4.x is its accelerated SSL decryption. As encrypted traffic continues to dominate the web, it becomes increasingly important for organizations to inspect this traffic for potential threats. SGOS 4.x offers robust SSL decryption capabilities that allow organizations to analyze encrypted traffic while maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the data being transmitted. This attribute not only strengthens security but also aids in compliance with regulatory requirements.

SGOS 4.x is also equipped with exceptional caching and content delivery features. By caching frequently accessed content, the system reduces load times and optimizes bandwidth usage. This caching mechanism is enhanced by predefined policies that dictate how content is stored and retrieved, significantly improving user experience while reducing operational costs.

Furthermore, SGOS 4.x supports advanced reporting and analytics features. The integrated reporting tools provide administrators with insights into web usage patterns, bandwidth consumption, and security incidents. These insights facilitate informed decision-making and allow organizations to refine their web usage policies based on actual user behavior and threat landscape analysis.

In terms of scalability, SGOS 4.x is engineered to support a wide range of deployment scenarios, from small businesses to large enterprises. The architecture is designed to efficiently handle varying volumes of traffic without compromising performance or security, making it a flexible solution for diverse organizational needs.

Overall, Blue Coat Systems SGOS 4.x presents a powerful platform for web security and traffic management. With its advanced filtering, SSL decryption, caching, and analytics capabilities, SGOS 4.x remains a vital solution for organizations aiming to enhance their security posture and improve operational efficiency in an increasingly complex web environment.
Top Page Image Contents