What's new

Learn about new features and updates for server components in IBM Spectrum Protect Version 8.1.

Tip: To view videos about new features and updates, see the Video library.

To read about new features and updates, follow the links in the table.

Release	New features and updates
V8.1.7	Server Streamline the process of long-term data retention Offload data from IBM Spectrum Protect Plus Monitor the product with the servermon component Learn how to improve system performance by reading the Optimizing Performance guide Remove storage pool protection Run the configuration wizard without enabling SMB1 Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server Update the session security value of an administrator ID on managed servers Configure the LDAPURL server option to use LDAPS Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.6	Server Take advantage of new options for tiering data to the cloud Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.5	Server Lower the cost of cloud-container storage pools by reclaiming space Manage your storage environment to help you support General Data Protection Regulation compliance strategies Generate data deduplication statistics for specified nodes and file spaces Schedule audit operations to identify corrupted files in a storage pool Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server Receive security notifications about potential ransomware attacks Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.4	Server Reduce data fragmentation when you move the contents of storage pool containers Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server To enhance security, the default minimum length of passwords is increased Take advantage of automatic certificate exchange between storage agents, library clients, and library manager servers Optimize security by using certificates with SHA256 signatures Specify whether to enforce FIPS 140-2 requirements for encryption Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.3	Server Use cloud tiering for long-term data retention Install IBM Spectrum Protect on Linux Ubuntu Server LTS Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server Enhance the security of your storage environment Take measures to help protect your system against ransomware Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.2	Server Back up data to Microsoft Azure, a cloud-based object storage system Encrypt client data in a directory-container storage pool Back up a NAS file server to a directory-container storage pool Install IBM Spectrum Protect on the Linux on Power Systems (little endian) operating system Configure a storage environment by using the Tape Solution Guide Schedule automatic updates for backup-archive clients Deprecated and discontinued server options, commands, and parameters Security What you need to know about security before you install or upgrade a V8.1.2 or later server Protect your storage environment with an improved security protocol Optimize security with the automatically generated master encryption key Operations Center Operations Center updates
V8.1.1	Server Install IBM Spectrum Protect on the Linux on Power Systems (little endian) operating system Install IBM Spectrum Protect on the Microsoft Windows Server 2016 operating system Use the Quantum Scalar i6 library Review resolved issues Operations Center Review resolved issues
V8.1	Server Meet IBM Spectrum Protect Convert a tape storage pool to a container storage pool Software upgrade for the server database manager REGISTER NODE command no longer creates an administrative user ID by default Optimize user authentication to an Active Directory database Increased flexibility for protecting and reclaiming tape volumes in container-copy storage pools Supported operating systems Monitor the system without using SNMP Security Secure communications by using the TLS 1.2 protocol Operations Center Operations Center updates