Software bulletins being removed from the Patch Catalog in an uncontrolled manner.

Products

• Patch Management Solution for Windows

Issue/Introduction

Import Patch Data for Windows (PMImport) is a process of downloading software update catalog files to the Notification Server. Found occasions when PMImport runs and updates the catalog files; previously deployed Software Update Policies had lost associations to the Software Bulletin / Updates as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cause

Working as designed: The Vendors may delete old/outdated Software Updates, which will be pulled from the catalog data, and the PMImport download then updates the Patch Tables and removing these obsolete Bulletins/Updates from the Symantec database. This results in the empty shell of a Software Update Policy having no Bulletin/Update resource associations.

Environment

ITMS 7.6.x / 8.0.x / 8.1.x.

ITMS - IT Management Suite

Resolution

CAUTION: It is important to understand that the following process will force the bulletins retention; however, this behavior is different from the behavior offered by the original vendor and may cause different complications. Be certain to test deployment prior to production.

ITMS(Patch) 7.6.x / 8.0.x users

• Upgrade to 8.0 HF4 and utilize the attached PointFix or upgrade to ITMS 8.1 RU1 and follow the instructions below. 
• NOTE: The attached PointFix is to implement into ITMS 8.0 HF4 and has not been designed to be installed in hierarchical environments. Though, if to be installed in a hierarchy, it should be installed on ALL SMP Servers.

ITMS(Patch) 8.1 RU1 users:

• Create a  Registry key "DWORD: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Patch Management\RetainUsedUpdates" 
  • To retain old updates: Value = 1
  • To delete old updates: Value = 0

SMP - Symantec Management Platform

RU - Release Update

HF - Hot Fix