Java 7 Update 25 has been released!

[taugust04]

Just a friendly heads up that Java 7 Update 25 has been released.

http://javadl.sun.com/webapps/download/AutoDL?BundleId=78698

[mscottblake]

Also, Java 6 Update 51 from Apple (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5717).

[makander]

Going to hijack this but whats the difference between them, the Java 7u25 and the Apple Java 6SE uptdate? Just the versions or am I missing something (probably)?

[rtrouton · Accepted solution]

Oracle's Java 7 is the current version of Java, where Apple's Java 6 is the previous version. Aside from bug fixes and security updates, no further development of Java 6 is expected. Oracle's scheduled end-of-life for Java 6 was February 2013:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/eol-135779.html

To be honest, I'm surprised that Oracle and Apple are continuing to release updates for Java 6. Pleased, but surprised.

[taugust04]

From the looks of it, Java 1.6 Update 51 is an OS X only release. There are no signs of this download anywhere on Oracles's site for Windows or Linux. Update 45 is still the last publicly downloadable version for those operating systems.

[donmontalvo]

Quick, everyone update your JSS!

<tongue-in-cheek>

[clifhirtle]

Deployment-wise, if you are comfortable letting Apple push your Java6 updates out for you (I know many are not), set a policy to enable the "Install system data files and security updates" setting in Software Update and let your Macs update Java automatically. Pushed that setting out last month and 1/4 of our Macs are already reporting updated to "JavaInstallOnDemand: 14.8.0" in the last 24 hours.

[rtrouton]

I'm using a scripted approach for Apple Java updates. Basically, I leverage the softwareupdate tool to only install the Java 6 update. Here's how I'm doing it for Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 16:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/install_apple_java_updates

[clifhirtle]

Thanks Rich. Are you using different scripts for each OS? Any issues you've seen in upgrading Java with browsers open (we haven't but curious on what others have seen)?

[rtrouton]

You'll need different scripts for OS X 10.6 and 10.7 / 10.8, but 10.7 / 10.8 should be able to share the same script as the Java update will be named the same for both 10.7 and 10.8.

I haven't seen issues when installing a new version of Java while the browser is open. The browser just isn't able to use that new version of Java until it has quit and relaunched.

[mm2270]

When we push a Java update we don't worry about open browsers, but we do send up a simple message explaining Java was just updated and encouraging the user to quit and relaunch any open browsers. Otherwise, it doesn't need to quit anything for the install to work.

[donmontalvo]

@mm2270 We've been burned in the past by updating certain stuff while the browser is open, when users tried to access something that caused the browser to access local resources that were unexpectedly updated. Chances are users would quit/relaunch the browser and all is good, but there's always that call to the helpdesk and the subsequent call to our group asking why we disrupted the users. I guess YMMV...

[mm2270]

@Don - hence why we send that message up on their screens. At least if issues arise there's a hope they'll put two and two together and quit/relaunch their browser. If we had to wait until browsers were shut down to push important Java security updates, we would be months out of compliance. While we do the best we can with it, sometimes security trumps pampering end users.

[donmontalvo]

@mm2270 Yes, good point, the dialog box is a good idea. :) I meant I've worked with some folks who say "no worries, users don't need to know", without my approval, and I got reamed for it. Of course it didn't happen a second time. ;) LOL

[tuinte]

Anyone running into trouble pushing Java 7 Update 25 out? I'm getting:

This Apple Package did not have a valid index.bom file. Assuming it is a flat file package. Downloading http://jss.address:80/CasperShare/Packages//Java 7 Update 25.pkg... Error: The package could not be found on the server.

I've seen the error before and it was a permissions issue on the share. I've triple-checked that this time, and nothing. Getting the error with Remote and Self Service.

Ideas?

Michael

[tuinte]

Just got it to work. I had renamed the pkg file once in the JSS. Dropping the file directly and leaving the name as is works. Not a big deal, but not sure why that would cause a failure. Oh well?

[donmontalvo]

@tuinte wrote:

Just got it to work. I had renamed the pkg file once in the JSS. Dropping the file directly and leaving the name as is works. Not a big deal, but not sure why that would cause a failure. Oh well?

...for what it's worth, having a proper packaging workflow makes updating existing packages nearly trivial. See...I didn't even mention what tool is best. ;)

Don