Access release details, supported deployment configurations, hypervisors, databases, file systems, and download guidance for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel releases.
About This Document
This page provides comprehensive deployment and workload configuration requirements for IBM Storage Defender - Sentinel, including supported hypervisors, databases, file systems, and SLA configurations.
Configuration Types
Deployment Configuration (Bare Metal & Virtual)
Hypervisor Support (VMware vSphere)
Database Workloads (Oracle, IRIS, SAP HANA, MS SQL Server)
Bare Metal
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4, 9.6
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 15.6
Storage System:
IBM Storage Virtualize / IBM Storage Virtualize for Snapshot 8.7.3.x (8.7.3.2 included)
IBM Storage Virtualize for Snapshot 9.1.x (9.1.0, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.1.3 included)
IBM Storage Virtualize & IBM Storage Virtualize for Snapshot (Safeguarded Copy)
IBM Storage Virtualize / IBM Storage Virtualize for Snapshot 8.7.3.x (8.7.3.2 included)
IBM Storage Virtualize for Snapshot 9.1.x (9.1.0, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.1.3 included)
Physical Mode — File Systems & Storage Configuration
Operating Systems:
RHEL 8.x / 9.x / 10.x
SLES 15 SP5 / SP6 / SP7
Windows Server 2022 / 2025
File Systems:
XFS and ext3/ext4 (Linux)
NTFS and FAT32 (Windows)
Storage Configuration:
Fiber Channel
iSCSI
How AIX Scanning Works
Sentinel does not scan AIX application servers directly. IBM Storage Defender CDM first completes a backup of the AIX application. Once the backup is complete, CDM mounts the backed-up volumes to an AIX file server registered in CDM — this file server acts as the proxy server for Sentinel scanning. Sentinel then scans the mounted volumes on that proxy. This proxy-based approach applies to Oracle, InterSystems IRIS, and File System workloads on AIX.
Scanning Flow (AIX only)
Step
Description
Step 1 — CDM Backup
CDM completes a backup of the AIX application server (Oracle, IRIS, or File System)
Step 2 — CDM Mounts to Proxy
CDM mounts the backed-up volumes to the CDM-registered AIX file server (proxy)
Step 3 — Sentinel Scans
Sentinel scan engine scans the backed-up volumes mounted on the proxy server
AIX Workloads Supported with AIX Proxy
Workload
Supported on AIX
Oracle
Oracle 19c / 21c on AIX 7.3 (up to TL4)
InterSystems IRIS
IRIS 2025.x / 2026.1 on AIX 7.3 (up to TL4)
File System (JFS2)
AIX 7.3 (up to TL4) on IBM Power Systems
Scanning Restrictions:
Oracle RAC is not supported for Sentinel scanning; however, Defender CDM supports this for Backup/Restore.
Oracle ASM Sentinel scanning will be supported in a future release; however, Defender CDM supports this for Backup/Restore.
Proxy Server Requirements
Attribute
Requirement
Proxy Server
An AIX File Server registered as a File System provider with IBM Storage Defender CDM. An existing CDM-registered File Server can be used as a Proxy Server. Note: No dedicated proxy hardware is required if you have more than one AIX File Servers registered with CDM.
Proxy OS
AIX 7.3 (up to TL4) on IBM Power Systems
Storage Connectivity
The Proxy Server must be connected to the same storage system as the source AIX Application/File System server as CDM mounts the backed-up volumes to it (FC Protocol).
Copy Method: Safeguarded Copy (required)
Snapshot, Replication, and other copy methods are not supported.
SLA Policy Requirement for Sentinel Scanning
When creating an SLA policy in IBM Storage Defender Copy Data Management for use with Sentinel scanning, the copy method must be set to Safeguarded Copy. Sentinel scanning is only supported on Safeguarded Copy backups.
SLA Setting
Requirement
Copy Method
Safeguarded Copy — must be selected when creating the SLA policy
Other Copy Methods
Snapshot, Replication, and other copy methods are not supported for Sentinel scanning.
Notes for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1:
This version of Sentinel 2.3.1 is qualified to work with IBM Storage Defender Copy Data Management version 2.3.1.
Applications and File Systems configured with LVM are currently not supported for Sentinel scanning.
Scanning of AIX-based workloads (Oracle, InterSystems IRIS, and File System) requires a CDM-registered AIX file server to act as a proxy. After CDM completes the backup, it mounts the backed-up volumes to the proxy server and Sentinel scans from there. See AIX Application Scanning for details.
Oracle ASM, RAC configurations are supported by CDM for backup but are not supported for Sentinel scanning.
SAP HANA System Replication (HSR) is supported by CDM for backup but is not supported for Sentinel scanning.
Sentinel scanning is only supported on Safeguarded Copy backups. Other copy methods such as Snapshot and Replication are not supported for scanning.
To get the most current features and enhancements, it is required to update IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine from a previous version. Maintenance packages (fix packs) and interim fixes are delivered on Fix Central.
Fix Central is a secure website that requires you to log in using your IBMid. You can acquire an IBMid at Sign up for an IBMid. You can locate the packages on the Fix Central online website by using the product name, version, and platform as the search query. For example, use the "IBM Storage Defender Sentinel". The HTTPS link in the download list directs to the Fix Central online website.
However, these maintenance packages and interim fixes available through Fix Central do not contain the required license enablement files. For initial installation of IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine, you must obtain your package, with the associated license enablement files, from the Passport Advantage Online website.
The following files are available for download of IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1:
Image Name
Installation Environment
Description
indexengines-ibm-cyberv-2.3.1-1.20.1.2
Supported operating system
Updates IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine. IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine 2.3.1 build 1.20.1.2, English
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel Installation and User's Guide for 2.3.1.pdf
—
User guide, English
CheckEngine.sh
Supported operating system
CheckEngine script verifies the server prerequisites before installation.
Images on Passport Advantage Online
The Passport Advantage Online website is a secure website that requires an account ID and password. The Passport Advantage Online website provides complete images of the IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine for download. The images available through Passport Advantage are the base level packages. The HTTPS link in the download list directs to the Passport Advantage Online website.
To download and assemble the installation parts for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine, complete the following steps:
On the Software and services online page, click Software download & media access.
Use one of the search options under Browse your entitled software to find the link to the IBM Storage anomaly scan engine product. The fulfilled program number for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel is 5900-APZ.
On the product download page, verify that the Required checkbox is selected, and then click Download. The table in section "Images on Passport Advantage Online" contains the descriptions and part numbers of the parts for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine.
When the download is finished, extract the IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine OVA template file into a single dedicated directory.
To install the product, follow the installation instructions.
Note: Downloading any files indicates acceptance of the terms and conditions detailed in the IBM Program license agreement.
The following images are available for download of IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1:
Description
Part Number
File Name
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1 eAssembly
G0J1RML
—
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel CheckEngine Script 2.3.1, English Note: CheckEngine script verifies the server prerequisites before installation.
M13R5ML
M13R5ML.sh
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1 SLES
M13R1ML
M13R1ML.tar
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.1 RHEL
M13R4ML
M13R4ML.tar
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel licensing fulfillment template required English
M13R4ML
M13R4ML.docx
IBM Storage Defender Sentinel Installation and User Guide 2.3.1 English
Storage:
IBM Storage Virtualize 8.7.3.x
IBM Storage Virtualize 9.1.x (9.1.0, 9.1.1, 9.1.2)
Note:
Sentinel server with scan engine version 2.3.0 or higher can scan virtual machines on ESXi version 8.0.3. However, if those VMs have VMware snapshots, the host will not scan them.
Sentinel server with scan engine version 2.3.0 or earlier can also scan virtual machines, but they cannot scan any VMs that have VMware snapshots, regardless of the ESXi version.
This version of Sentinel is qualified to work with IBM Storage Defender Copy Data Management version 2.3.0.
Images on Fix Central online
To get the most current features and enhancements, it is required to update IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine from a previous version. Maintenance packages (fix packs) and interim fixes are delivered on Fix Central.
Fix Central is a secure website that requires you to log in using your IBMid. You can locate the packages on the Fix Central online website by using the product name, version, and platform as the search query.
However, these maintenance packages and interim fixes available through Fix Central do not contain the required license enablement files. For initial installation, you must obtain your package from the Passport Advantage Online website.
The Passport Advantage Online website provides complete images of the IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan engine for download. The HTTPS link in the download list directs to the Passport Advantage Online website.
Download Package (2.3.0):
eAssembly — Part number: G0HPDML
CheckEngine Script — Part number: M11JLML / File: M11JLML.sh
Sentinel 2.3.0 SLES — Part number: M11JGML / File: M11JGML.tar
Sentinel 2.3.0 RHEL — Part number: M11JHML / File: M11JHML.tar
Licensing fulfillment template — Part number: M11JKML / File: M11JKML.docx
Installation and User Guide — Part number: M11JJML / File: M11JJML.pdf
Installation instructions are available in the Installation and User's Guide for IBM Storage Defender Sentinel 2.3.0.
For detailed installation instructions, see IBM Storage Defender Sentinel anomaly scan software installation.
For required steps to complete the installation, see Installation checklist.
For IBM Copy Data Management installation, see IBM Storage Defender Copy Data Management - Installation and setup.
The following vulnerabilities are fixed in this level:
Fixing Level
Platform
Bulletin Title and Link
2.3.0
Linux
Security Bulletin: Vulnerabilities in urllib3, router, qs, cryptography, axios might affect IBM Storage Defender Sentinel Anomaly Scan Engine. https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7268925