Agent and Controller Compatibility

Please refer to the Language Agent Backward Compatibility table for Splunk AppDynamics Agents and Splunk AppDynamics Controller Tenant compatibility.

As long as all agents are compatible with the Controller Tenant version, a monitored environment may have different agent versions deployed in it at a given time. However, the oldest agents should be on originating tiers of any business transactions. This ensures that agents on downstream nodes can process the correlation header created by the originating tier.

When rolling out agent upgrades, be sure to start upgrading the agents on the nodes of downstream tiers first, and then upgrade the agents on the originating tier nodes last.

Language Agent Backward Compatibility

Starting release 20.2, the Splunk AppDynamics language agents are backward-compatible with any Controller Tenant, including those using Calendar Versioning >= 20.3.

Note: For specific maintenance and support terms, refer to your specific EULA.

Backward compatibility is supported on these agents:

  • C/C++ SDK
  • Cluster
  • Java
  • IBM Integration Bus (IIB)
  • Machine
  • .NET
  • Node.js
  • PHP
  • Python
  • Analytics Agent
  • Database Agent
Note: While using the Enterprise Console to upgrade the Controller Tenant, several folders (including the appagent folder) are removed and reinstalled. If you have deployed a Java Agent with a newer version than the Controller Tenant in the <controller_home>/jetty/appagent folder, the upgrade fails and internal monitoring is lost. To prevent this, you must update the start.ini file to point to the new Java Agent or avoid using the custom installation for Java Agents.

For notes on SSL protocol compatibility between the agent and Controller Tenant versions, see SSL Compatibility Matrix for App Agent for Java - Controller.

Agent Versions Compatible with Controller Tenant

Agent Version/Agent TypeDynamic Language AgentsCluster AgentDatabase AgentMachine AgentNetwork AgentAnalytics Agent
IIB Agent Java Agent.NET AgentNode.js AgentPHP AgentPython AgentWeb Server AgentC/C++ SDK
25.x
24.x
23.x
>=22.x
>=21.x
>=20.x

SSL Compatibility between Java Agent and Controller Tenant

The default protocol used by the Controller Tenant is TLSv1.2. See Secure the Platform for information on changing the default security protocol used by the Controller Tenant or agent.

For the Java Agent, the default protocols are:

  • For Java 8 SE applications: TLSv1.2.
  • For Java >= 7 applications: TLSv1.2.

Introduction of New Agent Features

Even when new and old agents are supported by the same up-to-date Controller Tenant, new functionality introduced by later agents is not available on the older agents.