Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout Upgrade Guides for multiple versions, the first thing you should do when preparing for an upgrade to a new CounterACT version is consult the CounterACT Release Notes for the appropriate version.​

Release Notes as First Step:

According to the official documentation:​

"Review the Forescout Release Notes for important information before performing any upgrade."

The documentation emphasizes this as a critical first step before any other upgrade activities.

What Release Notes Contain:

According to the upgrade guidance:​

The Release Notes provide essential information including:

Upgrade Paths - Which versions you can upgrade from and to

Pre-Upgrade Requirements - System requirements and prerequisites

End-of-Life Products - Products that must be uninstalled before upgrade

Non-Supported Products - Products not compatible with the new version

Module/Plugin Dependencies - Version compatibility requirements

Known Issues - Potential problems and workarounds

Upgrade Procedures - Step-by-step instructions

Rollback Information - How to revert if needed

Critical Pre-Upgrade Information:

According to the Release Notes guidance:​

"The upgrade process does not continue when end-of-life products are detected."

Release Notes list:

End-of-Life (EOL) Products - Must be uninstalled before upgrade

Non-Supported Products - Must be uninstalled before upgrade

Plugin Version Compatibility - Which plugin versions work with the new Forescout version

Upgrade Order vs. Release Notes Review:

According to the documentation:​

While the order of upgrade (EM first, then Appliances) is important, consulting Release Notes comes FIRST because it determines what needs to be done before any upgrade attempts.

The Release Notes tell you:

Whether you can upgrade at all

What must be uninstalled

System requirements

Compatibility information

Only AFTER reviewing Release Notes do you proceed with the actual upgrade sequence.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Upgrade the members first before upgrading the EM - This is the OPPOSITE of correct order; EM (Enterprise Manager) should be upgraded first

B. Upgrading an appliance is done through Options/Modules - This is not the upgrade path; upgrades are done through Tools > Options > CounterACT Devices

C. From the appliance CLI, fstool upgrade /tmp/counteract-v8.0.1.fsp - This is ONE possible upgrade method, but not the first step; downloading and reviewing Release Notes comes first

E. Upgrade only the modules compatible with the version you are installing - This is a consideration found IN the Release Notes, not the first step itself

Correct Upgrade Sequence:

According to the comprehensive upgrade documentation:​

text

1. FIRST: Review Release Notes (determine what's needed)

2. Second: Check system requirements

3. Third: Uninstall EOL/non-supported products

4. Fourth: Back up Enterprise Manager and Appliances

5. Fifth: Upgrade Enterprise Manager

6. Sixth: Upgrade Appliances

Referenced Documentation:

Before You Upgrade the Forescout Platform - v8.3​

Before You Upgrade the Forescout Platform - v9.1.2​

Forescout 8.1.3 Release Notes​

Installation Guide v8.0 - Upgrade section​