topic Re: Can two MHOs run different software versions? in Hyperscale Firewall (Maestro)

Can two MHOs run different software versions?

todd — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:07:13 GMT

Hi,

I am setting up a Maestro home lab using two MHO-140 units. The two units were purchased secondhand at different times: MHO140-1 came with R80.20, and MHO140-2 came with R81.20.

I upgraded MHO140-1 to R81.10 while leaving MHO140-2 on R81.20.

When I connected MHO140-1 and MHO140-2 via port 48 (the sync port), I noticed that they successfully synchronized their configurations and formed a single unified orchestrator pair.
After building the complete Maestro topology with three SGMs, powering down one MHO still maintained redundancy successfully.

Does this mean running different software versions on paired MHOs is officially acceptable or supported?

Thanks,

Todd

Re: Can two MHOs run different software versions?

Chris_Atkinson — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 02:55:44 GMT

Outside of upgrades scenarios - what would be the use case for this?

Also be aware starting in the R81.10 version, the major software version on the Orchestrator must be equal to or higher than the major software version on the managed Security Group

Re: Can two MHOs run different software versions?

Dario_Perez — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 03:44:23 GMT

having different version is supported only for upgrade scenario only. run different version on same array is not officially supported.
if you want to build a lab with SG, the MHO with lower version must be the highest version SG. is not supported to have higher version on SG than MHO

Re: Can two MHOs run different software versions?

todd — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:38:35 GMT

Thank you for your information. This is very helpful.

It also clarified my question regarding operational issues when different versions coexist during the MHO upgrade.

Re: Can two MHOs run different software versions?

todd — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:46:49 GMT

It is true there is no use case for this scenarion.

Because My customer running R81.10 and I want to simulate upgrade from R81.10.

But I cannot reset MHO140-2 to R80.10. So I use this scenarion to practice upgrade to R82 🙂