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Cloud & Branch Connector

Release Upgrade Summary (2024)

This article provides a summary of all new features and enhancements for Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector. To see scheduled maintenance updates for your cloud, visit the Trust Portal.


The following service updates were deployed to connector.zscaler.net on the following dates.

December 06, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Zero Trust Branch Device SFP Port Support

      The ZT800 Zero Trust Branch Device has support for the following copper and fiber small form-factor pluggable (SFP) ports in gateway mode:

      • Copper: Finisar - FCLF8522P2BTL
        • Cat5e or later Ethernet cable
      • Fiber short range (SR): Finisar - FTLF8519P3BNL
        • Multi-mode: Aqua fiber optic cable
        • Signal distance: 500 meters
        • Rate category for the interface type: 1000BASE-SX
      • Fiber long range (LR): Finisar - FTLF1318P3BTL
        • Single-mode: Yellow fiber optic cable
        • Signal distance: 10 kilometers
        • Rate category for the interface type: 1000BASE-LX

      Additionally, GE1 and GE2 ports are selectable as WAN and LAN ports, hot swappable, and only available for SFP ports.

      To learn more, see Configuring a Branch Configuration Template.

October 25, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Zscaler Client Connector for VDI Port and Protocol Forwarding Support

      Port and protocol forwarding enable granularity in inclusion and exclusion policies by allowing you to enter an IP address:port range or an IP address:port:protocol range.

      To learn more, see Configuring VDI Forwarding Profiles.

October 14, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • ZPA Access Policy Support for Cloud Connector Workload Groups

      Zscaler Cloud Connector supports Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) access policies based on the user-defined tags and cloud attributes mapped to a source workload. Security teams can leverage workload groups to use user-defined and attribute tags in Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) policies. These workload groups extend to ZPA access policies. Workload group can be a criterion of a ZPA access policy, so Cloud Connector traffic can be matched by workload group criteria.

      To learn more, see About Access Policy, About Workload Groups, Understanding Workload Groups, and Configuring Workload Groups.

September 23, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Enhancements to Zero Trust Branch Devices

      Several enhancements have been made to Zero Trust Branch Devices. The functionalities include:

      • Predefined DNS and forwarding rules added to the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal:
        • One predefined DNS rule and three predefined traffic forwarding rules, which use Zscaler domains groups, LAN destination groups, WAN destination groups, and app service groups for Zscaler domains, are available.
        • The rules are disabled by default, but you can enable them. They are only applicable to Zero Trust Branch Devices deployed in gateway mode and should not be applied to other form factors or Zscaler Cloud Connectors.
      • Branch configuration template Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) enhancements made to Zero Trust Branch Devices deployed in gateway mode:
        • The default lease time's default value increased from 600 seconds to 86400 seconds.
        • The maximum lease time's default value increased from 86400 seconds to 604800 seconds.
        • You can specify up to 4 domain names and 4 DNS servers in the DHCP Options section.
        • You can configure peer DHCP when high availability (HA) is enabled.
      • You can monitor ZIA gateway tunnel and ZPA broker tunnel data for Zero Trust Branch Devices deployed in gateway mode.
      • An LED indicator on the front of Zero Trust Branch Devices changes to reflect the progress of a deployment. A solid green light indicates that all services are running, and the device is operating normally.

      To learn more, see About DNS Gateways, About Traffic Forwarding, Configuring Traffic Forwarding Rules, About DNS Policies, About Destination IP Groups, Configuring a Branch Configuration Template, Analyzing Branch Connector Details, and Deploying Zero Trust Branch Devices.

    • Update to Azure Virtual Machine for Zscaler Cloud Connector

      The Microsoft Azure virtual machine (VM) for Zscaler Cloud Connector has been updated to version 24.3.3. This version addresses deployments in environments that contain a large number of network interface resources. To learn more, see Deploying Zscaler Cloud Connector with Microsoft Azure.

September 17, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Amazon Machine Image (AMI) Availability in AWS China Marketplace

      Zscaler Cloud Connector is available in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) China Marketplace. CloudFormation automation deployment templates were updated with support for Amazon Machine Image (AMI) version 24.3.1 in the AWS China (Beijing) region and the AWS China (Ningxia) region.

      To learn more, see Deploying Zscaler Cloud Connector with Amazon Web Services.

September 05, 2024
September 03, 2024
August 30, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Amazon Machine Image (AMI) Availability in AWS China Marketplace

      Zscaler Cloud Connector is available in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) China Marketplace. Terraform automation deployment templates were updated with support for Amazon Machine Image (AMI) version 24.3.1 in the AWS China (Beijing) region and the AWS China (Ningxia) region.

      To learn more, see Deployment Templates for Zscaler Cloud Connector.

August 26, 2024
July 01, 2024
June 21, 2024
June 10, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Update to Zscaler Client Connector for VDI

      The Zscaler Client Connector for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) application version 1.3.0.14 is available for download from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal, but it does not have 32-bit support. This version contains a new installer parameter, USEEMBEDDEDBROWSER, which enables embedded browser support.

May 24, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Update to Zscaler Client Connector for VDI

      The Zscaler Client Connector for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) application version 1.2.0.19 is available for download from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal, but it does not have 32-bit support. This version changes the name of the application from Zscaler VDI Agent to Zscaler Client Connector for VDI. It also contains a new installer parameter, HIDEAPPONUILAUNCH, which minimizes the application when launching. To learn more, see Downloading Zscaler VDI Agent.

May 22, 2024
April 19, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Update to Zscaler VDI Agent

      The Zscaler Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Agent application version 1.1.0.12 is available for download from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal. This version fixes an issue where the policy was not updating after restarting the Zscaler VDI Agent. It also fixes an issue where the driver was not being installed due to a race condition. Improvements were also made to rate limit reauthentication prompts for users.

      To learn more, see Downloading Zscaler VDI Agent.

April 01, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Support for App Segments in Traffic Forwarding Rules

      App segments allow more granularity and control in traffic forwarding policies. You can enable all app segments, which applies them to a ZPA or Drop traffic forwarding rule.

      Alternatively, you can disable all app segments and select one of the following:

      • Configure neither application segments or segment groups and the rule bypasses this setting.
      • Configure a specific application segment and/or segment group and the rule only matches configured segments or groups.

      To learn more, see Configuring Traffic Forwarding Rules and Ranges & Limitations.

March 15, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Update to Zscaler VDI Agent

      The Zscaler Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Agent application version 1.1.0.8 is now available for download from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal. This version fixes an issue where the Zscaler VDI Agent caused packet fragmentation, resulting in failed connections to internal Microsoft Azure endpoints. It also moves the Zscaler VDI Agent's user configuration file to the user's roaming profile folder, which allows you to restore the user-specific configurations using tools such as Citrix UPM or FSLogix.

      To learn more, see Downloading Zscaler VDI Agent.

March 08, 2024
March 01, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Support for Sublocations

      Zscaler Cloud Connector and Zscaler Branch Connector sublocations configured within the ZIA Admin Portal (Administration > Location Management) can now be selected when configuring traffic forwarding rules and DNS filtering rules within the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal. Additionally, Cloud & Branch Connector sublocations can be selected when configuring policies within the ZPA Admin Portal. Sublocations enable Cloud & Branch Connector to create new locations that reference IP addresses encapsulated within Cloud & Branch Connector tunnels.

      To learn more, see About Locations, Understanding Sub-Locations, Configuring Sub-Locations, Configuring Traffic Forwarding Rules, and Configuring the DNS Filtering Rule.

February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
  • Feature Available
    • Download Zscaler VDI Agent from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal

      The Zscaler Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Agent is available for download from the Zscaler Cloud & Branch Connector Admin Portal. You can download the latest version, 1.0.0.95, or one of the older versions still available for download.

      To learn more, see Downloading Zscaler VDI Agent.

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