Xe to 8.10 - deployment server

Currently going through the documentation for upgrading from Xe to 8.10. One thing I am not clear on is as follows. After the deployment server has been upgraded to 8.10, is it still possible to build update packages, apply ESU's etc against the production environment? Or will the upgraded deployment server now only be compatible with environments running at 8.10?

Patrick,
from the moment you install 8.10 on your DS it will run that version. You can still build packages from an Xe workstation. To apply ESUs you need the JDEPLAN environment which will not be available any more at this point for Xe.
You would have to use snapshot (or play other tricks) to apply ESUs to Xe.

Gerd