Release Notes 2024.2

Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of ActiveBatch® version 2024.2.

 

For details on how to upgrade, see the General Information section.

Enhancements

The following list of enhancements have been applied to Version 2024.2.

 

Reduced reliance on third-party libraries

Replaced third-party libraries with in-house and open-source alternatives for the following Jobs Library categories and/or steps:

 

  • Managed File Transfer

  • OpenPGP*

  • Certificates

  • Mainframe

  • Networking > Secure Shell - SSH

  • File System > Archive and UnArchive (Unix/Linux only)

  • Apache Hadoop (General) > Submit MapReduce Job, Pig Script, Sqoop, Submit Spark Application

  • Apache HDFS > Copy

 

The benefits:

 

  • Improved product quality, reliability and long-term sustainability

  • Robust data privacy and security measures tailored to meet our customer's needs

  • Timely updates and support for bug fixes, security patches, and feature enhancements

  • Seamless integration

 

Improved Security Posture

  • ActiveBatch is leveraging Veracode for static code scans, which can help identify and fix security vulnerabilities early in the development process.

  • Proactively fixed all known critical and high defects to address potential issues before they could be exploited.

 

Product Documentation

  • ActiveBatch Documentation Portal is now available to all users and can be accessed here.

  • In-product context sensitive help will now redirect to the respective topic on the online documentation portal instead of a help file.

  • Documentation for various topics on the ASCI portal will now redirect to the respective topic on the online documentation portal.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\Database (SQL Server)

  • Added support for Azure Entra (formally known as Azure AD) Authentication.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\Informatica Cloud

  • Added a retry mechanism if Informatica returns an invalid status, and added a tolerance for any intermittent call failure. Ticket-71472.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\SharePoint

  • OAuth2 is now supported in SharePoint Steps.

 

Web Console

  • Removed dependency on legacy components (.net 3.5) and cleaned up installation requirements.

  • Redesigned enumeration for SSIS Jobs Library Job Steps as follows:

    • Improved the reliability of enumeration for the SSIS job step in the web console.

    • It is no longer necessary to install SQL-related dependent software on the Web Console server to use enumeration.

  • Added Refresh and Copy To operations to the Variable Explorer pane.

  • Users can now multi-select and copy grid data from Daily Activity.

 

Non-Windows Agents

  • Added support for RHEL 9 and Ubuntu 22.

 

Job Scheduler\User Account

  • Enhanced the User Account object's REST API Credential Type to support password credentials in OAuth2.

Corrections

The following list of corrections have been applied to Version 2024.2.

 

Execution Agent\Windows

  • The Agent, when performing some internal processes, could allow for the execution of unauthorized code.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\CreateSelfSignedCertificate

  • The CreateSelfSignedCertificate Jobs Library Job step cannot export a private key file when the Certificate Encryption > File Extension property is set to 'pem' or 'pfx'. The private key is exported only when the property is set to 'cer'.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\Licensed\Oracle EBS

  • The Schedule Concurrent Request Set step is failing with the error "ORA-01403: no data found ORA-06512: at line 11" when running on a Linux Agent. Ticket-35585.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\OpenPGP

  • When using the encrypt job step, the system is not validating a key before it is being used. This applies to jobs running on a Non Windows Agent.

 

Extensions\Job Steps\Oracle

  • The Oracle Synchronize Job step fails if the Oracle job is not executing at time of the synchronization.

  • The Oracle Start Job step throws an exception: "no instance of JOBNAME was found".

 

Job Scheduler

  • When loading ActiveBatch .NET libraries, the LoadLibrary Win32 API could be used to execute unauthorized code when a DLL search is used to locate and load the given DLL library.

 

Job Scheduler\ActiveVariables\SqlQuery

  • The SQLQuery Active Variable is not closing connections when only one column of data is returned. Ticket-63172.

  • The SQLQuery Active Variable is not resolving in V12 if trying to use an ODBC DSN. The error message returned is: "API type is not supported". Ticket-41237.

 

Job Scheduler\Active Variables\XPathQuery

  • The XPathQuery Active Variable is not resolving properly. The Variables section of the Instance history lists the error as: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object". Ticket-65076.

 

Job Scheduler\Event Triggers

  • When an armed event trigger has been disabled by the system due to unrecoverable errors, audits that indicate this has happened are not being recorded in the audit trail.

 

Job Scheduler\Event Trigger\FTP Event

  • When communication fails for an armed FTP Event Trigger, the system is not disabling the trigger as expected.

 

Job Scheduler\Import\User Account

  • When an exported user account object with a password protected certificate is imported, the password is not decrypted as expected because the encrypted attribute is missing.

 

Job Scheduler\JSSWS

  • When loading JSSWS libraries, the LoadLibrary Win32 API could be used to execute unauthorized code when a DLL search is used to locate and load the given DLL library.

 

Job Scheduler\Managed Queue\Amazon EC2

  • An error occurs when attempting to enumerate the Managed Queue fields (e.g. Region, Machine Image, etc.) after setting the User Account property. The error message is: "Value cannot be null". Ticket-70597.

 

Job Scheduler\Service Library\REST V2 Adapter

  • An error occurs when using the REST V2 Adapter to access S3 Buckets with an endpoint that is using parameters. The error message is: "The request signature we calculated does not match the signature you provided. Check your key and signing method." Ticket-63032.

 

Reporting Services\Template Reporting

  • If an object is moved to a different folder or plan, the Template reporting database does not reflect the path change. Ticket-52045.

 

Web Console

  • An error occurs when attempting to trigger a job that has a Trigger Audit Policy set up. The error message is: "Trigger Failed for <Job Name>: Access denied to the service." Ticket-69367.

  • When connected to Web Console using a Virtual Root, the Find in Tree feature does not find the object when entering a valid path. An error occurs as follows: "Find in tree operation failed". Ticket-66276.

  • When attempting to enumerate SSIS packages design-time using the SSIS Jobs Library Job step, an error occurs indicating that SQL Server components are missing on the Web Console machine. Ticket-53705.

  • The Job's Associations property sheet is missing the Edit button.

  • A folder object set to Read Only displays a blank Variables property sheet (the grid and buttons are not visible).

  • The cut and paste menu operations do not work when selecting multiple objects in the Browse view.

  • Closing a Plan's Completion Rule Window using the X button prevents it from reopening.

  • When logging in to the Web Console, the response returns the password that is visible using development tools.

  • When adding a Resource Constraint, the Resource Object property consists of a dropdown that provides a list of objects. If you select a non Resource Object (e.g. a folder) from the dropdown list, the OK button is enabled when it should not be (it should only be enabled when a Resource Object is selected).

  • The Rest V2 Adapter is: 1) Not allowing spaces in the Global/Root operation when attempting to rename it, when spaces are supported. 2) Displaying an error message that is inaccurate when attempting to rename the Login operation (it states spaces are supported when they are not).

  • Unable to connect Web Console and the Self-Service Portal with special characters in the password.

General Information

Please see the ActiveBatch Installation and Administrator’s Guide Product Compatibility Matrix to make sure your database and operating systems are supported in 2024.2.

 

Before you begin to consider the upgrade process, make sure your ActiveBatch environment is running on a version that has been thoroughly tested to support the upgrade procedure. See more details below.

 

Note about version numbers

 

In the past, ActiveBatch major-release version numbers increased by 1 (e.g. Version 11, Version 12). Last year, we released our first major-release using a new calendar-based versioning system. It is based on the year and the quarter within the year (e.g. 2023.3).

 

This current release is numbered 2024.2, since it is being released this year, in the second quarter.

 

Currently, the various user interfaces do not display the new version numbering system, but rather, you will see version 14 (our internal version number). This will change in a future release, where the UI will match the new numbering scheme. Until then:

 

2023.2 = 14.0.0

2023.3 = 14.0.1

2024.2 = 14.0.2 (after you upgrade)

 

Locating your version information

 

  • The thick console internal version number is displayed on AbatConsole's Start Page.

  • The Web Console internal version is displayed when clicking on the About ActiveBatch icon (located at the top far-right of the UI, second from the left).

  • The Job Scheduler internal version is displayed on the Job Scheduler Information page (see Views > Job Scheduler Information).

  • The Execution Agent internal version is displayed on the Execution Queue object - see Properties > Machine Characteristics > AbatVersionId.

 

Upgrading from version 2023.x to 2024.2

 

You can upgrade from 2023.2 or 2023.3 to 2024.2. This release should be treated like a service pack upgrade. For more information, refer to the ActiveBatch Installation and Administrator's Guide. See the Service Packs and Installation Maintenance Operations section.

 

Upgrading from version 12 SP9 to 2024.2

 

You can upgrade from Version 12 SP9 to 2024.2. You do not need to upgrade to 2023.3. To upgrade to 2024.2, your current Scheduler must be running V12 SP9. If you are not running on the latest service pack, please review the following KB article: Upgrading ActiveBatch V12 to the Latest Service Pack.

 

Once you are on the latest V12 service pack, please see the ActiveBatch Installation and Administrator’s Guide. It provides all the details required to upgrade from V12 SP9 to 2024.2. See the section named Upgrading from V12.

 

Upgrading from version 11 SP5 to 2024.2

 

You cannot upgrade from Version 11 to 2024.2 directly. You must upgrade from V11 SP5 to V12 SP9 first. From there, you can upgrade to 2024.2. Please see the ActiveBatch Installation and Administrator's Guide - Upgrading from V11 for more information on this topic.

 

Product End-of-Maintenance and End-of-Life

End-of-Maintenance (EOM)

The EOM date is defined as the point at which the software will no longer receive updates or bug fixes, but support will still be available to you. EOM happens 12 months after the release date, and notifications will be sent to you before that date. Updates or patches for software applications that have reached their EOM date will no longer be provided.

End-of-Support (EOS) or End-of-Life (EOL)

The EOS date is defined as the point at which the software will no longer be supported, and no further updates or bug fixes will be provided. EOS happens 18 months after the EOM date, as described in the documentation at the time of the release.

  • EOM for 2024.2 is May 29, 2025.
  • EOL/EOS for 2024.2 is October 28, 2026.
  • EOM for 2024.3 is August 29, 2025.
  • EOL/EOS for 2024.3 is March 2, 2027.
  • EOM for 2024.4 is Nov 20, 2025.
  • EOL for 2024.4 is May 20, 2027.
  • EOM for 2025.1 is February 21, 2026.
  • EOL for 2025.1 is Sept 1, 2027.

End-of-Life (EOL) for other versions

  • EOL for V11 was June 30, 2024
  • EOL for V12 was Nov 30, 2024

Contact Information

If you encounter any problems with ActiveBatch and are under the Product Warranty or post-warranty maintenance service plan, contact Redwood at support@redwood.com or visit our website at http://www.redwood.com.

 

* OpenPGP - In 2024.2, the .Net (Windows) implementation of the OpenPGP Jobs Library Job Steps have limited support for signing with DSA keys. Issues have been identified that result in failed workflows if a user attempts to sign files using DSA keys with the MD5 hash algorithm. Users are advised to either use RSA keys for signing, or utilize a different hash algorithm (SHA1) when using DSA keys for signing files. Alternatively, users can execute their jobs on the ActiveBatch Linux Execution Agent as a work-around to this issue.