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Empirum 20.0 Update 3 - Release and Update Notes

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About This Document

This document describes functional changes, modified behaviors and changed platform support that have been added since the last update. Information on bug fixes and known issues can be found in the release notes.

Software Management

Further details and information about the new features of the UEM Agent can be found here:

https://marketplace.matrix42.com/det...ndows-release/

  • A new service "Matrix42 Depot Helper Service" for creating a file list of the Configurator\User directory allows more efficient synchronization of computers to reduce the load on vault servers.
  • To optimize the download, a file list is created for each package (especially for http(s). This is done automatically just before the package hashes are created.

Device Discovery

  • The existing MIB files were updated and extended.
  • All SNMP nodes are now no longer read-only and can be edited at any time.

Patch Management

The search dialog for patches has been extended by the search criteria IS NULL and IS NOT NULL.
This makes it easier to find patches that do not have a successor and are therefore completely up-to-date.

OS Installer

If you use only WinPE and no longer EPE to install your operating systems, you can delete all imported WADK and WAIK (Configuration > OS Installer > Import) permanently.

Old or unneeded PreOS packages should be deleted from the EMC and locally from the hard disk.  Please check here in the EMC in the tab Configuration - Software Management - Depot - Matrix42 PreOS Packages and delete all unneeded PreOS packages. Locally you can delete the same PreOS packages from the hard disk in the directory "%EmpirumServer%\Configurator$\PackageStore\PreOSPackages".

Starting with WinPE version 1.8.7 the following extensions will be available:

  • In conjunction with Update 3, WinPE now differentiates between a domain or workgroup when displaying a computer object. The new PreOS packages DomainJoin 1.8 and WindowsInstallation 5.6 make this difference possible. Depending on what is set in the properties of the computer object, a domain join is performed or a stored workgroup is created.

  • The latest PreOS package DiskPartitioning 3.18 contains 2 new variables to configure another hard disk and not delete an existing data partition. With the variables "PreserveDataPartition" and "ConfigurationFileForAdditionalDisk" you have the possibility to implement this configuration. For more details please have a look at our WinPE HowTo.

  • In connection with the Update 3 and the PreOS package EndofLife 1.3 you have the possibility to configure the two variables "DelFromEmpirum" and "DelFromADSNDS (Experimental)" to remove from Empirum and from the Active Directory for computer objects. Additionally, you have the possibility to see all information in the Empirum End-of-Life Log and to use the Empirum Report "End-of-Life".

  • A new PreOS package LanguageInstallation 3.0 for the installation of CAB and APPX files is now available. This PreOS package includes the two PreOS packages LocalExperiancePacksInstallation and LanguagePacksInstallation and are therefore obsolete. You can either distribute the Language Packs (CAB file) and/or Local Experience Packs (APPX file) with the new PreOS package LanguageInstallation 3.0.

Please check after the import the correct order in the depot of the package. It must be placed before the DomainJoin package!

Installation of CAB or APPX files is only supported in relation to original Microsoft ISO operating systems!

  • With the PreOS package EmpirumAgentSetup 2.5 all new versions of the UEM agent (e.g.: 2006.10.3) are supported.

  • During the OS installation, WinPE now configures its own power management settings so that a computer no longer goes into standby mode when using a slow data connection. These adjustments are reset to the default after a successful completion.

  • There are the following 2 changes in Self Provisioning:

  • up to 15 characters can be used when entering the computer name manually
  • when using the name pattern, the computer name will be automatically extended with "001...-999"

Further details and information about WinPE can be found here: https://marketplace.matrix42.com/details/winpe/

The PrePackageAppWizard (PPA) can be started separately with the Empirum Version 20.0 Update 3 and the installation of EMC, in order to store operating system sources and language packages importably locally. You can find the PPA in the Start menu under "Empirum\Empirum Prepackage Wizard for OS Import". 

The "Empirum Prepackage Wizard for OS Import" must be started as administrator!

Afterwards, the Empirum-compliant format can be imported via the SDK.

UUX for SUEM

More details and information about UUX for SUEM can be found here: https://marketplace.matrix42.com/uni...t/uux-for-uem/

Common Changes/Enhancements

EWC

  • In the log and status windows it is now possible to filter, sort and search the displayed entries.
  • Starting with version v20.0.3, the Empirum Web Console is delivered with the current Tomcat 9.0.38 (x64) and OpenJDK 15.0.0. By using OpenJDK, no paid Java licenses are required.

Matrix42 Empirum SDK

  • The Matrix42 Empirum SDK now includes the corresponding UUX configuration package by default. With this configuration package it is easy to update the Digital Workplace Platform (DWP) with the SDK files.
  • The InventoryID of an Empirum software package can now be imported via the SDK, if available.
  • The GUID for EPE/PE images is now available as parameter in the SDK.
  • Operating systems and language packages can be imported via the SDK with the command "Import-EmpirumPackage" (Empirum 20.0 Update 3 is required).

Further details and information about the Matrix42 SDK can be found here: https://marketplace.matrix42.com/de/details/empirum-software-development-kit-sdk/

Notification of extended maintenance period (LTSB)

Empirum version 19.0.3 is declared as LTSB version. Customers who are entitled to Matrix42 Premium Support thus receive an extended maintenance period beyond the release of version 21.0.0 at the end of March 2021.

Solved Issues

Problem ID Description
Software Management
PRB35066 High traffic on the Configurator-User directory via an HTTPS subdepot
Patch Management
PRB35079 Automated catalog sync does not work anymore
PRB35336 Reset MaxFailedInstallationRetries for Fix package with Scan package
Personal Backup
PRB35008 The Tray Icon disappears during restore and appears not when finish
PRB35054 Ask for backup at shutdown although Computer is excluded
Matrix42 Management Console (EMC)
PRB34885 Deadlock messages at qualifying computers
PRB34964 Filter conditions on variables do not work on clients having values inherited from variable configuration
PRB34997 Internal variables are editable by the variable configuration module
PRB35225 Copying OS language packs from group to group does not work
PRB34813 Variable configurations cannot be used for assignment of subdepot variables
Empirum Web Console (EWC)
PRB35069 New Empirum Web Console with updated Java and Tomcat
PRB35201 WOL activation of a group does not work for its clients
PRB35314 Postpone until date is additionally set in EWC
OS Installer
PRB35006 PXEServer performance issue
Misc
PRB35166 After an update of subdepot to v20 Iperf service is missing
PRB35252 Create Filelist for the Package Folder to reduce the CPU load on Web Server

Known Issues

Problem ID Description
OS Installer
  The feature "WinPE http/s Support" has current restrictions and do not support Disk Imaging over http/s.
Patch Management
  Patch Management Fix package has an access error in conjunction with UEM Agent computer based authentication

Changed or no longer supported Features and Platforms

  • Support for version file as check in the SWDepot tab "Version"
  • LDAP Browser in the EMC
  • Citrix XenApp Publishing Support
  • VDI Images as assignable objects
  • Silverback Integration
  • Agent Distribution tab in the EMC under Configuration/Software Management
  • DBUtil Remote Server Support
  • macOS 10.10 (Yosemite)
  • macOS 10.11 (El Capitan)
  • Empirum-Location Sync in Empirum DBUtil

Announcements for Version V21.0 / planned Changes

  • Using hash files for validating packages on clients will be activated by default and will no longer be configurable as part of the agent template.

Discontinuations for Version v21.0

  •  

Preliminary actions before installation

Important note:

When you are downloading a Matrix42 hotfix or patch, the downloaded file may have a 'Zone.Identifier' information attached (depending on your browsers security configuration).

Please remove this 'Zone.Identifier', otherwise some problems with these files can occur (files are not loading correctly):

  1. Right-click the blocked file, and then click Properties.
  2. In the General tab, click Unblock.

To avoid the 'Zone.Identifier' in future please add the address 'https://m42marketplacemediathek.blob.core.windows.net' as a 'trusted zone' in the Internet Explorer.

UEM Agent Auto Update:

The UEM Agent delivered with this update is set to "Not approved" in order to allow a controlled rollout via the Auto Update feature. For a complete rollout the UEM Agent needs to be approved in the package properties.

If you have UEM Agent Auto Update activated in variable "MX42_UEM_AGENT.Auto Update with the value "Yes - Use latest available version (Pilot Rollout)", be aware that after the Empirum Update the newest UEM Agent shipped with Empirum will be automatically rolled out to those computer-clients without an approval. Set the variable to "Yes - Use latest approved version" or "No - Use assigned version" to control the rollout of UEM Agent. Please read UEM Agent documentation for more information about the Auto Update in section 4.1.

Installation Steps

  1. Log on to the Matrix42 Empirum Master Server using an administrative account.
  2. Make sure, that a backup of your location database and your installation directory (e.g. D:\Empirum) does exist.
  3. Close DBUtil and all connected Empirum Management Consoles (EMC).
  4. Copy the Matrix42_Empirum_20.0_Update3.exe to a temporary folder of the Empirum Master Server.
  5. Run the Matrix42_Empirum_20.0_Update3.exe with elevated rights (Run as administrator).
  6. If the system requires a reboot, please reboot.

All Empirum Services on the Master Server will be uninstalled during the installation.

Post-installation Steps

Due to changes on variables all INI files are rewritten.

  1. Start Empirum DBUtil and logon to EmpLocation and your location database.
    Confirm the location table structure update.
  2. Update your location DB using the Update Tables action.
  3. Select the services (except PXE/TFTP, DeviceDiscovery) which are required for your installation and then click Install.
  4. Now install the services PXE/TFTP, DeviceDiscovery (if used) on the master server.
  5. Reinstall the DeviceDiscovery service on all Empirum depot servers (if used).
  6. If the Empirum ServiceBus service is used and installed, you must now reinstall it again.
  7. Reinstall all Empirum Subdepot and Empirum Subdepot PXE services (if used) on existing Empirum depot servers. You can use the Subdepot PXE Service package instead of updating the services via DBUtil manually.
  8. On the Empirum Server run EMC > Configuration > Software Management > Depot > Tools > Check Versions to apply the changes of updated package properties (Personal Backup and Patch Management).
  9. Reinstall the Empirum package Empirum Management Console 20.0 (EMC) on all affected computers. The EMC will be updated on your Empirum master server automatically during the update.

 

As part of the security feature "DHCP Snooping", modern switches for DHCP packets that are routed to subnets (DHCP Relay) can also insert an option 82, which allows the assignment DHCP<->Source network facilitated. Starting with PXE Service Version 20.0.1, this option is also supported by Empirum. The handling of option 82 by the Empirum PXE Service can be disabled using a RegistryKey. Specification of the RegKey:

Use Regedit.exe on all affected Empirum PXE service servers to specify the key "DisableDhcpRelayAgentOption" under
Add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\matrix42\PXE\" to the file.
(Type=DWORD; Value = 0 or 1 (1 to deactivate)). Set the value to 1 to disable the option 82 part of the DHCP responses.

 

ODBC Driver Update to "ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server" is only necessary when using Microsoft SQL Server 2012-2017:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50420

ODBC driver update to "ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server" is only necessary when using Microsoft SQL Server 2019:
https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/download/details.aspx?id=56567

 

Existing boot configurations that already use an agent template (with "HTTPS" and "Trust only trusted server certificates" enabled) will be displayed with a warning sign the next time they are opened because no fingerprints have been stored yet.

Updated Software Packages

The following Empirum software packages are updated but are not assigned a new version number. You need to update (reinstall) the following packages:

Infrastructure Packages:

  • Empirum Subdepot 20.0
  • Empirum Subdepot PXE Service 20.0
  • Empirum Subdepot Webservices Configuration 20.0
  • Empirum Subdepot WOL Service 20.0

Client Packages:

  • Empirum AUT Service 20.0
  • Empirum Management Console 20.0
  • Empirum Inventory 20.0
  • Empirum Packaging Center 20.0
  • Empirum Personal Backup 20.0
  • Matrix42 Patch-Management Client Fix 20.0
  • Empirum Web Console 20.0

Please check the latest available Addon components:

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