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Empirum 22.0 - Release Notes

About This Document

This document describes functional changes, bug fixes, known issues, modified behaviors and changed platform support that have been added since the last update. 

Please find the installation files of this version on Matrix42 Marketplace

System requirements, integration guides and instructions for installation and update are available in the Matrix42 Help Center

Software Management

A new Standard Feature Release Version of the UEM Agent is part of the installation. Please check the Marketplace for new versions of the UEM Agent.

Adjust the Agent Update settings of the computers before the update. The new UEM Agent is set to approved after the update.

Further details and information about the new features of the UEM Agent can be found here: Matrix42 Marketplace

For using optional packages as part of the distribution flags, the UEM Agent of type "Standard Feature Release" is necessary which is part of this release.

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".

The v22.0 ISO has the latest WinPE 1.8.13 integrated. The latest PreOS packages are NOT automatically imported.

Further details and information about WinPE can be found here: WinPE

Boot configuration

If an offline PXE image created via the Packaging Center and imported via the SDK, a non-editable boot configuration also appears in the EMC. You can delete it, but not editable and is grayed out accordingly.

Logs from Offline PXE Image Creator are stored under "C:/ProgramData/Matrix42/Logs/PackagingCenter"!

Driver assistant

The driver configuration file "Drivers.json" can now be transferred to the database via SDK and UUX upload. For this, there is now the export functionality in the driver wizard in the EMC. Here you can choose between a ZIP or SDK format export.

General information

The following areas have been removed from EMC, because they are no longer supported:

  • OS Installer - Tools - Eis.ini Options... - all Windows operating systems
  • OS Installer - open configuration - all Windows operating systems
  • OS Installer - complete area "Hardware" including the subareas "Driver Administration" and "Hardware profile"
  • OS Installer - Operating system configuration - Disk Image class

UUX for SUEM

More details and information about UUX for SUEM can be found here: Release Notes SUEM 22.0

Common Changes/Enhancements

ODBC driver 17.9

  • With a new installation or update of Empirum, a new ODBC driver 17.9 will be delivered and installed from now on (if no newer ODBC driver is installed). Newly created ODBC connections automatically use the new ODBC driver 17.9. With an update of Empirum no already existing ODBC connections are updated! In the Subdepot PXE software package, the new ODBC driver 17.9 is also included and installed.

Variable configuration

  • With Empirum version 22.0 the export format of the variable configurations has changed. When exporting, you can choose between a ZIP format (UUX upload) or in SDK format (upload via SDK or import via EMC).

  • When importing a variable configuration, a check is made for missing variable definitions in the system

  • When assigning a variable configuration, a check is made for missing variable definitions in the system

  • When assigning a variable configuration, a check for already assigned variable definitions is performed, if another variable configuration is assigned with the same variable definitions, but different values.

  • More information here

All previously exported variable configurations can NOT be used and imported anymore! Please create new exports with version 22.0!

Packaging Center

There is a new tool in the Packaging Center. With the Offline Driver Package Creator you can package your Windows drivers with the known possibilities from EMC and save them as ZIP or SDK format. Afterwards you can transport the export via UUX Upload or SDK to Empirum. You can find more information here .

Changes and new functions of the Matrix 42 Package Robot

  • New 3-fold fuzzy logic pattern search, with which every element can be reliably approached. Works on any user interface.
  • Inline-data with Datameker-tool - with it data, no matter if images or passwords, can be encrypted and compressed inline in the script.
  • Faster processing of variables.
  • ANA\ commands for images with clipboard features (insert into or save from WEB pages or social networks).
  • Online update of all components.
  • Bugfixes.

EMC

The following areas were removed from the EMC in the middle tree:

  • Properties of a Configuration Group - VHD Deployment Status, Disk Image Options and Self Provisioning
  • Properties of an assignment group - Self Provisioning
  • Citrix XenApp (stored in an assignment group by default)
  • Creating a New Configuration Group - Configuration Group Type - Citrix XenServer, VMware vSphere, Virtual Desktop Pool, and XenApp Server Farm

The following areas were removed from the EMC in the right tree:

  • Disc Image classes

Under Properties - External Programs - Global Program (For All Users)

Depot Helper Service and additional FIle list information

The Depot Helper Service watches all changes within the user folder (under configurator$ share) and creates a pre-calculated file list. With this list it is now possible to transfer files and folder in an optimized way to clients and also subdepot servers. With the same mechanism, also the Backend Task Queue creates such lists for each software package as part of the hashing processed which is used for validation. In both cases, files with name _Matrix42FileInfo.json will be created.

ENTERPRISE Service BUS

The functions of the Enterprise Service Bus have been extended with version 22.0. The ESB transfers the information of the hardware drivers, variable configurations and the Empirum Heartbeat to the UUX and back to Empirum. The Empirum Heartbeat shows you in the UUX if Empirum is reachable. Every 5 minutes a check takes place if Empirum and the ESB are still reachable.

The Enterprise Service Bus is now extended to send and receive messages. Therefore it is very important that all participants like Empirum, EgoSecure and Silverback use their own subscription / queue as described in the Service Bus configuration help. If they all use the same subscription / queue, messages will be consumed the fastest and may not reach the correct consumer.

Notification of extended maintenance period (LTSB)

Empirum version 21.0.3 is declared as LTSB version. Customers who are entitled to Matrix42 Premium Support thus receive an extended maintenance period beyond the release of version 23.0.0 at the end of April 2023.

Solved Issues

Problem ID Description
Software Management
PRB36548 Re adding the OS Server 2008R2 option to Empirum Version 21.0.3
PRB35918 Inserted package not written to swdepot.dds
PRB36557 A single package cannot be copied within the software depot
PRB36080 Helper service does not start
PRB36644 Export of software packages with invalid GUID after hotfix PRB36557
Patch Management
PRB36448 PM_Client.log contains the EmpirumAgent
PRB36775 Hashing generates different values for PM Client Fix and PM Client Scan, so check fails for one
Matrix42 Management Console (EMC)
PRB36454 Computer variables are not shown if variable configurations are assigned
PRB36601 Text error in software import dialog
PRB36582 Inheritance of the variable 'READYTOINSTALL_TEST' does not work on all levels
PRB36488 Differences in distribution options between EWC and EMC
PRB36585 Reloading information from disc does not work
Matrix42 Web Console (EWC)
PRB36682 Empirum WebConsole shows old SWDepot logs
PRB36774 Webconsole shows seemingly empty PXE.log from some PC
PRB36791 Helper application
OS Installer
PRB36401 EndOfLife PC does not appear in the report
PRB36475 Offline Boot Medium Wizzard - Driver not integrated
PRB36453 Problem with creating Winpe images in Empirum
PRB36515 PXE send no DHCP End Option (255) when DHCP Option 82 is recognized
PRB36437 Offline Boot media creation not possible
PRB36758 MAC Address disappear from computer properties during OS deployment
Misc
PRB36451 No demand messages are generated for SQL components
PRB36518 Empirum SDK - File System Flags for Windows 11 and Server 2022 missing after importing packages
PRB36423 Empirum Inventory service crashes frequently
PRB36581 Personal Backup fails if link to start PB shows to a PBU in the Agent Cache User folder
PRB36648 Empirum-SDK: Deadlocks at assigning computer to assignment groups
PRB36497 The last inventory scan date is overwritten by the last software or agent log entry
PRB36719 the files in the catalog must always signed with the current certificate
PRB36522 PXE services does not continue working after reconnection to SQL server
PRB36535 ShowInventory: Cannot be started as a local user, but can be started as an admin. Symptoms/Use Case
PRB36727 Message Error - Deadlock Errors
PRB36573 IconMap doesn't contain new icon if path to ICO file contains the variable %Revision%
PRB36748 New Client boot by Offline PXE Depot Server
PRB36721 Packaging Center: Package Wizard doesn't start
PRB36804 Vulnerability in OData Library can be exploited for Denial of Service attack
PRB36786 SQL Injection im Inventory Interface
  New Matrix42 Package Robot

Known Issues

Problem ID Description
OS Installer
  The feature "WinPE http/s Support" has current restrictions and don't support the client certificate from the agent template. Also Disk Imaging is not possible over http/s.

Changed or no longer supported Features and Platforms

  • Advanced Agent is not supported anymore.
  • UEM Agent older than version 2003.x are not supported with protocol http(s) anymore.
  • The SubDepot package no longer sets the null session shares
  • Due to performance optimizations of the PXE service, the following behavior has changed when booting computer objects known in Empirum. If the checkbox "PXE capable" is not set when creating a computer object, the checkbox is NOT automatically set when booting the client from v21.0!

Announcements for Version V23.0 / planned Changes

  • Windows 7 is no longer supported. The extended Support from Microsoft for Windows 7 ends in 01/2023

Discontinuations for Version v22.0

  • Silverback Integration
  • SQL Server 2014 is no longer supported
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 is no longer supported for Master or Depot Server
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