Empirum 24.0 Update 3 - Release and Update 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.
Visit the following playlists on the Matrix42 YouTube channel to get a short overview presentation of the major new features: Link to English Video-Playlist | Link to German Video-Playlist.
Software Management
The Standard Feature Release version 2501.1.2 of the UEM Agent is part of the installation. Please check the Marketplace or the implace upgrade function via EMC for new versions of the UEM Agent. Further details and information about the new features of the UEM Agent can be found here: Matrix42 Marketplace
If necessary, adjust the UEM Agent update settings of your computers before the update. After the update, the UEM Agent is configured as not released, it will only roll out automatically to computers configured for pilot rollouts.
For using optional packages as part of the distribution flags, the UEM Agent of type "Standard Feature Release" starting version 2203.1.2 or newer. The UEM Agent Extended Support Release 2006 is not supporting this function.
OS Installer
The latest WinPE 1.9.8 is integrated, but is ONLY installed for a new installation of Empirum. However, you can use the new function in the EMC Download latest WinPE Support Package. Further details and information about WinPE can be found here: WinPE
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".
Offline PXE Image Creator
With Empirum version 24.0.3 we have extended the Offline PXE Image Creator in the Packaging Center. For our Empirum SaaS customers, it is now possible to upload and import the created offline PXE image directly to the Empirum Master Server in the cloud. This functionality requires the current Packaging Center, as well as the current UEM Agent SFR 2501.1.2. You can find more important information on how to use it here and here.
Patch Management
The Patch Catalog Sync can now be started directly from the EMC. This is particularly advantageous for Empirum SaaS environments.
(EMC - Configuration - Patch Management - View - Language/Products - “Force synchronization now”)
Additional Changes and Enhancements
In this release, we've implemented data telemetry to capture anonymous usage metrics of our software. This feature strictly collects non-personal data related to the usage and performance of the software, ensuring user privacy is fully respected. This will aid in enhancing future updates and overall user experience. More and detailed information can be found here.
Windows Server 2025 Support
With Empirum version 24.0.3 there is full support for Windows Server 2025. Further information on support can also be found in our system requirements (here).
UEM Depot Sync
A new software package UEM Depot Sync 3.1 is part of the ISO and must be used in combination with minimum SFR UEM Agent 2312.1.2. The ESR UEM Agent does not support UEM Depot Sync. We recommend updating to the new package in order to be able to use all the new features of Empirum v24.0.1. Further information can be found in our online help for UEM Depot Management here.
With version > 2.0 of the package, the synchronization mechanism has changed in many areas and does not use the previous ways. We strongly recommend that you read the help article on our help pages before upgrading to this version.
Empirum Web Console (EWC)
Updated the Tomcat version to 9.0.98 and Java version to 23.0.1. A manual update of the Java and Tomcat versions is described here.
Boot Configuration
With Empirum version 24.0.3 we have revised and improved the boot configurations. An additional save button has been added to save all existing boot configurations with a single click. Furthermore, a “Loading” message now appears as soon as a task is being performed in the background so that you know that something is happening in the background, e.g. synchronization with the database.
With the latest Windows ADK for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025, Microsoft only supports the 64-bit architecture. A boot configuration or offline boot media can therefore no longer be successfully created in the 32-bit architecture.
Enterprise Service Bus
The Enterprise Service Bus is included in version 4.20.1 and contains new functionality for the UEM Depot Sync as well as some bug fixes.
Support and Maintenance
Extended maintenance period (LTSB)
Empirum version 23.0.3 is declared as LTSB version. Customers who are entitled to Matrix42 Premium Support thus receive an extended maintenance period beyond the release of version 25.0.0 at the end of April 2025.
Solved Issues
| Problem ID | Beschreibung |
|---|---|
| Software Management | |
| PRB38424 | UEM Push Sync suddenly stops sending files to Depot servers. |
| Matrix42 Management Console (EMC) | |
| PRB38288 | Empirum software status counts computers multiple times |
| PRB38421 | Many cases, the patch group display shows ‘No patches were found’. |
| PRB38370 | Security vulnerability in Empirum Management Console |
| PRB38322 | Support Windows Server 2025 |
| PRB38384 | Error when creating a WinPE offline boot medium via EMC |
| Misc | |
| PRB37642 | Empirum Inventory service creates new computer with Windows Server as default OS type |
| PRB38401 | Empty patch groups when expanding – Timeout |
| PRB38404 | Service packs that are assigned to test subgroups simply disappear again after an hour |
| PRB37798 | Comments field of patches is getting deleted by patch updates |
| PRB38450 | Security Fix for Patch Management (CVE-2024-10256) |
| PRB38399 | Locked Inventory and Log Files on the empirum server |
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. | |
| Linux Inventory | |
| Linux Inventory is not part of the release. You can find the latest version on our Marketplace here | |
Changed or no longer supported Features and Platforms
- 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!
- Since Empirum version 22.0.1, the Empirum Automation Interface - EAI - no longer supports the reading of XML files.
- Since Empirum version 23.0.1 and WinPE 1.9.1 the reading of drivers.ini file is no longer supported.
Discontinuations for Version 24.0 Update 3
- No discontiunations
Scheduled discontinuations for version 25.0 and newer
- Sync templates are on maintenance starting with v23.0 Update 3 and will be discontinued starting with V25.0.
- The command line option /DIFF in Empirum Inventory is set to maintenance mode and will be discontinued with V25.0.
- Windows Server 2016 is no longer supported! The standard support from Microsoft ended on 01/2022
Preliminary actions before installation
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 or are blocked in the properties after downloading and must be unblocked manually):
- Right-click the blocked file, and then click Properties.
- In the "General - Security" 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.
Installation Steps
- Log on to the Matrix42 Empirum Master Server using an administrative account.
- Make sure, that a backup of your location database and your installation directory (e.g. D:\Empirum) does exist.
- Copy the Matrix42_Empirum_24.0.3.iso to a temporary folder of the Empirum Master Server.
- Run the Autorun.exe with elevated rights (Run as administrator).
- A check of .NET 4.8.0 is necessary, if it is not already installed, it will be carried out automatically. After successful installation, the server must be restarted.
- If the system requires a reboot, please reboot.
All necessary 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. The hashes of the Matrix42 software packages will be recreated. Depending on the number of objects, this may take some time.
- Check whether there is already an Empirum Hotfix Installer and install it if necessary. You can find this information here
- Start Empirum DBUtil and logon to EmpLocation and your location database.
- Confirm the location table structure update.
- Update your location DB using the Update Tables action.
- Select the services (except PXE/TFTP, DeviceDiscovery) which are required for your installation and then click Install.
- Now install the services PXE/TFTP, DeviceDiscovery (if used) on the master server.
- Reinstall the DeviceDiscovery service on all Empirum depot servers (if used).
- If the Empirum ServiceBus service is used and installed, you must now reinstall it again.
- 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).
- Reinstall the Empirum Subdepot package 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.
- Reinstall the Empirum package Empirum Management Console 24.0 (EMC) on all affected computers. The EMC will be updated on your Empirum master server automatically during the update.
ODBC Driver Update to "ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server" is only necessary when using Microsoft SQL Server 2012-2017:
ODBC Driver Update to "ODBC Driver 17.10.6.1 for SQL Server" is only necessary when using Microsoft SQL Server 2019 / 2022:
An overview of all ODBC driver can be found here
Directory Structure (not relevant for Cloud Customers)
The following files are stored with the extension *.old:
Post-command for OS-Installation:
- Configurator\User\UEMAgent.bat → Configurator\User\UEMAgent.old
If you have made adjustments in the original batch files, transfer them to the *.bat file. Then delete the *.old file.
If you have not made any adjustments, delete the *.old file.
If you have already saved a UEMAgent.old file, it will be automatically deleted and a new copy of the existing UEMAgent.bat will be created!
During the update, the content of the directorys
- .\Empirum\Manual is moved to Manual_Backup.
- .\Empirum\Configurator\PrePackages is moved to PrePackages.old.
If you have not made any adjustments to the original directories, you can delete the _Backup or .old directories.
Check if the Inv_scan_XML.bat file was manually updated and does not use an older version of Empirum Inventory.
Updated Software Packages (relevant for Cloud Customers)
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 24.0
- Empirum Subdepot PXE Service 24.0
- UEM Depot Sync 3.1
Client Packages:
- Empirum Management Console 24.0
- Empirum Inventory 24.0
- Empirum Packaging Center 24.0
- Empirum Web Console 24.0
- Matrix42 Patch-Management Client Scan 24.0
- Matrix42 Patch-Management Client Fix 24.0