ASG-Enterprise Orchestrator™ Release Notes

With the release of ASG-Enterprise Orchestrator™ (AEO) 4.1, much of the Window’s Client functionality is now available through the Web Client, including the ability to author scheduling definitions. In addition, interfaces to Google Drive, Hadoop, and Drop Box are now available. Many customer enhancements including new reports have been added.

Installation and Upgrade Considerations

When applying maintenance, be sure to apply the latest cumulative fix pack before applying any patches.

The readme file, which is included in the Installation package, provides additional considerations for updating AEO components and describes software fixes made to the product in Version 4.1.

Upgrading to the Web Client

The Web Client enables you to manage a Scheduler through a Web browser. The Web Server, the client connects to is embedded in the Client Manager and the Client Manager has the ability to connect to one or more Schedulers. From the Web Client, you can use the improved search and filtering capability over the lists. Also, the system displays an interactive dashboard to view the current state of the Scheduler.

Updating the Scheduler

When updating the Scheduler you must also update the Client Manager to the same release level as the Scheduler.

Updating Multiple Schedulers

If you run multiple Schedulers in your environment, ASG recommends this procedure when upgrading or applying maintenance:

To update multiple Schedulers

1. Stop all Schedulers.

Or  

If you must keep one Scheduler running during the update process, identify a Scheduler that is not currently busy and stop only that one.

2. Apply the update to each stopped Scheduler.
3. Restart the updated Scheduler(s).

Or  

a. If you updated only one Scheduler, restart it.
b. Stop all remaining Schedulers and apply the update to each one.
c. Restart the remaining updated Schedulers.

Migrating to the new Windows Agent

The original Agent for native Windows will no longer will be distributed and will be replaced by the currently available Windows Agent (Previously call the .NET agent).

If you currently use any of the older Windows Agents for native Windows, ASG recommends that you replace those agents with the new Windows Agent. See Installing Windows Agent for details on Windows Agent, its supported services, and installation instructions.

Release - 4.2

Definition Batch Updates

Multiple definitions of similar type can now be edited at the same time. This batch update option is available from the definition list and from definition reports. The Batch Report role right is required to perform a batch update. See Batch Update topic for more information.

Secure Promote

Feature providing the ability to securely promote definitions from one scheduling environment to another. Developers can package the required definitions to be promoted, and Administrators can validate, apply, reject and monitor the packaged definitions. See Packages topic for more information.

Add Comments to a Run Process

Comments can now be added to a run process. There is also an option to delete comments. Processes with comments are called out using a comment icon. In addition to comments being viewable from the process, a comment report has been added under System Reports. See Comments topic for more information.

Task API Search Parameters

Additional search parameters are supported for name, alias, status, and process name. See RESTful API topic for more information.

Secure connections between all AEO components

Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption is now supported in AEO to provide end-to-end communications security over networks. This includes connections between the Client manager and Scheduler, and the Scheduler to Agent connections.

Suppress Future Scheduling of a Process

When manually inserting a process into the schedule for a date outside of the production window, there is an option to prevent this process from being automatically scheduled again. See Running a Process for more information.

Rename AS400 task to IBM i task

The AS400 Job and AS400 Command tasks have been renamed to IBM i Job and IBM i Command. See IBM i Job and IBM i task for information.

Close a process alert through API

A restful API to close all alerts related to a specific process has been added. See RESTful API topic for more information.

Archon Vault Support (Controlled Release)

Added Archon Vault as a supported Password Manager. Credentials for login definitions can now be stored in an Archon Vault and retrieved at runtime as needed. See Using Password Managers for more information.

Assign process category to the action alert category

If the category of an action's alert item is empty, the process category that triggers the alert action will be used. If the process has multiple categories (not used much), the first category will be used.

Additional support for Task Post Scripts

The remote system command now supports a post script. This provides the ability to do analysis of the task upon completion and possibly alter the task status. See Setting Pre and Post Scripts.

Support for Dynamic Dependencies

A Process Dependency can dynamically be added to a process item in a run process. See Dynamic Dependencies.

SAML Support (Controlled Release)

Implemented SAML service provider stack and supports SP initiated SAML SSO. For example, users can add AEO as a SAML Service Provider or relying party in their Microsoft Active Directory configurable options.

Certificate-based authentication support in CyberArk

CyberArk password manager integration has been updated to support certificate-based authentication with the CyberArk Vault AIM web service.

Scheduler Actions

Disaster Recovery Actions have been rename to Scheduler Actions and moved to its own section in Scheduler Properties. Any items defined in DR Actions will be preserved in Scheduler Actions. Along with all the options that were under the disaster recover actions, it also includes the option to skip all triggers for a specified process. See Scheduler Actions topic for more information.

Release - 4.1.4

Support for SHA384 in SFTP for the Platform Agent

The secure SFTP task now supports the SHA384 cipher suite in the platform agent.

Database Changes

The number of records in the logs table is no longer limited to the size of an int datatype (roughly 2 billion records). If needed, the logs table [id] datatype can be changed to a long int to exceed this limit.

Added a column to the definitions, roles, users, entities, and agents tables for the time the record was inserted in the database. This column will be left empty for definitions created prior to this release.

Add a column to the definitions table for the last successful run of a process and task and last event time for events to expedite reporting. This column will be left empty for definitions created prior to this release.

Scheduler Silent Install

The Scheduler now supports a silent install.

Auto-refresh of List Data

When updating or deleting definition records, the definition list will be automatically updated with the changes.

Process Item Report Change

A Times column has been added to the Process Item report. Any defined item time ranges will be displayed in this column.

A CalendarDate filter is available that if specified, will filter items based on the item calendar. The CalendarDate filter can be set from a date variable. See Process Item Report for more information.

Schedule Item Forecast Report

This new report displays all task items that will run for forecasted processes on the specified date. See Schedule Item Forecast for more information.

Support for Status Parameter on Tasks API

Besides the generic search string parameter, the tasks API now supports a specific status parameter with support for scheduled, waiting, active, completed, cancelled, and erred values. See Get a list of tasks in a schedule for more information.

Stored Procedure Support for PostgreSQL

The Stored Procedure Task now has support for PostgreSQL for stored procedures that have no more than one return value. This has been implemented on the Platform Agent.

Process Item Security

By default, operational security for process item tasks is based on the root process folder. There is now an option in Scheduler Properties to enforce this security based on the task folder.

Revoke Rights of a Role

When a role is initially created, it can be set to revoke the associated rights from anyone granted that role. This provides the ability to have more generic roles but selectively revoke specific rights as needed. See Revoking Rights for more information.

New role right for viewing tasks in Operations

There is a new right in a role for viewing tasks in Operations. The Tasks node under Operations will only display if a user has been given this right. This is only applicable to the Web Client. See Operations Rights for more information.

Thycotic Secret Server

Added Thycotic Secret Server as a supported Password Manager. Credentials for login definitions can now be stored in a Thycotic Vault and retrieved at runtime as needed. See Using Password Managers for more information.

Export and Import Functionality

Export and import operations have been added to authoring for agents, definitions, roles, schemas, and users, allowing data to be shared between disparate environments. See Moving Definitions Between Environments for more information.

Zeke Direct Support

Zeke Direct provides a more direct communication between the Scheduler and Zeke using RIS and agent technologies. Using this approach, the Zeke agent, the broker, and DMS will no longer be used. With Zeke Direct, the Zeke Trigger Event can be satisfied by any Zeke in the plex. See Zeke Direct Conversion for more information.

Zeke Automation Services is required on Zeke for Zeke Direct to work.

Release - 4.1.3

Max Active Days for Process

A new setting has been added that determines how many days to allow a process to be active before automatically cancelling it. This can be used in development and test environments to keep the schedule clean from unfinished processes. See Max Active Days for Process for more information.

Max Open Days for Alert

A new setting has been added that determines how long, in days, an alert can remain in an open status before being automatically closed. When closed, a comment is added indicating the alert has expired. Setting the value to 1 would not affect yesterday's alerts, but would close alerts from the previous day. Keeping the value at 0 has no affect. This can be used in a development or test environment where alerts are not actively managed and often build up. See Max Open Days for Alert for more information.

ServiceNow Integration

A new service has been added that provides the ability to open incidents within the ServiceNow application from within the process workflow. The incident content is enforced via user-defined schemas. See ServiceNow for more information.

RPA Integration

A new service has been added to execute bots in the ASG Zenith Robotic Services application.

Login Reports

Reports have been added to provide access to login-specific data. A generic login report displays common login attributes like user, host, domain, etc. regardless of login type. Specific reports for email logins, proxy logins, SFTP logins and SQL logins have also been provided. See Login Reports for more information.

Folder Right to Run Process

A new right to run a process has been added to the share rights of a folder. With this new right a user will only be able to run an item in the folder if they have the run process right assigned to their share. Prior to adding this right, anyone who could access the folder would have the ability to run an item in the folder. See Definition Folders for more information.

Release Process while in Pause State

A process can now be released while the Scheduler is in a paused state. This helps in a disaster recovery phase where critical processes need to run first while everything else is held.

System Dashboard Additions

An operations dashboard provides run-time statistics over time for processes, tasks, events, agent connections, and user connections. The granularity can be by months, weeks, or days for processes, tasks, and events.

An authoring dashboard shows definition counts, by type, for the current day and for the previous year as well as graphs that shows the growth in the last 12 months. See Dashboard for more information.

Timeout Exemption by Role

In a previous release, the ability to timeout an inactive user after a user-specified period was added. There is now an option to exclude users belonging to specific roles. This prevents those monitoring the schedule, who typically do not touch the keyboard or mouse, from timing out.

Command-line Option to Get Output

An option has been added to the command client to retrieve output of a process item. This provides the ability to efficiently get the output of a task by a subsequent task in the process from another agent. Prior, the output would have to be passed as a parameter to the subsequent task, but OS size restrictions are in play making this option less ideal. See Command Line Client for more information.

Multi-Process Logs Report

The run history report option for a process definition now provides the ability to easily view logs from one or more processes in HTML format across multiple production dates. This greatly reduces response time and effort in cases where audits require logs from various processes over an extended timeframe. If multiple processes are selected, the log files will be zipped and a single zip file returned. See Accessing History Reports for more information.

OAuth2 Login Support

OAuth2 Login authoring has been added to the web client. This login is used by tasks that interface with an external service that require authentication using the OAuth2 protocol. By using this protocol, no user credentials are stored within the application. The application only stores a token from the remote service which can be revoked at any time by the end user. Going forward, the OAuth2 login will only support custom authorization services provided by the customer and the option to use ASG’s authorization services will no longer be provided. See OAuth2 Login for more information.

Operations in User Reports

Basic operations are now available in the results of user run reports. The list menu in any definition report will have most options that are available from the definitions list, and any run process reports will have most options that are available from the run process lists. See Definition Report and Run Process Report for more information.

Token Resolution in Prompt variable

When a user manually runs a process or task, the scheduler will attempt to resolve any tokens placed in any prompt user variables that are contained in it.

Release - 4.1.2

The Client Manager is required for the web client and is now installed automatically with the Scheduler install. However, it can still be upgraded separately as web client changes are made. The web client includes most functionality supported by the windows client. The import and export functionality and OAuth login authoring support will be added in the next minor release.

AES Password Support

Login passwords are now encrypted and stored in the database using the AES encryption algorithm when the login is saved. For backward compatibility, logins that are sent to agents older than 4.1.2 are re-encrypted using the older encryption algorithm.

PostgreSQL Database Support

There is now an installation option to support the PostreSQL database.

Banner Interface

An interface to the Banner ERP system is now available that runs jobs within Banner. This interface includes support for job parameters, logs and output. See Banner for more information.

Jenkins Interface

An interface to Jenkins has been added that allows a task to be created that runs existing Jenkins projects. See Jenkins for more information.

Agent Task Volume Report

A task volume report is now available which displays the number of tasks completed by agent for a date range. Low, high, average, and medium counts are also available. See Task Report for more information.

Improved Stored Procedure Look ups

The lookups for stored procedure tasks provide for more efficient searching and displaying for large data. See Stored Procedure for more information.

Hashicorp Vault Support

Added Hashicorp Vault as a supported Password Manager. Credentials for login definitions can now be stored in a Hashicorp Vault and can be retrieved at runtime when they are needed. See Using Password Managers for more information.

User Information Dialog

Audit logs for user activity and logins is now readily available for the current logged and for any other user from within the user dialog. Also, what roles and rights and agents are available to the user is also available.

Expiration Date Accessibility

The product expiration date is available as a system attribute [SYSTEM.EXPIRATION_DATE] within a process when mapping data. See Attributes Enumerated for more information.

Agent Status API

An API has been added to return the status of all agents.

SNMP Message

The process alias is now mapped to an SNMP message when the message is related to the root process.

Embedded Scripts

Scripts run by the System Command task can now optionally be embedded within the task definition itself. See System Command for more information.

Linux Shell Script

There is now support for a Linux shell script with access to task variables and attributes.

Scheduler Startup Options

Support for a startup.cmd file containing scheduler startup options is available. See Scheduler Startup Options for more information.

Support for ppc64le

Support for IBM ppc64le, Power PC Little Endian, has been added for Redhat 7 and Redhat 8. The Controller, Platform Agent, Scheduler and Client Manager will now all run on ppc64le. See System Requirements for more information.

Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks in lookup fields - The lookup fields in most definitions provide a hyperlink to the selected definition that will open up the selected definition in a new tab.

Process Preview

Displays a compiled version of the selected process including details for any Broadcast tasks and processes. Average durations for process items can be updated in the preview. Referenced definitions can be opened from the preview.

Agent Trending Chart

Graphs tasks and events per day by agent.

Agent Activity Chart

Graphs average task counts by period for specified number of days. Days can be restricted by calendar. For example, selecting a Saturday calendar, a graph can show the average quite time over the past 10 Saturdays.

Release - 4.1.1

CyberArk

Added CyberArk as a supported Password Manager. Credentials for login definitions can now be stored in a CyberArk vault and retrieved at runtime as needed. See Using Password Managers for more information.

Docker

Added an interface to Docker providing the ability to run commands within a Docker container.

Informatica Cloud

An interface to Informatica Cloud has been added that allows Informatica tasks to be run.

Release - 4.1.0

Google Drive

An integration to Google Drive was added that allows files to be uploaded, downloaded, copied, moved, and deleted from a Google drive. Also, Google folders can be created and emptied. See Google Drive Operation for more information.

Dropbox

An integration to Dropbox was added that allows files to be uploaded, downloaded, copied, moved, and deleted from Dropbox. Also, Dropbox folders can be created and emptied. See Dropbox Operation for information.

Hadoop Task

An integration to Hadoop was added that allows files to be uploaded, downloaded, copied, moved, and deleted. See Hadoop File System (HDFS) Operation for information.

z/OS Job Monitor

A z/OS Job monitor has been implemented that raises events when jobs meet the specified criteria. See z/OS Job Monitor Event for information

SSIS Task

SSIS Task now has support for the SSIS DB Catalog. See SSIS for information.

Data Access

  • Process owner Information like name and email of the user or role owner can be mapped to variables. The role definition now supports this information to facilitate this enhancement. An email can now be sent to the owner of a process when the owner is a role.
  • Also, user and role information can be mapped by specifically referencing the user or role by name, UID, or ID by using the following syntax [ROLES.NAME.EMAIL] or [ROLES.UID.EMAIL].
  • The external logs of a task can now be mapped to variables using [ITEMS.SOME_TASK.EXTERNAL_LOGS] or selected from the Insert Variables list.
  • There is an option to attach item logs and item output when creating an email action.
  • When viewing references of a definition from the web client, the references tab for that definition will stay open until specifically closed.
  • Using the Definition Search Dialog, any attribute of a definition can be searched for using the Details field. Definitions can also be searched for across folders and across users.
  • From a process, alerts created for the process can be viewed using the View Alerts option.
  • From a process, other processes that affect or are affected by this process can be viewed with the View Dependencies and View Dependents options.
  • AES encryption between the server and agents is now supported. Encryption can be implemented for specific agents or all agents.
  • Alerts generated by actions can now include categories. Alert categories are displayed under System Reports \ User Alerts in the web client.
  • Static process and item variables can be used in the process and task URL field for descriptions. These include ITEM.ALIAS, ITEM.DEF_ID, ITEM.NAME, PROCESS.DEF_ID and PROCESS.NAME. Also, any server variable can be used (SERVER.VARIABLE).

Reports

  • A File Operation report was added that provides the ability to report on file operations across tasks.
  • When viewing the user alerts from under system reports in the web client, any comments will be displayed in the PDF or HTML report.
  • Process descriptions and process notes can be displayed as a column in a Run Process report. There is an option to display both description and notes as a separate line when viewing those reports as a PDF or HTML.
  • The Process Definition report now has a Has History column that can be used to show or filter those processes that have no run history (infrequently run processes).
  • Definition reports now have a Is Referenced column.
  • Task reports have an Is Agent List column that will return true if the task references an agent list.
  • An option to show action-related logs has been added to the user-defined audit report. This will provide visibility in when actions were triggered. Also, both successful and unsuccessful logon attempts have been added to the audit report.
  • Login information is now available for display as columns in the FTP and SFTP reports.
  • An SNMP report has been added that will show SNMP messages that have been sent.
  • There is an Action Definition Report and an Action Item Report.
  • A Task Variables report has been added to show variables across tasks. If variable naming conventions are used, this report can be used to show tasks that use particular variable names.
  • Reports for the new Hadoop, Dropbox, Google, and Microsoft OneDrive tasks have been added.
  • Additional task reports have been created including reports for Oracle Job, SQL Job, Stored Procedure, IBM i, SSIS, and Amazon S3 tasks.

Release - 4.0

A Web Client is now available for operations containing most of the features of the Windows client. Many improvements and enhancements have been added that are available only in the Web Client.

These are some of the key features available in the Web Client:

New Options for Searching and Filtering

The Web Client provides various ways to search and filter the data. Each of its screen carries a search bar for a quick search over the data for preselected columns of the list. Also, the search screens available for certain lists, which allows you to perform column specific searches and set search criteria. Since the searches and filters are enhanced to be performed by running queries directly against the database, it optimizes the search and filter performance but also limits it on certain columns (data that is not specifically a column in the database).

The custom view folders for the Processes enables you to control which processes can be shown in the workspace.

  • In the Web Client, the custom view folders are applicable only for the Processes list.
  • The regular expression are no longer supported for the name of the custom view folder.

See List Controls for details.

Interactive Dashboard

The Web Client dashboard provides a summary view of the Scheduler. The production statistics and the monitoring reports of the critical components are shown for you to monitor and intervene the production as necessary. The production statistics come with the drill down capability, which navigates you to the specific details screen by a click. Process charts show counts by status and source, and time as well as process completion by hour of the day compared to previous days. Summaries of milestone, alert, and agent status are available with drill downs. Graphs to see potential system bottlenecks are available. See Dashboard for more information.

Improved Data Access

Tasks can be viewed, sorted, and searched on without going through its respective processes. This provides the ability, for example, to see all tasks running on some agent or all erred tasks, regardless of process(s).

Server logs are now compressed and archived to database allowing access for longer periods of time.

Much improved searching across processes, tasks, alerts, logs, and milestones with AND and OR support.

All list and report data is viewable in HTML, PDF, or CSV format.

Fast Performance

Data is sent to the Web Client only when requested and only one page at a time, resulting in significant performance and scalability improvements, which also result o improve the client start up time.

More Security

An option is added to the settings to show last login and last operation when logging in to the Web Client.

An option is added to the settings to automatically disable inactive users. See User Authentication for more information.

Microsoft OneDrive Operation

Version 4.0 allows you to create Microsoft OneDrive Operation tasks, which provides the ability to manage your files on Microsoft OneDrive. Also, the system supports the OAuth2 logins.

Depending on the operation specified, these are the possible actions you can make upon or using Microsoft OneDrive folders and files:

• Create, view, empty or delete folders.

• Upload, download, copy, move or delete files.

See Microsoft OneDrive Operation for more information.

Open Amazon S3 Operation

The enhanced Amazon S3 Operation allows you to perform actions upon or using Amazon S3 buckets or objects. Also, the system enables you to define an Amazon login in order set up the necessary credentials that the Amazon S3 Operation task will use.

Depending on the operation specified, these are the possible actions:

• Create, view, empty, or delete buckets.

• Upload, download, copy, delete, or restore objects.

See Amazon S3 Operation for more information.

Open Enhanced File Operation Task

Version 4.0 agents are enhanced to add more security to your files. In detail, now you can perform encryption and decryption operations on your files. Also, you can sign and verify the files. See File Operation for more information.

Platform Agent

The Version 4.0 Platform Agent allows you to submit task events in ASG-Zeke (herein called Zeke). Currently, sFTP tasks are supported in Zeke. When you define a task event in Zeke (e.g., an sFTP task) to be submitted to a remote AEO agent, you specify the event name, the remote system name, and the necessary login profile. Zeke receives any output returned from the remote task and saves the output as a dataset, USS file, or SYSOUT, depending on your Zeke server configuration.