Release Manual 9.6.x

    Upgrade instructions

    The XL Release upgrade process you use depends on the version from which you are upgrading, and the version to which you want to go.

    For detailed instructions based on your upgrade scenario, refer to Upgrade scenarios.

    XL Release 9.6.2 release notes

    New features

    • [REL-10274] - Branding Modifications in XL Release
    • [REL-10325] - Branding Modifications in report/plugin/email in XL Release

    Improvements

    • [REL-9607] - Random global roles addition is allowed in Design > Folders > Teams and Permissions. List of pre-defined roles should exist.
    • [REL-9917] - Blank Item fields make the audit report's Activity Logs tab hard to read
    • [REL-10316] - Add debug logger on devops-as-code

    Bug fixes

    • [ENG-544] - Color picker for phase is misaligned
    • [ENG-552] - Allow Value provider scripts execution inside the security sandbox
    • [ENG-661] - Fix encryption for senderPassword field in Notification Task
    • [REL-7022] - In Table view, task titles are truncated after variable
    • [REL-7981] - No "Active task assigned" notification sent to team when a task is assigned without task owner
    • [REL-8590] - Different processes for adding an unknown user for Watchers and Assignees
    • [REL-8735] - Jira workflow (jira xlr add-on) is not able to start release because optional release variables are deemed required by XLR server
    • [REL-8969] - UI defect when cursor move out of description windows.
    • [REL-9305] - Users can no longer drag tasks around in a Sequential Group Task
    • [REL-9559] - Drop-down icons floating on scrolling
    • [REL-9676] - Variables in the template's description are resolved if the template is created from an External Script task
    • [REL-9846] - ZipException when HttpRequest.py hits 404 with no content.
    • [REL-9867] - Folder Variables failing when used as a value provider for a list box
    • [REL-9878] - Resolve the role name to a global role only when calling rolesApi.getRole(roleName)
    • [REL-9896] - Disable checkbox if user does not have required permission to edit task
    • [REL-9911] - Not needed padding on watchers list on task
    • [REL-9951] - Variable in phase title not resolved unless user has edit release permission
    • [REL-10069] - Users in Upper Case can't complete a task if it is assigned to the user in lower case
    • [REL-10126] - Duplicate tabs not consistent.
    • [REL-10156] - Release can't be created in different target folder if the template contains a task with an attachment
    • [REL-10173] - Fix duplication of release variables
    • [REL-10201] - XL Release recreates deleted user
    • [REL-10309] - Variable used in markdown description or title resolved after reload only
    • [REL-10313] - No trim happens on checking duplicating name in several places including environment and application
    • [REL-10314] - When a validation error happens in Environment creation form, you have to reload otherwise there is no going forward
    • [REL-10323] - CI Id is not being generated for MappedProperty on EventBasedTrigger
    • [REL-10376] - release.url is not working in script task
    • [REL-10377] - Delivery pattern: Save button doesn't get disabled in edit mode

    XL Release 9.6.1 release notes

    Improvements

    • [REL-10081] - Improved number of activity log inserts when updating teams on the folder page

    Bug fixes

    • [REL-10032] - The task after "User input task" picks the old release variable value
    • [REL-3892] - Cannot complete tasks in advance when release is in Failed or Failing state
    • [REL-9901] - Server error for long folder name

    XL Release 9.6.0

    XL Release 9.6.0 is a short-term support (STS) version that will be supported until superseded by the next long-term support (LTS) or short-term support version. For more information, refer to Short-term support/Long-term support policy.

    XL Release 9.6.0 new features

    Triggers

    Triggers are now treated as first-class citizens in XL Release. Whereas previously triggers were contained in releases, they now operate as independent entities. For 9.6, this change will not have a large user impact. However, this change gives triggers much greater flexibility for future updates.

    Triggers in YAML

    The update to triggers will cause some changes to your configurations. For instance, if you have any configurations in YAML as-code which use triggers, they should be updated with new syntax. Furthermore, global triggers - those without a folder - can no longer be exported as YAML.

    Trigger permissions

    As of v.9.6, the global Manage triggers permission was removed. Any existing global triggers will now inherit the global Create template permission, which will prevent any existing triggers from breaking. However, users can no longer create new triggers for any template that is not in a folder.

    If you are upgrading with root-level (that is, without a folder) templates that have trigger permissions, we recommend migrating the templates and triggers into folders.

    Improved delivery transitions

    Transitions in deliveries have been enhanced, with the ability to configure automation using groups with AND/OR operators, with combinations of time-based conditions and tracked item completion-based conditions. You can either automate a transition or manually complete it. You can also resume an automated transition after it has already executed.

    For more information see Manage transitions

    Password strength configuration

    Users can configure password strength requirements using the secret-complexity tag in the XL_RELEASE_SERVER_HOME/conf/xl-release.conf file. This will restrict users when they either create a new user or try to change their own password in the interface or API.

    Note: updating the password requirements will not break existing passwords, but will prevent you from using weaker passwords when updating or creating accounts.

    For more information see Password strength requirements

    Security update

    From XL Release 9.6.0 uses CSRF protection on login and internal APIs.

    You can disable this protection by setting false the flag xl.server.http.csrf.enabled=false on xlr-folder/conf/xl-release.conf.

    Users can now set up password strength validations in XL Release from the configuration files. Please refer to Password strength requirements for more information.

    Docker documentation improved

    The documentation for Docker installations was improved with new topics and samples describing how to configure single node and multi-node images, Dockerfile customization, and managing volumes. For more information, see Docker installation.

    XL UP upgrades

    XL UP can now update deployments to a newer version. XL UP will automatically detect during the setup if you have an existing instance of the XebiaLabs DevOps Platform, and will ask if you want to update it. You will then be asked if you want to change any parameters, or use a custom version.

    For more information, see Updating a deployment for XL Release.

    Rolling updates

    The --rolling-updates flag allows you to update XL Deploy and XL Release using XL UP without first undeploying them from the environment. Rolling updates allow you to update the systems without any downtime, and without undeploying and redeploying the instances.

    Rolling updates can only be done in certain circumstances, as it could cause issues when there are schema changes between version updates. For more information see rolling updates

    XL UP new deployment targets

    XL UP can now deploy to the following environments:

    • Minikube (Unix/Linux only)
    • Azure AKS

    For more information, see XL UP supported platforms and requirements

    XL UP updating the config file after deployment

    When a deployment is finished, the user is asked if they want their config file to be updated. If they reply yes, the .xebialabs/config.yaml file that the CLI uses to interact with will be updated with the username, password, and URL that you entered during the setup. If they reply no, the file will not be changed and you will need to manually update the config file if you want to use the XL CLI with the new deployment.

    Contact XebiaLabs Support if you have hotfixes

    If you have hotfixes installed, contact the XebiaLabs support team before upgrading.

    XL Release 9.6.0 release notes

    New features

    • [REL-8207] - Create endpoint in triggers API for add/edit trigger
    • [REL-9019] - Configure Spring Security CSRF protection
    • [REL-9027] - Persist the SubscriberRegistry to restore the state when restarting
    • [REL-9302] - Treat triggers as a first class citizen
    • [REL-9311] - Enable admins to set up minimum password strength requirements for local users
    • [REL-9373] - Modify permissions for triggers as a first class citizen
    • [REL-9374] - Add activity logs to triggers
    • [REL-9376] - Add Validation for triggers
    • [REL-9407] - Support delivery task exporting in templates and releases
    • [REL-9481] - Support triggers as first-class citizens in DevOps as Code
    • [REL-9698] - Improve grouping on Shared Configuration screen
    • [REL-9719] - Add tooltip on select value from variable or incoming property toggle button
    • [REL-9800] - Resuming automated transitions when a delivery phase resumes

    Improvements

    • [REL-9245] - Release overviews slow to load when opening the screen
    • [REL-9275] - Support adding delivery tasks using as-code YAML
    • [REL-9276] - Support Delivery Patterns in as-code YAML

    Bug fixes

    • [REL-6704] - Restarting a Phase does not persist the edited values of a Task
    • [REL-6754] - Prevent potential clickjacking attacks
    • [REL-6975] - Task completed in advance does not have gray background in release flow view
    • [REL-7707] - Permissions not being correctly applied by the task API
    • [REL-8390] - Risk profile is not copied from template to release
    • [REL-8511] - Opening a task dialog on a release with many dependencies takes too long
    • [REL-9172] - Creating a release from a template with read-only permissions allows a release to be created in an inaccessible folder
    • [REL-9209] - Changes in role permissions for global variables are not applied on save
    • [REL-9211] - Improve UI validation on transition titles
    • [REL-9231] - Notifications should be sent asynchronously
    • [REL-9232] - Gate task can't resolve dependency inside a parallel group with a failing custom script task
    • [REL-9233] - Audit Report broken if the range contains corrupted releases
    • [REL-9236] - XL Release upgrade to 9.5 taking too long to complete
    • [REL-9244] - Security context being overridden for Value Provider
    • [REL-9252] - Delivery screen being cut off in Safari
    • [REL-9253] - Improve help text on Delivery screen
    • [REL-9260] - Edit Blackout Period task permission not correctly applying permissions
    • [REL-9274] - Improve appearance of lists in track items selections
    • [REL-9298] - Changes to default variables on template are not reflected in release tasks
    • [REL-9300] - Disable event handler for DevOps as Code to improve performance
    • [REL-9351] - Importing a Template Generated via REST API Returns Error
    • [REL-9385] - Interaction for copying templates and patterns is inconsistent
    • [REL-9386] - Set proper scheduledStartDate and plannedDuration through DevOps as Code yaml document
    • [REL-9388] - Make default sorting of patterns consistent in all tabs
    • [REL-9414] - Release statistics dashboard as-code yaml spec should use folder path instead of folderId
    • [REL-9467] - Core-notification task type CC To BCC will not use full input field during adding an email address
    • [REL-9474] - Restart phase fails if sequential group is in the planned state
    • [REL-9507] - xlrelease.UserInputTask variable reference does not get re-linked to release variable when task is copied via API into a running release
    • [REL-9542] - GroovyScript task loses the user from "Run automated tasks as user"
    • [REL-9566] - "Pattern" label disappears when changing delivery screens
    • [REL-9569] - Random PermissionDeniedException in releases
    • [REL-9587] - Help tab URL is incorrect
    • [REL-9597] - Silently ignore NotFoundException for facet upgrade
    • [REL-9639] - Accent characters not supported in Delivery Title
    • [REL-9692] - Completed deliveries appear as overdue
    • [REL-9706] - Gate task completes without triggering next task when status is "Waiting"
    • [REL-9723] - Fix Jython Script Engine security constraints for Script Tasks
    • [REL-9738] - Special characters in usernames prevent users from being saved
    • [REL-9749] - Gate tasks getting stuck while dependencies are completed
    • [REL-9750] - A failed task is shown completed when a phase is restarted, although the task is failing again
    • [REL-9795] - Encrypt secret values in script tasks
    • [REL-9806] - Possible to move a pattern and delivery without required permission on the destination folder
    • [REL-9807] - Users with sanitized usernames cannot be updated, disabled or deleted
    • [REL-9816] - Update spring-security library
    • [REL-9847] - Add validation for delivery description property in YAML
    • [REL-9850] - "Duplicate stage" exception when quickly adding stages
    • [REL-9877] - Create Release Task: UI for locked task broken
    • [REL-9885] - Release audit reports: input properties of script tasks not in excel sheet
    • [REL-9897] - User can’t see Assigned to fields when they have ‘All task permissions’
    • [REL-9925] - Removing a task name should not be permitted
    • [REL-9959] - Can't navigate on months first time you click on navigator
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