upKeeper Manager 5.2 – upKeeper Support

upKeeper Manager 5.2 includes new functions and bug fixes which are listed below. Installation files and tools can be found on our ftp site. Included in this article you can find technical release notes and installation documentation.

Notice

upKeeper Manager 5.2 requires .net 8, see requirements for more details.
upKeeper Manager 5.2 includes fully redesigned upKeeper Service Operating System called upKeeper Dynamic Service Operating System or DSOS for short. upKeeper Service Operating System will not be included in in this or upcoming releases. All customers should upgrade/convert to the new upKeeper DSOS.

New Features

Support for Single Sign-On

Administrators can login using Single Sign-On through SAML. New users will default be assign to de role SSOUsers for assigned organization.

upKeeper Dynamic Service Operating System

upKeeper Dynamic Service Operating System (DSOS) is a new component replacing upKeeper Service Operating System (SOS). DSOS have must of the functionality found in SOS, but old unused or insecure features have been removed. upKeeper SOS will be discontinued from upKeeper Manager 5.2 and onwards.

New or improved features

DSOS can be implemented with first installation in the same way as SOS.
DSOS can be implemented on a separate partition after main operating system is installed.
DSOS can be implemented as a disk file in the main operating system.
DSOS will NOT add or import any boot record. (SOS built by default a SOS record.)
Improved offline support
Improved WiFi module
New Design (logo, font and colors are still customizable)
DSOS partition is now optional and can be omitted from install scripts
Support for multiple USB drives at the same time
Early validation of jobs, leading to early exits if the machine is not properly configured
Much of the responsibility has been moved to the API, increasing the probability to 'hotfix' issues.
Diagnostic mode (formerly known as debug mode) has a customizable password which can be omitted altogether.
Live log output in Diagnostic mode
Platforms, Hardware drivers, and Packages all support reading the CRC from both the start and the end of file, reducing the risk of applying corrupted files.
Configurable & improved server logging
Process exit codes (for monitoring success / failure)

Removed features

No more support for non-UEFI systems
Bootstore commands are no longer executed by the process.
SOS Passphrase is no longer used and is replaced by providing account information.
Offline and online drivers are obsolete but still available to use for now.
Unattended platform installation is obsolete and not recommended to use, although still available for now.

Dynamic mount of upKeeper download

upKeeper Manager Client will mount WinPE/upKeeperSOS partition if exist, when needed. upKeeper Manager Client will try to mount partition when installing/uninstallating applications and synchronizing installation media with installation configuration information. If upKeeper Manager Client can't find a service partition it will build a static folder structure found in "C:\Windows\upKeeper".

Restart boot handling

When upKeeper Manager Client get the task to restart it will do so without any boot record update. If upKeeper Manager Client get the instruction to boot to upKeeper SOS or upKeeper DSOS it will try to find a boot record for WinPE or upKeeper SOS and change boot option for next startup.

Reports presented directly from Microsoft SQL Reporting Services

Reports can be configured to be presented directly from Microsoft SQL Reporting services. Reports are more dynamic and can be reloaded with updated parameters or sorting for a better selection. If you do not need this dynamic configuration you are recommended to use standard report configuration which presents reports in pdf och csv files. Configuring reports to use reports directly from Microsoft Reporting Service is referred to as "Legacy Report" configuration and include a component called upKeeper Report Proxy. upKeeper Report Proxy are based on .net 4.8 and that is why it is referred to as "Legacy". Setup is described in the installation documentation for upKeeper Manager 5.2.

Improved file media control

Improved file media control for more secure distribution and less false/positive situations resulting in more accurate and faster distribution. All upKeeper Manager components handling file media has be updated to handle this new standard, but can support older upKeeper Manager Clients as well.

Improved user authentication management

All login attempts, successful or not, are logged. Repeated unsuccessful login attempts will lock current account for a period of time.

Improved password management

New passwords must meet configured password policy.

New passwords can not be found in known passwords file.

User changing password must input old password and two factor authentication code.

Administrators get information of weak passwords when creating new users.

Synchronization of install information and media

System can be configured on organization, group or computer to synchronize installation configuration information and installation media to computers. Synchronized information and media is updated over time and stored in a secure way. Local media are used if reinstalling operating system or applications if computer is online. Local media and configuration information are used when reinstalling a computer offline. Reinstalling offline requires a decrypt key found on each computer registered in upKeeper Manager where synchronization has been enabled. Decrypt key and corresponding encrypted information is updated on a interval.

Bug fixes

Here follows a list of signification bug fixes affecting a majority of all users. All fixes and more details can be found in the detailed release notes for the specific version and is found on our ftp.

Login token configuration

Cancel ongoing application change

Canceling ongoing application change (install/uninstall) will only affect current running application.

Options and functions for administrators

Options and functions for administrators are only visible to administrators.

Microsoft AD synchronization parameters

Extended input length for Microsoft AD synchronization parameters.

Groups added to task

Groups can be added to task.

Applications view update

Applications view is updated after application removed.

Updating MAC Address

MAC address can be removed and will be set to NULL if empty or white space.

Copying hardware profiles

Copying hardware profiles will include drivers.

Denied applications

Denied applications can not be reinstalled.

Inventory administrators

Support for long administrator names in administrator inventory.

Related to