Alike Release Notes

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Version: v1.39 Update 1
Released: 7/22/2010

About this release

Changes

This software update is a minor release. It contains a handful of fixes, but no new features.

  • Minor performance enhancements during munge phase.
  • Reduced memory utilization.
  • New and improved installer.
  • RestoreWizard/ReplicateWizard host server setting now works correctly.
  • Targeting specific SR when multiple shared SRs are available works 100% of the time.
  • Numerous logging enhancements.
  • Added option to bypass a proxy, even if one is defined on the system.
  • Certain timezones no longer cause failures when a job is scheduled for midnight.
  • Minor UI text cleanup
  • Update 1 (build 2234): Fixed "Bad Allocation" errors during munge process.
  • Known Issues

  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing multiple VMs.
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are
  • On setting change, when prompted to restart services, services may not start on their own.

  • Version: v1.38
    Released: 6/15/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This software update is a minor release. It contains a handful of fixes, but no new features.

  • Backup jobs will now correctly run only on the days selected.
  • The new format for leaf coalesce in XenServer 5.6 is now supported.
  • Expired demo license notification now disappears
  • Schedule Wizard now prevents job options that can cause failures
  • Temporary directory on inaccessable path no long can crash the UI
  • Minor UI text cleanup
  • Known Issues

  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are
  • On setting change, when prompted to restart services, services may not start on their own.

  • Version: v1.37
    Released: 6/1/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This software update is considered a full release. It contains new features, performance enhancements and some bugfixes. All users are encouraged to upgrade to this release.
    Please note: Backup jobs created from previous version may now receive a warning in the Job log stating "Failed to take Quiesced snapshot. Attempting to take regular snapshot". This will only occur when the guest VM does not have the XenTools VSS provider installed. The reason for this error is that Alike now allows manual control of VSS use, but previously defined jobs do not have this defined, so they default to VSS. This will not cause a problem, since Alike's behavior is to revert to a standard snapshot if a quiesced snapshot fails. The warning can be eliminated by explicitly setting the option in your previously defined backup jobs.

  • VM Replicate feature
  • Multiple concurrent jobs are now allowed
  • Self healing storage enabled
  • Allow selection of Quiesce jobs
  • Restore jobs are now editable
  • Munge performance improved, in some cases significantly (20-200% depending on hardware)
  • Activity page pagination
  • Manual deletion of VM/version shows progress in activity page
  • Improved error handling for unusual XenServer failures
  • Added "Immediate" Schedule type for backup jobs
  • Supports XenServer 5.6*
  • Known Issues

  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • On setting change, when prompted to restart services, services may not start on their own.
  • *XenServer 5.6's new Leaf Coalesce syntax is not yet supported by Alike.
  • Weekly scheduled jobs are incorrectly executed daily

  • Version: v1.36
    Released: 5/11/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This software update is considered a full release. It contains numerous bugfixes and performance enhancements, but limited new functionality. All users are encouraged to upgrade to this release.

  • Improved data processing (munge) performance, in some cases significantly.
  • Fixed an error that could cause the Scheduler service to stop.
  • VM version purge should accurately free storage space in all cases.
  • Added percentage complete indicator for all lengthy operations in backup/restore jobs.
  • Fixed errors with temp directories located on CIFS shares.
  • Added means to remove Windows Event log errors from Alike Activity page.
  • Improved host detection.
  • Enhanced numerous log messages for increased clarity.
  • Many smaller issues resolved.
  • Known Issues

  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Scheduled restore jobs may not be edited after creation.
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • On setting change, a service restart may fail to restart both services.

  • Version: v1.35 Update 1
    Released: 4/21/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This software update is not a full release. It contains some minor fixes and is not pushed out through the update notifier within Alike's UI.

  • Improved path validation.
  • Improved error handling for XenServer failures.
  • Fixed demo license activation errors
  • Minor log message cleanup
  • Known Issues

  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Scheduled restore jobs may not be edited after creation.
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are

  • Version: v1.35
    Released: 4/8/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This release contains numerous bugfixes and enhancements. It is highly recommended for all users to upgrade from previous versions.

  • Restores lasting longer than an hour no longer timeout.
  • Event long entries syntax is now correct.
  • Changing Data storage location within the UI works properly now.
  • Numerous UI enhancements.
  • All archived VMs and their versions may be viewed and manually purged from storage.
  • Restore jobs may now be scheduled.
  • Snapshot export times have been significantly reduced on larger VMs.
  • Numerous minor performance and stability enhancements.
  • Known Issues

  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Scheduled restore jobs may not be edited after creation.
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are

  • Version: v1.34 Update 1
    Released: 2/28/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This software update is not a full release. It contains some important fixes but is not pushed out through the update notifier within Alike's UI.

  • A fix to the restore process resolves an issue where guests could not immediately be started if restored to some SRs.
  • Alike now supports 64-bit OSes.
  • Additional SMTP headers were added to the email notification system, addressing an issue where some mail servers did not deliver Alike job notifications.
  • Known Issues

  • Restore jobs that last over an hour can fail with a timeout.
  • UNC paths not supported in installer. They must be entered after installation.
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Licenses not visible until the UI is restarted after activation
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are

  • Version: v1.34
    Released: 2/28/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This release contains a handful of new features as well as many bugfixes.

  • Service startup errors now appear in the Activity page.
  • Alike services now configured to write to the Event Log
  • Job log details show running % progress on upload (for restore) and download (for backup).
  • Users can now change service ports for Archival and Manifest.
  • Enhanced proxy support, allowing for custom proxies and authentication.
  • UI will no longer permit users to select temp directory that does not exist.
  • Data store is automatically moved when new location is selected.
  • Eliminated exception messages that occured when saving settings in the UI
  • UI will no longer permit invalid credentials for a UNC path.
  • Fixed backup error connecting to manifest
  • Various cosmetic and error message changes
  • Known Issues

  • Alike services must run on a 32-bit OS. (See FAQ, but 64-bit XenServers and guests are supported)
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Licenses not visible until the UI is restarted after activation
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are

  • Version: v1.33
    Released: 2/11/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This release contains a handful of new features as well as many bugfixes.

  • Direct Restore to XenServer added
  • Improved Backup Wizard UI
  • Block Stoage Optimization Job added
  • Leaf Coalesce clearer in Wizard
  • Proxy Server support added
  • Restores automatically convert from template to VM
  • Existing data store is migrated when new location is selected to ensure data integrity
  • Many environmental pre-flight checks added/enhanced
  • Installer now correctly sets data and temporary paths in all cases
  • SMTP fix addresses possible crash when sending job notifications
  • Restore Wizard no longer is buggy if used more than once per UI session
  • Fixed bug where child processes can hang
  • Individual BDBFiles will no longer occasionally grow larger than user specified limit
  • Fixed issue with UNC path trailing slashes
  • Post/Pre job script display bug fixed
  • Known Issues

  • Alike services must run on a 32-bit OS. (See FAQ, but 64-bit XenServers and guests are supported)
  • Changing Data Store location without moving BDBFiles causes startup failures
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Proxies requiring authentication are not supported
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Licenses not visible until the UI is restarted after activation
  • Optimize jobs claim to be complete far sooner than they actually are

  • Version v1.32
    Released: 1/10/2010

    About this release

    Changes

    This release introduces a new, more efficient data storage format. For users upgrading from a previous version, you will be prompted to convert your data store format during the installtion. Be aware this process may take a while, depending on the size and location of your data. This is a required step, and Alike will not function until this has been done. If you cancel the conversion, you may run it manually at a more convient time, but no jobs will run until this is completed.

  • New data storage format (BDB), which provides performance improvements as well as significantly easier tape backup.
  • SMTP job notification support.
  • VMs with a hyphen in their name can now be backed up correctly.
  • Issues with restoration of VMs backed up in jobs containing more than one VM have been resolved.
  • Restore performance enhanced.
  • Many small UI improvements.
  • Known Issues

  • RestoreWizard will remember the settings from the previous restore job, unless the UI has been closed and reopened
  • Alike services must run on a 32-bit OS. (See FAQ, but 64-bit XenServers and guests are supported)
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.
  • Data and Temp directories selected during installation are occasionally ignored.
  • CIFS based data store path authentication failures.

  • Version 1.31
    Released: 12/18/2009

    About this release

    Changes

  • Automated support for Citrix's storage leaf coalesce added to reclaim lost space from snapshots on LVM SRs. (Requires XenServer 5.5 Update 1)
  • Added ability to run coalesce only Jobs (to allow control over VM suspension times)
  • Enhancements to Host/Slave guest enumeration.
  • 15 character password limit bug fixed.
  • Deduplication process streamlined, nimbusmunger.exe eliminated.
  • Slightly expanded capabilites of Free edition.
  • Added numerous checks and protections against invalid configurations.
  • Known Issues

  • Restore Wizard Page 3 does not summarize Guests selected for restore correctly.
  • Alike services must run on a 32-bit OS. (See FAQ, but 64-bit XenServers and guests are supported)
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.

  • Older release
    Version 1.30
    Released: 12/5/2009

    About this release

    Changes

  • Scheduled Jobs and Activity logs can now be safely deleted.
  • XenServer authentication problems communicated better in UI and logs.
  • When adding network paths and mapped drives, error messages are more helpful.
  • Alike no longer takes up relatively common network ports for its internal communications (2811 and 2812 are the new ports).
  • Timeouts on download upped to 90 minutes.
  • Known Issues

  • Alike services must run on a 32-bit OS. (See FAQ, but 64-bit XenServers and guests are supported)
  • Restore page checkboxes misbehave
  • Progress bar does not accurately reflect job's progress on jobs containing more than 1 VM.


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