Build 252

Build 252 is released on 27 June 2023.

Breaking changes

Synthetic monitoring (Beta)

The $http API in Synthetic API script is based on the request module, which is deprecated now. Since Instana release 252, a new $got API is introduced, and it is based on the got module. The $http API will be reserved for some time, and your existing scripts will still work, but it will be removed in the future. You are highly recommended to migrate your API script from $http to $got. For more information, see API Script Guide.

Features

AWS CloudFront

Instana now automatically discovers and monitors AWS CloudFront. For more information, see AWS support.

IBM MQ sensor

All status channels are added to the current channel table to show all the defined channels and active channels in current Queue Manager.

Node.js

The Instana Node.js SDK now has methods to mark spans as an error. For more information, see Node.js API.

Beta

Monitoring IBM PowerVC

A new sensor for monitoring IBM PowerVC is implemented as Beta. For more information, see Monitoring IBM PowerVC.

Recurrent maintenance windows

Apart from one-time maintenance windows (for downtime), Instana also supports setting up recurrent maintenance windows, which can be automatically scheduled at regular intervals. While you create the windows, you can choose from the following options: daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. For more information, see Scheduling maintenance windows.

Synthetic monitoring: Secure credentials

Many script-based Synthetic tests require the use of credentials to run the test against an application. You are provided with new permissions to control which users can create and use credentials. For more information, see Permissions for Synthetic monitoring.

New Open APIs are also available so that you can create a credential in a Synthetic test and get a list of credential names by using APIs. For more information, see the APIs in the Synthetic settings section.

For information about how to use the Synthetic credential in a script-based Synthetic test, see the API Script guide.

Note: This feature will be enabled in Instana SaaS one region at a time once Instana 252 is available, beginning with the Orange region.

WebSphere Application Server sensor

Add events for WAS certification expiration

In the Instana UI, you can now see the remaining days before certificate expiration in the metrics that are related to WebSphere Application Server. For more information, see Monitoring WebSphere Application Server.

Add JMS connection data

In the Instana UI, you can now see the Java Message Service (JMS) connection data with the WAS application. For more information, see Monitoring WebSphere Application Server.

Tuxedo Application Sensor

The Tuxedo Application sensor instance monitors Tuxedo Application by extracting the data from topology file, Service Broker Project and Tuxedo Service performance data files. For more information, see Monitoring Tuxedo Application.

Improvements

Beta

Synthetic monitoring: Deletion confirmation dialog enhancements

The confirmation dialogs that appear when you request to delete a test or delete a location are enhanced for consistency with other parts of the Instana UI. The dialogs allow you to enter an optional reason for the deletion and require you to enter specific confirmation text. In addition, the ability to delete a test has moved from the Tests tab to the Configuration tab of a specific Synthetic test.

For more information about deleting a test, see Viewing the configuration for a test.

For more information about deleting a location, see the documentation of the Locations tab in Using the Synthetic monitoring user interface.

Synthetic monitoring: Open API documentation improvements

The following updates are made to the Synthetic monitoring section of the Open API documentation:

  • Permissions that are required for all operations are added to the documentation.
  • The schemas for the payloads for PATCH and PUT operations are updated.

For more information about the Synthetic monitoring APIs, see Open API documentation.

Synthetic PoP: Image root path is changed

The image root path of Synthetic PoP is changed from containers.instana.io/instana/release/synthetic to containers.instana.io/synthetic due to the underlying artifactory migration. You need to use the latest-published Helm chart for PoP installation or upgrading.

If you want to manually pull the images, use the new image path.

Role-based access control improvements

  • Groups:
    • Improved the Instana UI to clarify what is configured and simplify the role-based access control (RBAC) configuration.
    • Limited scope can now be set separately for Websites, Mobile apps, Applications, and Kubernetes.
    • Adding or removing users now takes affect immediately without having to save.
  • Users:
    • Improved the Instana UI to clarify what a user has access to.

For more information, see Managing user access.

Fixes

IBM DataPower sensor

You can now use Dynamic Focus Query (DFQ) in filters for all DataPower entities like appliance, cluster, domain, and service; for example: 'entity.ibmdatapower.domain.name:*'. For more information about using Dynamic Focus Query (DFQ), see Filtering with dynamic focus.

IBM Db2 LUW sensor

The issue that the latest full-backup information for IBM Db2 11.1.x is not retrieved and displayed on the Instana dashboard is fixed now.

IBM i sensor

  • Fixed Null pointer exception when user does not provide the Inactive Jobs information in the configuration.
  • Fixed the Unit NVMe not found issue by adding extra check for the Unit NVMe column of the solid state disk for IBM i versions that are greater than 7.4.
  • Removed the events that are created based on the metrics severity and message_type from the History Log table because events can't be created based on these metrics.

IBM MQ sensor

You can now use Dynamic Focus Query (DFQ) in filters for all MQ entities like channel, cluster, listener, mqttchannel, qm and queue; for example: 'entity.ibmmq.queue.name:*'. For more information about using Dynamic Focus Query (DFQ), see Filtering with dynamic focus.

Mobile App monitoring

In the Mobile App dashboard, when you click 3D to go to the 3D Globe view from the 2D map view, the link was broken. This issue is fixed now.

Beta

Synthetic monitoring: Removal of extra elements during test creation in the UI

During Synthetic test creation in the Instana UI, empty elements for headers and custom properties were added to the test definition. This issue is fixed now.

Synthetic PoP: Fix the issue of response size 0 in API script result

For some API script tests, the response size was showing 0 in the Synthetic test result UI. This issue is fixed now.

Synthetic PoP: Fix the issue of main script file path in API script bundle

Some API script bundle tests failed to run due to an issue of locating the main script file in the bundle .zip file. This issue is fixed now.

Synthetic PoP: Remove duplicated app and component label

Some Synthetic PoP pods had duplicated app and component label, which made Synthetic PoP installation failed in some Kubernetes platforms. This issue is fixed now.

Service flow map

The broken "load more" link in the service flow map is fixed now. This link is used for pagination of incoming and outgoing services.

Services list

  • Fixed the filtering of services by Sybase technology.
  • Added a missing icon for the Sybase technology.

Trace detail view

Due to clock skew issue on monitored hosts, some calls might appear to start before their respective parent calls in the timeline and in the call tree. The issue is fixed now.

WebSphere Application Server sensor

Sometimes WebSphere application server 9 command line failed to be retrieved, so that WebSphere application server was not monitored by Instana. The issue is fixed now.