Release notes for the sedex Client

These release notes contain a summary of new features, changes and bug fixes for the software releases of the sedex client.

sedex Client 7.0.4 (2024-02-23)

This release does not introduce any new functionality, but addresses an issue of the sedex Client.

• Correcting an error from unclosed file system resources: If sedex messages are received whose payload is larger than 5 megabytes, their payload is temporarily stored in a file in the temp directory of the sedex client. On Windows-based file systems, these files can no longer be deleted properly after reception. The files accumulated in this way are only deleted when the sedex client is restarted. As a result, the hard disk space used by the client can grow and fill up the hard disk, especially for installations with a small amount of allocated disk space. However, sedex clients running on a Linux-based file system are not affected by this. To ensure the operational stability of a sedex-Client 7.0 installation, an update to the new version is recommended (sedex-Client 6.x is not affected)
• Internal client improvements: A few dependencies/libraries were updated to their latest version.

sedex Client 7.0.3 (2024-01-16)

This release does not introduce any new functionality, but addresses an issue of the sedex Client.

• Correcting an error from unclosed file system resources: As part of the new Rest API functionality in the client, the file system is checked every five minutes. This leaves two additional unclosed file system resources each time. If a sedex client runs for a long time, these resources can run out (especially under Linux), which means that the sedex client no longer works. The accumulated open resources are only closed again when the sedex client is restarted. To ensure the operational stability of a sedex-Client 7.0 installation, an immediate update to the new version is recommended (sedex-Client 6.x is not affected).
• Internal client improvements: A few dependencies/libraries were updated to their latest version.

sedex Client 7.0.2 (2023-11-18)

This release does not introduce any new functionality, but updates dependencies/libraries.

• Security improvement: A potential vulnerability has been identified in the Apache open source library "XML Security for Java (xmlsec)" (CVE-2023-44483). This can lead to sensitive information being written into log files when the logging level debug for this library is switched on. The default logging level for this Library is warn, which prevents the problem from occurring.
  Note: Administrator permissions are required to activate the logging level debug. An administrator could access the sensitive information directly anyway, which is why the risk of this potential vulnerability in the context of sedex Client is rather low.
  The library used in this version of the sedex client fixes this problem.
• Internal client improvements: A few dependencies/libraries were updated to their latest version.

sedex Client 7.0.1 (2023-10-17)

This release does not introduce any new functionality, but addresses an issue of the sedex Client.

• Fix of the Service Wrapper in Windows: If the sedex client was installed in a folder with spaces in the path in Windows, it could happen that the sedex client could not be registered as a Windows service. This is now fixed. Note: we generally recommend to use paths without spaces.
• Change in Windows Installer: Due to the significantly increased memory consumption of the JVM 64 bit version (plus 30 percent) we decided to include the 32 bit version again. This optimization is especially beneficial for participants who run a large number of sedex clients on a single host.
• Internal client improvements: A few dependencies/libraries were updated to their latest version.

sedex Client 7.0.0 (2023-09-01)

The sedex Client 7.0 introduces significant new functionalities while being largely backward compatible with older sedex clients. Before migrating an existing sedex Client 6.x installation to version 7.0, you should study the following release notes thoroughly and make the neces-sary preparations.

• New Functionality: The sedex Messaging REST API Since 2008, business applications connected to sedex have been sending and receiving sedex messages via a simple file-based interface in the file-system (via the "outbox", "inbox" and "receipts" folders). However, especially on cloud and container platforms, the exchange of files via a shared file system is not always easy to realize. The need for an alternative, networkbased interface is therefore constantly increasing. The new "sedex Messaging REST API" is the answer to the increasing need to exchange sedex messages over https. The "sedex Messaging REST API" is a new machine-to-machine interface provided by the sedex client, which allows the business applications of a sedex participant to send and receive sedex messages directly over the usual https protocol. Note: After migrating an existing installation to version 7.0, the Messaging REST API is disabled by default. Consult the documentation to learn how to configure and enable the Messaging REST API.
  
  The new Messaging REST API comes with additional features

  • Dispatching incoming messages to logical participants: Via the messaging REST API, a business application can now access its own virtual inbox on the sedex client. This should eliminate the need for participants to do their own dispatching to different logical sedex-IDs, which is required for the file-based inbox, in many cases.

  • Encrypted caching of messages in the file system: Messages sent or received by the business application via the messaging REST API are automatically stored in encrypted form in the file system of the sedex client. This local encryption is applied by default but can be switched off via a specific configuration parameter if required.

  • Compatibility with previous sedex Clients: The new sedex messaging REST API is largely implemented locally in the sedex Web Service Proxy as part of the sedex client. Currently, the WS proxy acts as a translator between the file system and the REST API, i.e. message sending still runs indirectly via classic sedex messages in the file system. This has the advantage that it is transparent for participants which interface is used to send or receive a sedex message. Both interfaces can be used and the new REST API is thus perfectly integrated into the existing sedex world.

  • New Configuration file: In a newly introduced configuration file, specific rules can be used to define in a fine-grained way which messaging interface should be used to deliver an incoming sedex message to the business application. This new configuration file has the name sedex-incoming-message-interface-rules.conf and can be found in the usual configuration folder of the sedex-client. The new configuration file includes a detailed explanation of the specific rules with examples. Thus, it should be self-explanatory.
    Note: As long as all messages are delivered to the business application exclusively via file-system or exclusively via rest-api, specific rules are not necessary at all. Specific rules are only necessary if certain messages are to be received via the file system and certain messages via the REST API.
  • Improvement: New features in the WS-Proxy User Configuration file Passwords may now also contain special characters. To increase the complexity of passwords, the following special characters are now also supported in a password: !"#$%&'()*+,-./:;<=>?@[]^_`{}|~
  • Automatic validation messages in the WS-Proxy User Configuration file. If errors are detected in this configuration file after changes, they are automatically added as comments directly in the file. Depending on the editor used, the file must be reloaded to see any errors.
  • Improvement: TLS 1.3 support. The WS-Proxy now also supports TLS version 1.3, although the TLS 1.2 version remains supported
  • Improvement: Clean up temporary Tomcat folder. The Tomcat server embedded in the WS-Proxy can create temporary folders in the file system at runtime. Such folders are now automatically deleted by the sedex client when shutting down if they are empty.
  • Change: New columns in Send and Receive logs. The sedex client keeps a sepa-rate functional log, which lists all received and sent sedex messages with their most important metadata. These logs are now supplemented by additional columns showing which messaging interface was used by a business application for sending or receiv-ing (file-system or rest-api). If these business logs are processed automatically, the tools that do this must be adapted to the new extended log format.
  • Change: Extension of the offered monitoring parameters. The sedex client offers a page listing various parameters for monitoring purposes via the file system and via a http port. The list of exposed parameters has been extended with additional entries, so that the new messaging REST API can also be included in your operational moni-toring.
  • Change: Client runs on Java 17 (or later). The sedex client is based on the Spring Boot Framework. With version 7.0 of the sedex client, the previous Spring Boot 2 is replaced by the new Spring Boot 3. This means that the sedex client no longer runs with older Java versions, but requires at least a Java Runtime Environment 17 or later. If an existing sedex Client 6.x installation uses a self-provided Java Runtime Environment, a new one of version 17 or later must be provided before migrating the sedex Client. Note: This is not required if you use the Windows Installer (which automatically installs a Java runtime environment) or if you use the Docker Client (which includes a suitable Java runtime environment in the container image).
  • Change: Slightly increased resource consumption in the range between 0 and 15 percent. Due to the new Spring Framework 3 and the extended client functionality, a sedex client may require slightly more resources (CPU, RAM). In most cases this additional consumption should be marginal and not noticeable. However, especially in situations where a larger number of sedex clients are running simultaneously on one host, the additional consumption may add up to require operational adjustments (more CPU, more RAM).
  • Change: New default RMI port. The three processes controller, adapter, WSProxy of the sedex client communicate with each other via an RMI server. The sedex clients from version 7.0.x cannot use an RMI server of an older client and therefore need a separate RMI server. The new RMI server now uses port 11799 by default. (Older sedex clients 6.x use port 11899 by default). Of course, the RMI port to be used can be reconfigured in the sedex-client-configuration.properties file if necessary. Please consult the sedex client manual for details.
  • Fix: The updated logstash library included in client 6.0.10 (to log directly to logstash) was no longer compatible with the version of the logback framework used for logging. This is now fixed and logstash is supported again.
  • Fix: The Windows Powershell startup script now supports environments where more than one JRE is listed in the path variable.
  • Improvement: Internal client improvements. Several dependencies/libraries have been updated and a few minor internal improvements to the client have been made. These internal improvements have no impact on the functionality.

Older Releases (6.x)

Release-notes for older versions are available here: Release notes for sedex Client 6.x.