Universal Controller 8.1.0.0 Release Notes
Universal Controller release 8.1.0.0 contains the following high-level features. For a complete list of all the included features and fixes, please refer to the Universal Controller 8.1.x Maintenance list.
Release notes for Robi AI 2.0.0, which ships with UAC 8.1, are given here: Robi AI 2.0.0 Release Notes.
We recommend using Robi AI 2.0.0 with UAC 8.1 to get access to the full feature sets of both products. See Robi AI Installation Procedure - Compatibility
MySQL 8.0.x and Microsoft SQL Server 2016 are no longer supported as of UC 8.1.0.0.
Architecture
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
B-03977 | Remove leading and trailing whitespace from definition names on save. | A new system property, Trim Name Fields, controls whether leading/trailing whitespace and control characters are automatically removed from record name fields on save. When enabled, the Name field is trimmed for all record types; for User records, the User ID (Username), First Name, Middle Name, and Last Name fields are also trimmed. |
B-23702 | Enhance the period timer that logs server status/info to adapt its frequency based upon resource pressures. | The Controller's periodic server status logging now adapts its frequency based on resource conditions. Under normal conditions, server status is logged at a standard interval. When the Controller detects high JVM CPU or heap memory usage, or a rapid increase in either metric, the logging interval automatically shortens to capture more granular data. Logging reverts to the normal interval once resource levels stabilize over several consecutive cycles. |
Agent service_timeout should not affect uptime visibility on the Controller (UC) | Agents configured with the |
Auditing
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
B-24267 | Downloadable Execution Reports for License and Contract Auditing | Two new built-in reports, UAC - Licensed Monthly Task Instance Executions By Type and UAC - Monthly Task Instance Executions By Type, provide execution counts grouped by task type for licensing and auditing purposes. The reports can be downloaded as a CSV file from the System Details Widget; the exported file is digitally signed with an RSA-SHA256 signature for auditability. |
Dependency Modernization
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
B-23653* | Upgrade to GWT 2.13.1 | The Universal Controller's GWT (Google Web Toolkit) dependency has been updated to 2.13.1. |
Security
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
Custom Key Encryption / Data Encryption Keys
| Universal Controller now supports a centralized, two-tier envelope encryption model using Key Encryption Keys (KEKs) and 256-bit AES Data Encryption Keys (DEKs) to protect sensitive data stored in the Controller (Credentials, OAuth and SAML settings, etc.). KEKs are stored in an external keyring file managed through the new Keyring Manager, while DEKs are stored in the Controller database wrapped by the current KEK. The Data Encryption Key Settings page allows administrators to enable DEKs and manage key rotation, deprecation, and promotion across Controllers. Enabling DEKs triggers re-encryption of all existing sensitive values; backward compatibility with prior encrypted values is preserved. See Encryption Keys Overview to get started. | |
B-23492 | Login time restriction - Idle session timeout configuration option | A new system property, Idle Session Timeout In Minutes, invalidates authenticated user sessions that have been idle for longer than the configured interval. Unlike a simple inactivity timeout, this tracks real user interaction and is not affected by background traffic. This property can be configured independently of the Maximum Session Lifetime property (B-23493, below). |
B-23493 | Login time restriction - Maximum Session Lifetime configuration option | A new system property, Maximum Session Lifetime In Minutes, forces authenticated user sessions to expire after the configured duration, regardless of user activity. It can be used alongside the Idle Session Timeout property (B-23492); sessions end at whichever limit is reached first. |
B-23513 | Security analysis / hardening | |
| Library dependencies updated due to vulnerabilities. | info These defects reflect third-party dependency updates made in response to CVE disclosures. Not every CVE directly impacts UC; however, these updates were applied proactively to eliminate any potential risk and ensure continued compliance with security best practices. |
Web Service API
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
B-22301 | Web Service API: User/Group PATCH endpoints to update specific fields | New |
B-23467 | Workflow JSON support for sysId as task reference | Workflow vertex API requests and responses now include the |
B-23551 | Add "Next Retry Time" to API "resources/taskinstance/list" | The Task Instance List and ListAdv APIs now support a |
B-24218 | Web Service API - Add PATCH endpoint to Task REST resource for partial field updates | A new |
B-24369 | Web Service API - Task Instance - Workflow | The Read a Task Instance API now supports Workflow task instances. The response includes the full workflow structure, including each vertex's task reference, task instance status, and position. See Workflow Task Instance Web Services for details and an example response. |
B-24388 | Web Service API - Patch Job Step of an SAP Instance | New APIs are available for SAP task instances:
See SAP Task Instance Web Services for details. |
Workload Analytics / Observability
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
B-08481 | Display number of retries left on task in workflow monitor | The Workflow Monitor now displays a retry count badge on task instance icons when a task has failed and is scheduled for automatic retry. The badge appears in the bottom-right corner of the task icon and shows the number of retries remaining, or ∞ for tasks configured for indefinite retries. Hovering over the badge reveals a tooltip with retry details, including the next scheduled retry time. |
B-22203 | Make Condition Expression in WF Editor/Monitor more visible | Tasks with a configured condition expression now display a code icon ( |
B-23530 | Add uc_build_info "cluster_node_id" metric label and new uc_agent_oms_server_info metric. | A new |
B-23656 | Expose UC metrics API without the need for high level role | A new |
B-24394 | Add Business Service Criteria to Task Monitor | Task Monitor tasks now include a Business Service Criteria section, allowing monitors to filter matched task instances by their Business Service membership. Six filter modes are available, ranging from "Member of Any Business Service or Unassigned" (the default, which matches all instances) to inclusion and exclusion filters against specific named Business Services. |
B-24622 | Add "ops_bsrvc_admin" role for management of Business Services. | A new |
Workload Automation
Backlog | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
E-02372 | Universal Event - Record Changed
| A new UAC - Record Changed Universal Event Template is now pre-installed, publishing an event whenever a supported record is created, updated, or deleted. Supported record types include Tasks, Triggers, Agents, Agent Clusters, Credentials, Calendars, Scripts, Webhooks, and more. Six new system properties control the behavior: Record types can be excluded from publishing via Universal Event Record Changed Exclude Types, and optional behaviors (including events for variable value changes, virtual resource limit changes by type, and reference-name propagation to dependent records) can each be enabled independently. |
B-16958 | Add Multi-select Time component in composite trigger | Composite triggers now support selecting multiple values for the Date Noun, Date Qualifier, Restriction Noun, and Restriction Qualifier fields, allowing a single composite trigger to target multiple time-based conditions. In the API, these are now represented as plural array properties ( |
B-20593 | Cluster broadcast information in linux task instance is lost | Agent Clusters now have an Assign As Cluster On Empty option. When enabled on a Broadcast Cluster, if no agents are available at launch time, the Controller creates a single task instance with the Broadcast Cluster assigned as a regular Agent Cluster instead of leaving the instance unassigned. This prevents loss of cluster assignment information when a Broadcast Cluster is temporarily empty. |
B-22278 | Resolving a variable in "JCL Location" field on z/OS tasks | The View JCL dialog on z/OS tasks now resolves variables in the JCL Location and JCL Override Location fields before fetching and displaying the JCL content. This allows tasks that use variables in these fields to be previewed accurately at define-time. |
B-24064 | Enhanced Windows / Linux Task Features - Profile File (UC) | Windows and Linux tasks have a new field, Profile File, where you can specify a path to a script file on the Agent server to be executed by the Agent before the task's main command, enabling environment initialization. Windows tasks have the Profile Format option, where you can choose the format (Environment Variable File / Windows Batch File) of the Profile File. |
Universal Events - Introduce Long Attribute and Long Array type | Universal Event Templates now support two additional attribute types: Long and Long Array. These types allow 64-bit integer values and arrays of 64-bit integers to be carried in Universal Events. | |
B-24469 | Add Script Variable support to Windows, Linux, and IBMi task types. | Windows, Linux, and IBM i tasks have a new field, Script Variable, which allows the Script field to accept a variable reference that resolves to a Script name at runtime. |
B-24473 | Enhanced Windows / Linux Task Features - Standard Out / Standard Error File Redirection (UC) | Windows and Linux tasks have new fields for Standard Output/Error File Redirection, which allow the task to write STDOUT and STDERR to files on the Agent, with append or overwrite control. Redirected output is dual-written. It goes to the file and also stays in the task instance standard output, so output conditions, automatic output retrieval, and exit-code scanning keep working. |
B-24474 | Enhanced Windows / Linux Task Features - Append Task Variables | Windows and Linux tasks have a new field, Append Task Variables, which automatically injects task context ( |
B-24506 | Pass runtime variables while doing a forecast through GUI | The Forecast dialog now includes an Override Variables field, which accepts one or more name/value pairs. Override values are applied on top of variables defined on the workflow or its trigger, allowing you to preview how a workflow's schedule, critical path, or task list would look under different variable values without modifying the workflow itself. Override values remain in effect when navigating into sub-workflows in the Workflow View. |
B-24543 | Controller Property - Task Reset Finished Late on Re-Run | A new system property, Task Reset Finished Late On Re-run For Duration, controls whether the Finished Late flag is cleared and the late-finish timer is re-armed when a previously late task instance is re-run. When enabled, this applies to tasks with a Late Finish Type of Duration or Average Duration, allowing re-runs to be evaluated against the late-finish threshold independently of the original run. |
B-24548 | (UC) Specify the SAVE_JCL that override the JCLLIB and OVERRIDE on z/OS task restarts | z/OS tasks have a new field, Use JCL Save Library, which controls the JCL source used when a task is rerun. When enabled, the Agent submits the JCL saved from the prior submission (from the JCL Save Library) instead of re-reading from the JCL Location or JCL Override Location fields. This field is mutually exclusive with Use JCL Override Library and requires Agent version 8.1.0.0 or later. |
B-24562 | "Ranked List" Agent Cluster Distribution Type | Agent Clusters support a new Ranked List distribution type, which routes tasks to member Agents in a user-defined priority order. The Controller selects the highest-ranked available Agent at execution time, re-evaluating from the top of the list on each run. Member rank is managed by dragging rows on the Agents in Cluster tab; the preferred agent mechanism is honored ahead of ranking, consistent with other distribution types. |
* Defect fix or feature available in maintenance for prior release.