What's new in 22.0.2

What changed in interim fix 5 - May 2023

Support of Okta and Azure Active Directory (AD) as a third-party identity provider

Okta is an enterprise-grade, identity management service that is built for the cloud, and is compatible with many applications that run on-premises. You can integrate Okta or Azure AD with IAM by using SCIM to manage the users and groups in your CP4BA deployment. Using Okta-IAM or Azure AD/IAM your organization can manage the access of any employee to any application or device.

For more information about 22.0.2-IF005, see the 22.0.2-IF005 readme.

What changed in interim fix 3 - March 2023

Container images signature change

The public key used to sign the Cloud Pak for Business Automation images in the IBM Entitled Registry, changed in March 2023. If you configured a security policy to verify the source of the images, you must update your configuration to verify the issuer otherwise the images cannot be pulled. For more information, see Verifying container image integrity for Cloud Pak for Business Automation.

For more information about 22.0.2-IF003, see the 22.0.2-IF003 readme.

What changed in interim fix 2 - February 2023

Script enhancements to check the readiness and health of your deployment endpoints

From interim fix 2 (22.0.2-IF002), you can now run the cert-kubernetes script (cp4a-post-install.sh) to assess the readiness and health of your CP4BA deployment.

Note: To extract the cert-kubernetes repository for IF002.

1. Download the Container Application Software for Enterprises (CASE) package 4.1.2.
2. Extract the package.
3. Extract the contents from the .tar file in the ibm-cp-automation/inventory/cp4aOperatorSdk/files/deploy/crs folder. Use the tar command to extract the archives.

   tar -xvzf ibm-cp-automation-4.1.2.tgz
   cd ibm-cp-automation/inventory/cp4aOperatorSdk/files/deploy/crs
   tar -xvf cert-k8s-22.0.2.tar

The cp4a-post-install.sh script in this interim fix has the new probe mode:

probe/starterProbe

The probe or starterProbe mode checks the readiness and health of the deployment endpoints.

For more information about the cp4a-post-install.sh script and a description of how to use it, see the corresponding technote for this interim fix Validating Cloud Pak for Business Automation deployments.

Supported operating environments

Software Product Compatibility Report (SPCR)

The system requirements information is available through the SPCR website. You can dynamically generate operating system, prerequisite, server virtualization environment, translation, end of service, and detailed system requirements reports for each release. Learn more...

For more information about the system requirements of the IBM Cloud Pak foundational services, see hardware requirements.

Software dependencies

The IBM Cloud Pak foundational services are upgraded with each Cloud Pak version and interim fix. For more information about what's new in these services, see What's new.

Install

Support for Microsoft Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO)

Cloud Pak for Business Automation can now be installed on Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) in addition to Amazon Web Services (ROSA). The support for ROSA started in 22.0.1.

ARO is hosted on Microsoft Azure public cloud and jointly managed by Red Hat® and Microsoft. ARO offers a highly available control plane with fully managed master and application nodes with no virtual machines to operate, and no patching required. Learn more...

Important: On both ROSA and ARO, resources such as database servers and LDAP servers are best located in the same Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) as the OCP cluster. If they are located in a different VPC, both VPCs must use VPC peering connections. The distance and latency between the two VPCs must be kept to a minimum to achieve good network connectivity and performance.

Managed Openshift Data Foundation (ODF) is the only supported storage provider on ROSA and ARO. The Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver for AWS Elastic File Service (EFS) is now generally available (GA) for provisioning persistent volumes (PVs) on the OpenShift Container Platform (OCP). For more information, see AWS Elastic File Service CSI Driver Operator.

The steps to install Cloud Pak for Business Automation on a ROSA or an ARO cluster are the same as on any OCP cluster. For more information about installing Cloud Pak for Business Automation, see Installing on Red Hat OpenShift.

Configuration of Cloud Pak foundational services in multiple namespaces

Cloud Pak for Business Automation 22.0.2 supports a new installation with a namespace-scoped instance of foundational services. You can deploy multiple CP4BA instances in the same cluster, each with a separate instance of foundational services. Learn more...

Note: By default, a namespace-scoped instance of foundational services is installed with CP4BA, which is the recommended use case. If you do not want to use namespace-scoped foundational services for your deployment and want to use a cluster-scoped instance instead, you must use the OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) console.

For more information about installing multiple IBM Cloud Pak foundational services instances in your cluster, see Installing IBM Cloud Pak foundational services in multiple namespaces.

Restriction: You cannot convert a cluster-scoped instance of foundational services to a namespace-scoped instance.

Script enhancements for installation

You can now run the cert-kubernetes script (cp4a-prerequisites.sh) to generate database SQL statements and YAML templates for Kubernetes secrets that you need for each of your selected CP4BA capabilities. Learn more...

You can now run the cert-kubernetes script (cp4a-post-install.sh) to validate the CP4BA deployment URLs and security certificates on your cluster in a matter of minutes. Learn more...

New Workflow Process Service Authoring pattern

A new Workflow Process Service Authoring production pattern is added to the capabilities in the CP4BA multi-pattern operator. Learn more...

If you need Business Automation Workflow Authoring for processes only, you can now install it with fewer dependencies and a smaller footprint by using Workflow Process Service Authoring. Learn more...

Air-gap tools improved to make it easier to install

The IBM Catalog Management Plug-in (ibm-pak) for IBM Cloud Paks simplifies the process of discovering IBM product images and uses standard tools for the registry and cluster access. The metadata is packaged in one or more Container Application Software for Enterprise (CASE) files, and specifies the composition of the product. The CASE files include OLM packages, channels, and the images that must be copied into an air-gapped environment. The ibm-pak plug-in also extends the OpenShift CLI (oc command) to streamline the process of delivering IBM Cloud Pak images to an air-gapped environment. Learn more...

Support multiple LDAP directories for different user domains

You can now configure multiple directories in the LDAP configuration in your CP4BA deployment and as a result authenticate users across multiple LDAPs. A mix of directory types is supported, which allows administrators to isolate teams with a specific domain. Learn more...

Support certificate-based authentication for PostgreSQL

You can now configure PostgreSQL in CP4BA deployments to authenticate clients with SSL certificates.

Note: Automation Document Processing supports Db2 only.

To enable the database connection to use SSL, you must create a secret with your client and server certificates, and your client key.

Set the custom resource dc_ssl_enabled parameter to true, and set the SSL secret to the database_ssl_secret_name parameter. You do not need to provide the database password in your component secrets, for example ibm-fncm-secret and ibm-ban-secret. You do need to provide the server certification according to your sslmode. Learn more...

To authenticate a database connection by using a password, you do not need to provide the tls.crt and tls.key files in the SSL secret. Provide the database password in your component secrets, for example ibm-fncm-secret and ibm-ban-secret.

Security improvements

• Cloud Pak for Business Automation containers are now protected from other containers that try to write into their root file system. The adopted readOnlyRootFilesystem security context prevents anyone from tampering with the applications or writing anything to a disk.
• User credentials and sensitive information are now stored safely in protected variable files instead of environment variables.

IBM Process Mining

Process Mining is installed independently of the CP4BA operator and is released in a different lifecycle. Learn more...

IBM Robotic Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation is installed independently of the CP4BA operator and is released in a different lifecycle. Learn more...

IBM Business Automation Workflow

• Business Automation Workflow Authoring uses a new topology that reduces the footprint.
  • Two databases become one database. The Business Automation Studio database (BASDB) and the Business Automation Workflow Authoring database (BAWAUTDB) are merged. Existing customers keep BAWAUTDB. New customers create only BASDB.
  • Two Process Admin consoles become one console. The Business Automation Studio console (/bas) and the Business Automation Workflow Authoring console (/bawaut) are merged.
• Playback Application Engine and the Application Engine production server are no longer included in the Business Automation Workflow Authoring production pattern or the Business Automation Workflow Authoring and Automation Workstream Services starter pattern. Instead, Workplace is now included with Business Automation Studio. If you need an external Workplace environment, you can select the application pattern to install Application Engine, which automatically includes an external Workplace.

  Learn more...

IBM Operational Decision Manager

You can now specify two separate databases for your Decision Center and Decision Server instances. Learn more...

IBM FileNet® Content Manager

Content Platform Engine now supports a geographically distributed environment. With a geographically dispersed FileNet P8 domain, services, and resources are connected through a network (local area network, LAN, or wide area network, WAN). Learn more...

Support node affinity in production deployments

To control the placement of a pod onto a node or a group of nodes in your OCP cluster, it is now possible to use node affinity.

Node affinity is useful in many use cases, including placing a pod on nodes with a specific CPU/GPU and placing pods on nodes in a particular availability zone. Node affinity works with rules that lookup the labels on your worker nodes and use the label selectors in the pod specification file to find a match.

You can use affinity rules to optimize the pod placement on nodes for performance, fault tolerance, and other complex scheduling requirements. Learn more...

New CP4BA Automation Decision Services operator to ease the operational complexity of running multiple patterns

The Automation Decision Services (decisions_ads) pattern is now controlled by a new operator in all instances that it is installed. Whenever you choose Automation Decision Services with the CP4BA multi-pattern operator, it uses the CP4BA Automation Decision Services operator to manage the pods. The Automation Decision Services custom resource is controlled by an instance of the CP4BA Automation Decision Services operator. Learn more...

Streamlined steps to help you install a single pattern

The steps that are needed to install a single pattern in the installation PDFs now include only the essential tasks. All of the customization and configuration tasks that you do not need to create a minimal deployment are removed from the PDFs. The PDFs are now much shorter and make it easier for you to successfully install a Cloud Pak for Business Automation pattern. Learn more...

Build

Decision automations

Added support for additional Git and Maven repository providers

• Atlassian Bitbucket and Amazon Web Services (AWS) CodeCommit are now supported Git providers. Learn more...
• GitLab is now a supported Maven repository manager. Learn more...
• Multiple Maven repository managers can now be configured in Decision Designer. When a Maven repository manager is configured, it can be used in any project. Learn more...

Smoother navigation in the Decision Designer home page

The revamped decision service menu now provides all the following tasks from one single menu:

• Create decision services from scratch.
• Import existing decision services.
• Browse and import samples.

Build large decision services more easily

• The new Dependencies tab helps you create and manage dependencies between your decision artifacts in a fine-grained manner. Learn more...
• Automation Decision Services now offers automatic refactoring capabilities. With automatic refactoring, changes made to a data model are automatically propagated to other decision artifacts, making it easier to iterate on decision services. The refactoring feature is available as a technology preview. Learn more...

Use extended data modeling capabilities

• You can now create multiple data models within a decision service. Breaking big data models into smaller, more manageable ones makes it easier to use specific data types where and when needed.
• A new advanced option allows you to create data models by uploading Swagger, OpenAPI, or JSON schema files through a single step. Learn more...

Work with snapshot versions of external libraries

In addition to regular versions, you can now import snapshot versions of external libraries in Decision Designer. This allows you to test external libraries that are still under development in your decision services.

Also, the latest snapshot of external libraries can be directly fetched from Decision Designer. Learn more...

Improved local machine learning experience

• In addition to PMML ruleset models, you can now import PMML scorecard models.
• When you import a local machine learning model, you can now select the decision logic generation method that is best suited to your needs: business rules or decision tables.
• A new intuitive wizard is available to help you map data types from your local machine learning models to data types from your data models.

Learn more...

Updated classes for unit testing

New classes are available in Java test files. Also, a reference manual for the DecisionTest annotation and the JSONTestDirectoryFactory class is now available. Learn more...

Use a dedicated API to publish and unpublish decision services as automation services

The Automation Service Registration API can be used to publish and unpublish decision services as automation services. Learn more...

Select specific versions of decision services for execution

You can now execute a specific version of a decision service by using unique identifiers. Learn more...

Document processing

Extract data with better results

• Field and table data results are improved through better results ranking, better detection and extraction of fields with ambiguous labels (appearing in multiple places in a document and without context), and better extraction of fields that have text in between the field and value.
• Fields with empty values are now extracted more accurately in structured documents such as tax forms, account applications, and so on.
• You can use a new dictionary reference extractor to extract values based on an existing dictionary validator. Learn more...
• Table data extraction is improved by processing more layouts and data formats within tables. You can now extract column data even if the column header is empty and extract data as a continuous table if a table is spanning multiple pages. Learn more...
• You can download a cleaner, standardized JSON output for the Document Processing engine API. You can also download a simplified version of this JSON output to be easily integrated into other applications. Learn more...

Configure and train data extraction more easily in Document Processing Designer

• You can now extract composite check-box fields and comb fields. Comb fields characters are divided by a vertical line, which is typically used to fill information in forms, where the expected value has a restricted number of characters. Learn more...
• You can create tables more easily and flexibly through a dedicated option in the Designer. You can also create table fields separately, and add or remove columns and other table fields after the initial table creation. Learn more...
• You can upload empty samples to improve extraction and training of fixed-format documents. This helps the model distinguish document characteristics from data. Learn more...
• The Designer interface is more friendly and intuitive. The extracted recommended value is shown instead of the enriched value when annotating, clickable areas are extended when you expand field annotation details, and the option to mark a sample “ready for training” is always visible on the screen so you do not have to scroll.
• End-to-end testing is improved through the ability to see and correct validation issues directly in your testing documents. Learn more...
• The import and export feature is enhanced and you can now download a local file in JSON or ZIP format, optionally including training samples and models. Learn more...

General performance is improved with a better throughput of documents

• Document processing throughput is increased and fewer CPUs are required for standard sizing. Learn more...
• You can enable fast training for fixed-format documents, which takes around 10 minutes for 10 documents.

Business applications

Improved script editing experience

You can now use expandable text boxes when you edit custom HTML and JavaScript in your business applications.

Configure your external apps to use third-party authenticators

Users can now log in to your external applications by using third-party authenticators, like AWS, Azure, and Google. Learn more...

Invoke asynchronous automation services from your applications

You can now invoke asynchronous automation services from your application pages. Learn more...

Workflow automations

Automation services

• Develop workflow automations that asynchronously invoke request-response automation services implemented by asynchronous, long-running implementations such as a human-centric process. In your workflow, provide the inputs of the automation service and receive the outputs after its invocation returns in an asynchronous fashion at a later point in time. Learn more...
• Expose asynchronous workflow automation services that are implemented by service flows. Learn more...

Content Services toolkit

The Content Services toolkit that was previously available in Business Automation Studio is now also available in Business Automation Workflow. It connects to FileNet Content Manager to provide a rich content folder view that can be used for both case folders and process task pages. Learn more...

Easily synchronize case changes with client-side human services in the designer

When you build case user interfaces, and you update case property variables in Case Builder, you can now apply the changes by synchronizing the variables in the client-side human services.

For more information, see What's new in IBM Business Automation Workflow 22.0.2.

Use and manage

Operational Decision Manager Getting started tutorial

Use a tutorial to get hands-on experience with Operational Decision Manager in a container environment. The documentation is available on GitHub in the following README.md file.

Workflow Process Service event processing

Workflow Process Service can use IBM Business Automation Insights to emit and process BPMN events.

Efficient variable status tracking

You can track the status of your process variables efficiently in IBM Business Automation Insights dashboards by using intermediate tracking events.

Administer

Additional support for horizontal pod autoscaling (HPA)

You now have more control to automate the horizontal scaling of the capabilities in your CP4BA production deployments. You can configure HPA to respond to increased load by deploying more pods. If the load decreases, and the number of pods is higher than the configured minimum, the deployment scales back down.

Operational Decision Manager is the most recent capability to support HPA. If the autoscaling parameters are defined in the custom resource for any of the Operational Decision Manager components, then the deployment profile size is not used. You can configure HPA for any of the components independently. Learn more...

Support of custom labels

You can now use labels to organize and to select subsets of objects. Labels are key/value pairs that you attach to Kubernetes objects, such as pods, to track meaningful information. For example, you might want to set labels on specific pods to track application resource usage by pod. Labels can be attached to objects when you install Cloud Pak for Business Automation or at any time post-installation. Learn more...