Upgrade considerations

Updated in 2023.2

We strive to maintain backward compatibility between versions so that you can upgrade seamlessly. However, sometimes we are forced to break compatibility, although we try to keep backward-incompatible changes to a minimum.

This page covers all the backward-incompatible changes that might affect you, as well as other considerations you need to be aware of when upgrading to the most recent version. Please review the respective sections as part of your upgrade planning depending on which version you are upgrading from.

• Version 8.6 or earlier
• Version 8.7 or earlier
• Version 2023.1 or earlier

TIP: If you have questions or need help, please contact Alloy Professional Services team at support@alloysoftware.com.

Version 8.6 or earlier

PowerShell instead of CMD in integrations

Backward-incompatible change

Starting with version 8.7, Alloy Discovery uses PowerShell instead of CMD in integrations with external tools and utilities.

PowerShell is much more than just a shell. It is a powerful scripting environment that can run complex scripts and automate system administration tasks. Now you can leverage advanced PowerShell capabilities for more efficient solutions.

Among other things, PowerShell can be used to launch external programs, like CMD was used in previous versions. In most cases, native CMD commands are available in PowerShell through aliases. However, there are times when names or syntax of native CMD commands might be misinterpreted. That's why we strongly recommend that you review all your custom integrations after the upgrade to make sure that they work as expected.

The first thing to consider is the location of your external programs. The best practice is to add paths to directories where programs reside to the PATH environment variable. This will help PowerShell find the programs by the name of their executable files. Some standard programs, such as Ping or Remote Desktop, can be run just by typing the filename because their directory path (C:\Windows\System32) exists in the Windows search path by default. An alternative method is specifying full paths to programs.

See the table below for some issues with your custom integrations that you may experience after the upgrade and how to resolve them.

Issue	Description	Solution
PowerShell cannot understand the path enclosed with quotes and sends that path it to the output. When the command contains parameters after the path, this error occurs: Unexpected token 'Parameter' in expression or statement.	If you specify a path for an external program in CMD, and the path contains spaces, you must enclose the path with double quotation marks ("). PowerShell considers commands enclosed with quotation marks as PowerShell strings, or objects of the type "String." PowerShell cannot execute strings. When passed a string, it simply attempts to send it to the output.	Add an ampersand character (&) before the first quotation mark in the path. The ampersand is the Call operator that tells PowerShell to treat the string expression as a command to be executed. For example: INCORRECT: "C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC4\vncviewer.exe" LT00054 CORRECT: & "C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC4\vncviewer.exe" LT00054 NOTE: Make sure that the executable file exists on all computers from which the workflow action is initiated, and the path is the same. Alternatively, add the path to the program to the PATH environment variable, and then delete the path with the quotes from your integration.
PowerShell cannot find the external program that you are trying to launch. This error occurs: program.exe : The term 'program.exe' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.	PowerShell cannot find programs when their paths are not specified, either explicitly or in the PATH environment variable. For example, if your program is in the Bin directory of Alloy Discovery, it could be previously executed by just typing its name, because the product could find that program without the need to specify the path to it. Now, when launching external programs is delegated to PowerShell, PowerShell knows nothing about where the executable file is located, and cannot find it.	Add the path to the program to the PATH environment variable. Alternatively, specify the full path to the program, enclose it in double quotation marks if it contains spaces, and add an ampersand (&) before the first quotation mark. TIP: Our native programs from the Bin directory, such as Alloy Screenshot or WakeOnLan, are not an exception. Now you should specify the full path to the Bin folder, or add it to PATH. NOTE: Make sure that the executable file exists on all computers from which the workflow action is initiated, and the path is the same.

INFO: For additional information, see Administration Guide: Adding Integrations.

INFO: You can find the official product documentation for PowerShell at https://docs.microsoft.com/powershell/.

Version 8.7 or earlier

The transition from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture

Backward-incompatible change

The world had shifted from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture over a decade ago, and the time to shift our products to x64 has come. The transition improves the overall performance and provides much more capabilities for integration with external apps and tools.

If you run a 32-bit environment, you will need to switch to a more modern 64-bit architecture before starting the upgrade process.

Discontinued SAP Crystal Reports support

Backward-incompatible change

Alloy Discovery has renounced Crystal Reports and moved to SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports (or "Microsoft Report Builder reports") years ago. Starting with version 2021, we officially announce the end of support for the SAP Crystal Reports integration.

If you still have any Crystal Reports (.rpt) reports in Alloy Discovery, they will no longer be working after the upgrade. The new version comes with a rich set of premade Microsoft Report Builder reports and includes all the necessary software for running them.

INFO: For more details about our reporting services, see Installation Guide: Reporting.

Version 2023.1 or earlier

Planned end of support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2

In our commitment to delivering safe, secure, and high-quality products and services, Alloy Software intends to discontinue support for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 in upcoming releases. Notably, Microsoft ceased support for SQL Server 2008 in 2019. For details, see End of support for SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2.

IMPORTANT: If your organization currently utilizes Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, or Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express, we strongly advise considering migration to a more recent version of Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL. For the list of supported versions, see Installation Guide: Database engine requirements.