Summary

The following information applies to the v23 release of Neverfail Engine.

What's New

Independent Identity Installation via CLI

In-Product Notification Optimizations

1. Core delivery mechanism improvements.
2. Interactive notifications are pushed to EMS then to managed Engine clusters. Advanced Management Client users will "see" the notifications in-AMC.
   
3. Silent trigger mechanism improvement: separate threads for unicast/multicast/broadcast Engine targets.
   
4. License authorization features and plugins updates are pushed and applied automatically on Engine targets (online licensing scenario). 
   
1. Engine license check mechanism will alert any unlicensed items situations.

Engine Compliance - SBOM

1. SBOM improvements: 
   
1. Downloadable SBOMs (CycloneDX) are available in EMS for current GA version of Engine components.  
2. Added missing component supplier information (required by NTIA).
   
3. Added verification pack containing the digital signatures and public key required to verify the integrity and authenticity of the Engine SBOMs.

Alerting based on Managed Server Telemetry

1. By enabling telemetry, you empower the EMS to deliver better monitoring and alerting for critical events that matter most to your business. This will translate into quicker response times, more accurate alerts, and ultimately, greater peace of mind knowing that your systems are running optimally.
   
2. The first chapter in unlocking advanced monitoring and alerting was to enable our new telemetry service v16, which will seamlessly extract relevant information about events happening on the Engine nodes.
   
3. v17 adds more to this feature by improving the telemetry data upload-via-EMS feature for a deployment not managed via Engine Management Service. 
4. v18 enables In-Product Notification feature which may be used for announcing and alerting customers with relevant Engine information.
5. v19 extends and prepares notification vehicle to be used in relicensing and alerts delivery.
   
6. v20 brings granular, deeper access to Engine online deployment targets for Engine silent relicense mechanism. 
   
7. v21 extends In-product Notification for managed Engine servers receiving license authorization updates.
   
8. v22 brings in-AMC notification: interactive notifications are pushed as far as to managed Engine clusters, enabling users to see and manage them in-AMC also (additionally to in-EMS).
   
9. v23 brings expanded telemetry reporting to improve alerting precision and accuracy for user defined configurations.

Better User Experience

Application Management - Automating Discovery and Protection via Dedicated Plugins  (on-going)

1. New plugins will be developed and added to Engine family, release by release. These plugins will replace the manual implementation of User Defined application protection. 
2. Application protection made simple. Homogeneous. Reliable.

Engine Management Service Web Console (EMS)

1. Service Security
   
1. Updated the Neverfail Engine Management Web Services to log on using a dedicated Windows Virtual Account.
   
2. UI & Usability Enhancements
   
1. Show services display names when adding service to protected set.
   
2. Easily retrieve the standalone AMC (x64 .msi) installer from the Settings menu within the EMS UI.
3. EMS Online Licensing Wizard
   
1. Automated retrieval of license activation key for existing (paid) subscriptions.
   
4. EMS Offline Licensing Management
   
1. UX Improvements for hardened environments: managed server will show Product Version on grey background with tooltip message "Cannot validate support". Access to offline licensing is permitted.
2. Self-service offline licensing based on telemetry data: customers may claim license keys directly from Engine Management Service for deployments which are not managed via EMS.
   
3. Install Engine Management Service on any supported Windows machine with access to internet (i.e. Engine Licensing Server) then claim your license keys corresponding to your purchased software subscription from the Support section. Details in Self-Service Offline Licensing: How to Claim a License Key for a Deployment Not Managed via Engine Management Service.
   
5. EMS Alerts Bar Improvements
   
1. EMS Alerts Bar is a lightweight, always-visible Windows notification bar running on machines where EMS web console is installed to provide real-time monitoring of Engine clusters health by displaying the latest events, role assignments, and replication status.
   
2. Improved events handling in Engine transition scenarios.

Advanced Management Client (AMC)

1. UI & Usability Enhancements
   
1. Make it more obvious which are tasks and which are sections or sponsors.
   
2. Change the button labels added lately to match the existing Title Case pattern
3. Show services display names when adding service to protected set.
   
2. In-AMC Notifications: users will "see" and manage notifications also in AMC UI, additionally to EMS UI.
   
3. License Management: hot-add/remove license keys without stopping Engine service.
   
4. Remote Engine management
1. Standalone AMC (x64 MSI) Installer and Portable AMC (zipped) - updated with all the improvements.
   
1. more details in: Neverfail Engine Advanced Management Client (Portable) Requirements 
   
5. Quad configuration support where compatible* (customized 4-node, dual-site HA). 
   
1. *requires compatibility check and implementation via Neverfail Professional Services.

Patching Downtime Reduction with Passive Management Name

1. Engine's Passive Management Name feature enables the ability of patching of standby passive nodes in centralized update management environment.
   
2. Following document lists all the Patch Management or Backup Software Solutions / Technologies proven to work or scheduled in the near future for interoping validation with Engine's Passive Management Name feature: Patch Management Solutions / Technologies supported by Engine's Passive Management Name

Automated Logic WebCTRL Plugin v201.5.4 - Support for WebCTRL 10.0

System Plugin v401.0.13 - Support for IID

1. Auto-configuration depending on Engine Standard or Independent Identity* installation
1. Plugin will configure the protected data set and configuration depending on Engine's installation type implemented starting v21. No more need of any extra user configuration - all happens behind the scenes, automatically.
2. Improvements to 'Cloned installation check' rule's triggering conditions.
   *limited support - Independent Identity deployments require Professional Services driven deployment
2. Alerting service: Notifications received from EMS are replicated to all the Engine cluster nodes. This assures Advanced Management Client inline displayed notifications are in sync across all the active/passive nodes.
3. More details in System Plugin v401.0.13 - Release Notes.
   

Access to Engine Utilities Repo

1. Access Engine collection of utility scripts and add-ons designed to extend core features
2. Collaborate for enhancing and extending Engine functionality for specific scenarios 
   
3. Utilities repo may be accessed directly from EMS UI> Support> Add-ons

Fixed Issues

1. [EN-6799]: [AMCx64]: Group/Connection behaves funky: works when defined first. But after restarting AMC group definition is missing and defined connection is misbehaving.
2. [EN-6816]: [EMS UI]:Logout after timeout expires is not user friendly - it shows a lot of RED toast messages. 
3. [EN-6828]: [CLI Installer]: Fix version reporting. 
   
4. [EN-6848]: [EMS UI]: Replace login suggested "administrator" with something more appropriate indicating a local\domain account.
   
5. [EN-6904]: [Windows Server 2025 Support] -  Fix for Preinstall validation check: "Cannot determine number of Free System Table pages."
   
6. [EN-6839]: Neverfail Engine's listener thread for the AMC GUI (port 52267) crashes silently sometimes.
   
7. [EN-7005]: [EMS UI]: Dashboard> Supported versions is not loading the pie chart if no Unknown servers are counted, when version support cannot be evaluated (i.e. ELS cannot be contacted)
8. [EN-7006]: [EMS UI]: Settings> vCenter Server connection> Delete should be allowed (button enabled) when Status is Not connected.
   
9. [EN-6716]: [FileServer plugin vs Windows Update]: Windows Updates changes the MsQuic service into not-a-service. This impacts plugin's service protection.  
   
10. [EN-6868]: [CLI]: Leftover NFBase path using PFx86 path is causing issues with CLI upgrade.
    
11. [EN-6899]: Engine licensed features validator enhancements. 
    
12. [EN-7149]: Removed welcome file list declaration from HBWS web.xml that was useless anyway (not being used).
    
13. [EN-7123]: Cannot connect from remote AMC client to Engine server: Error unmarshaling return header.
    
14. {EN-7192}: [CSW]: Rename "Physical Hardware Identity" to "Server Node Identity".
    
15. [EN-7191]: [Systray tool]: Rename "View NT Event Log" to "View Windows Event Log".
    
16. [EN-7225]: Subscription identifiers are not persisted at online licensing when no new license key is generated.
    
17. [EN-7198]: [EMS Scope collector task refactoring]: Change the way collected data is kept then sent to avoid potential OOM in heap space.

Supported Deployment Infrastructure

• Server roles/applications for which protection will be installed automatically via plugins are:
  
  • SQL Server 2008 SP4*, SQL Server 2008 R2 SP3*, SQL Server 2012 SP4*, SQL Server 2014 SP3*, SQL Server 2016 SP3, SQL Server 2017, SQL Server 2019, SQL Server 2022. SQL Server 2025
    
  • Exchange 2010 SP3*, Exchange 2013 up CU17*, Exchange 2016*, Exchange 2019
    
  • SharePoint 2007 SP2, SharePoint 2010 SP2, SharePoint 2013 up to SP1*, SharePoint 2016, SharePoint 2019
    
    • Microsoft Office Online Server 2016*
      
  • File Server including Windows Server 2025 version
    
  • Internet Information Server including v10 on Windows Server 2025 version
    
  • Progress MOVEit Automation & Transfer: Central 8.0/8.1, MOVEit DMZ 8.1, MOVEit 2017, MOVEit 2018, MOVEit 2019.2, MOVEit 2020.1, MOVEit 2021.1, MOVEit 2022.1, MOVEit 2023.0, MOVEit 2023.1, MOVEit 2024.0, MOVEit 2024.1, MOVEit 2025.0, MOVEit 2025.1, MOVEit 2026.0
    
  • MySQL Server 5.x, 8.0, 8.4, 9.7
    
  • Mitel CX 3.0, Mitel CX 2.x, Mitel CX 1.x, MiContact Center Server v9.0, MiContact Center Business 9.3, MiContact Center Business 9.4, MiContact Center Business 9.5, MiContact Center Business R10.0/SIP
  • Any of the following SolarWinds Orion Network Management components: SolarWinds NPM v12.0.1, v12.1, SolarWinds APE v12.0.1, v12.1, SolarWinds NCM v7.5.1, v7.6, SolarWinds SAM v6.3.0, v6.4, SolarWinds NTA v4.2.1, v4.2.2
    
  • Oracle Database 19c, 18c, 12c, 11g
    
  • Oracle Management Agent v12, v13
    
  • System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) platforms: 2007*, 2007 R2*, 2012*, 2012 R2*, 2016, 2019 
    
  • PostgreSQL 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 10.x, 14.x, 15.x, 16.x, 17.x, 18.x, 19
    
  • Apache Tomcat 8.x.x., 9.x.x, 10.x.x. versions
    
  • OpenText CX-E Voice (formerly xMedius/AVST CX-E/CallXpress) up to version 23.4
    
  • Clever Devices CleverCAD 9.9, 10.x
    
  • Automated Logic WebCTRL 8.0, 9.0, 10.0
    
  • Hyper-V Server 2016, 2019, 2022 (non-clustered architecture)
    
  • Mitel BluStar 7.3.0
    
  • OPSWAT MetaDefender Managed File Transfer v3.6.x, 3.7.x., cloned or non-cloned architecture
    
  • Honeywell Pro-Watch 6.5.1, 6.6
    
  • Honeywell MAXPRO VMS R795
    
  • Siemens Desigo CC 7.0
• Additional supported plugins
  
  • Neverfail CE for Business Application
    

Engine Plugins

Note: Detailed information about each plugin is contained in the plugin's knowledgebase file that is available by clicking on the link.

Engine plugins provide protection for specific installed application configuration data, services, and application data files.  

The following plugins are included in this release of Engine and are installed automatically if the application is present and version supported:

• Automated Logic WebCTRL (new in v23)
  
• Honeywell Maxpro VMS (new in v21)
  
• Siemens Desigo CC (new in v20)
• SQL Server Plugin (new in v23) 
  
• Honeywell Pro-Watch (new in v22)
  
• Mitel CX Plugin (new in v23) 
  
• Clever Devices CleverCAD Plugin (new in v22)
  
• System Plugin  (new in v23) 
  
• File Server Plugin (new in v19)
• IIS Plugin (new in v19) 
• Exchange Server Plugin (latest version released with v8.5 U6)
  
• SharePoint Server Plugin (latest version released with v8.5 U5)
  
  • Office Online Server (latest version released with v8.5 U3) 
    
• MySQL Server Plugin (new in v23)
• Progress MOVEit Plugins Suite  (new in v23)
  
  • MOVEit Automation Server  
    
  • MOVEit Transfer Server 
    
• SolarWinds Orion Network Management Plugin (latest version released with v8.5) 
• Oracle Database Plugin (latest version released with v9.0) 
  
  • Oracle Management Agent Plugin (latest version released with v9) 
    
• PostgreSQL Plugin (new in v23)
• vSphere Integration Plugin (new in v19) 
  
• System Center Operations Manager Plugin (latest version released with v8.5 U5)
  
• Apache Tomcat Plugin (latest version released with v15)
• OpenText CX-E Voice Plugin (latest version released with v12)
  
• Mitel MiContact Center Enterprise Plugin (latest version released with v13)
  
• Hyper-V Plugin (latest version released with v13)
  
• Mitel BluStar Plugin (latest version released with v14)
• Schneider Electric Security Expert Plugin (new in v22)
• OPSWAT MetaDefender Managed File Transfer Plugin (latest version released with v15)
  

Plugin Installation

Initial installations of Engine Plugins must be performed using the Engine Management Service. Subsequent plugin re-installations and upgrades may be performed using the Applications: Plugins tab of the Advanced Client. However, Neverfail recommends that any subsequent plugin repair installations or upgrades to be performed using Engine Management Service.    

To manually install a plugin follow the How to install a Continuity Engine Plugin using Advanced Management Client procedure.

Known Limitations

• Passwords starting and/or ending with space ( ) character(s) are not supported (EN-3935).
  
• (Re)cloning limitation: Disconnected Engine cluster after a cloning or recloning action: recloned node is connected to wrong port group. Workaround documented in Continuity Engine Cloning and Recloning limitations: disconnected Engine cluster  (EN-3354)
  
• Recloning limitations when Continuity Engine passive nodes when static routes are configured: these are listed in Engine Recloning limitations when static routes are configured  (EN-3355)
  
• Continuity Engine Localization limitations: following localized versions of Windows Server targets/topologies are supported for Engine installation: (EN-3221) 
  
  • any WS2008R2, WS2012/R2, WS2016 OS domain or workgroup member protected by HA, DR or HA+DR Engine topology having only alphanumeric chars in its hostname and AD domain name
    
  • any WS2008R2, WS2012/R2, WS2016 OS domain or workgroup member protected by HA or DR-with-same-Public-IP Engine topology having only alphanumeric chars in the AD domain name
    
• Engine Management Service will not uninstall a server with an expired license (EN-1315).
  
• Continuity Engine .msi installer package is sometimes detected as having untrusted publishers (EN-969).
  
• The FileServer plugin bundled with Continuity Engine v8.5 (or newer) properly replicates DFS namespaces. The DFS Management Client does not load the namespaces correctly each time.
  
• Affects only MOVEit Central/Automation Server protected by Engine v8.5 (or newer): Local folders specified as source/destination in MOVEit Automation tasks require user-defined filters for protection. (EN-2879)
  
• [Applies to 9.0 (or newer) with Passive Node Management Identity configured] vCenter Inventory passive VMs are not detected as Protected nodes if management name is configured and webservices are stopped on the active. Dashboard's protected servers count in Global Inventory is also impacted. (EN-4647)
  
• conditions: Management name configured AND active server webservices stopped
  
• result: deployment.location is not available hence the clustername mechanism is used. that makes only the Active server to be reported as protected node (if VM). Passives cannot be determined as vmid is not available
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] When extending from pair to trio (add DR to HA pair) Secondary webservices require restart in order to serve (when made active) the updated deployment topology (trio instead of pair). This is known as the webservices are not restarted on S and S is the T's cloning source. (EN-4657)
  
• impact: only if S is made active before webservices restart: new HTML UI Datacenter info is not accurate on Tertiary. Possible Protected node count is wrong if management identity is configured on any of the passives.
  
• remediation: restart webservices on Secondary/Tertiary
  
• [AMFx]: User defined sponsor is not persisted in prefs till Engine service is restarted. Thus webservices don't know about it (till restart is done) (EN-4341)
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] Active compression type is shown as 'Standard' when there are no passive instances present in the replication chain. Workaround: This issue is purely cosmetic and it will correct itself once there are passive instances present in the replication chain. (EN-4855)
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] Data traffic value in serverlist API is not always accurate. (EN-4859)
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] Reconstruct pair: transform from pair HA to pair DR> HA cached configuration must be cleaned up before defining new DR config (EN-4915)
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] Startup Engine service may experience delay when unreachable nodes are selected for starting the service on. (EN-4949)
  
• [CE HTML5 UI] EULA accept is required all the time when Engine service is stopped (even if previously accepted). (EN-4958)

Known Issues

Engine Management Service & Engine

• With SQL Plugin + SQL 2014 & In-Memory Tables may result in an OFFLINE DB state during "In Recovery" state (EN-329). 
  
• Trying to add a 6.7 pair/trio in EMS UI protected servers list fails with an error. 
  Workaround: Restart Engine Web Services on the active server. (EN-1354)
• Virtual Bytes rule triggered at every check (EN-859).
  
• The Engine Management Service MSI repair mode fails to operate properly (EN-1389).
  
• If the Engine is running, a new license is added to the list of licenses. If the Engine is stopped, it replaces the list of licenses (EN-902).
  
• [WS2022 only]: Sometimes file are not deleted on passive when they're being deleted on active. This may cause orphan files presence on passive nodes. (EN-6346). Workarounds:
  
• Run Orphan Files Check on each of the passive nodes (from AMC)
  
• Restart replication (stop/start)
  
• Restart Engine service
  
• (since v21) create a periodic task using bundled utility ..\R2\bin\OrphanFilesCheck.exe 

Install/Uninstall

• Continuity Engine Secondary server deployment hangs at: Waiting for Secondary VM to complete auto configuration... Workaround: Continuity Engine Secondary server deployment hangs at: Waiting for Secondary VM to complete auto configuration...   (EN-3380)
  
• Engine 8.5 (or newer) re-clone P->V doesn't fully reconfigure networks card on clone target (EN-3352)
  
• DHCP-set gateway and DNS servers present on Secondary-HA post-cloning/configuration (EN-1996).
  
• Continuity Engine fails to uninstall on the Tertiary server (EN-1589).
  

Administration

• LogCollector - The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception (EN-2011).
  

Applies To

Neverfail Engine v23