Published Release Notes

Optimized Storage Stream for reduced BLOB size

All clipboard pages are serialized and are stored in BLOB columns named pzPVStream in the Pega 7 database. The Storage Stream (byte stream) that is stored in these BLOB columns has been optimized to make the BLOB values smaller, and to also make the encoding and reading of these values faster when opening and saving objects.

This update was completed by reducing redundancies in the stored data, redesigning the data structure to be more space efficient, and by selectively encoding only parts of the stream, instead of encoding the entire stream on each read.

For more information, see the help topic Storage Stream.

Custom PL/Java Modules for PostgreSQL 9.3

To install Pega 7 for PostgreSQL 9.3, you must first install the version of PL/Java included in your resource kit. Follow the installation instructions located in:

<Pega 7 installation directory>\ResourceKit\ResourceKitREADME.txt.

Note that if you do not install PL/Java before you attempt to install Pega 7, then the Pega 7 installation fails.

PEGA0056 alert monitors PR_SYS_LOCKS defragmentation performance

The System-Locks class contains information about locks, and the PR_SYS_LOCKS table can now be periodically de-fragmented. Accordingly, any increase in the time taken to defragment the table associated with this class results in an increase in the time taken by a requestor to acquire or release a lock.

The PEGA0056 alert indicates that the defragmentation exceeds the time threshold that is configured in the prconfig.xml file. When the alert is triggered, you can modify the defragmentation interval or disable defragmentation.

For more information, see PEGA0056 alert: Defragmentation of the table associated with class System-Locks exceeded the configured time threshold.

PEGA0055 alert detects clock drift in a multi-node clustered environment

Clocks in most of the hardware platforms run at different rates, and the PEGA0055 alert detects the clock drift on any of the nodes in a multi-node cluster. The alert is triggered when the clock drifts from the average time of the clocks in the cluster by an amount that exceeds the time threshold configured in the prconfig.xml file. You can use a network time protocol service or daemon to correct the clocks by referring to a standard external Internet time service, for example, nist.gov.

For more information, see PEGA0055 alert: Clock drift exceeded the configured time threshold.

New default system setting for SQL queries

A prconfig system setting, reporting/useLayerCakeSchemaChanges, is now enabled by default to improve the performance of SQL queries. Additionally, this setting can also be configured to disable an optimized query as a prconfig setting.

Previously, this setting was set to false by default. Starting in this release, to set this from true to false, you must explicitly add an entry in the prconfig.xml file.

For more information, see Startup check removes custom DB triggers.

Startup check removes custom DB triggers

The process for performing updates to the pr_sys_updatescache and pr4_rule_vw tables has been restructured to increase system processing efficiency. In previous releases, database (DB) triggers were used to perform updates to these tables. These updates are now performed directly within the Pega 7 engine and the DB triggers have been eliminated.

Accordingly, Pega 7 now checks at startup for any user-created triggers that are added after installation. If any triggers of this type are found, they are automatically removed.

For related information, see Custom DB triggers are dropped during upgrade.

Call functions by using the library qualified syntax

When calling a function, in addition to the existing fully qualified and unqualified function calls, you can now use the library qualified syntax:

@LibraryName.FunctionName(arg1, arg2... argn)

An example of using the library qualified syntax to call a function

Using library qualified notation helps prevent accidental library conflicts (such as when two libraries with the same name are located in different rulesets), because the library from the ruleset listed higher in the operator runtime ruleset list is selected for resolution.

For more information, see Methods for calling a function.

The System Management Application is supported only on Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) is required for the System Management Application (SMA). No other browser is supported.

Create and modify tenants only from the Tenant Management landing pages or SOAP operations

When creating or modifying tenants, do not use any of the following methods:

• Creating a new tenant definition from the Data-Admin-Tenant list
• Using the Save As feature to create a tenant from an existing tenant
• Creating a tenant from the rule form from the Action > Create menu

Although these methods might appear to work, the resulting tenants have no associated metadata and are not valid. Always use landing pages or SOAP operations to create or modify tenants.

End of support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and quirks mode applications in Pega 7.1.9

In accordance with Microsoft’s announcement to discontinue support for Internet Explorer 8 in January 2016, Pega 7.1.9 does not support Internet Explorer 8, nor does it support non-HTML5 standard user interfaces.

You must upgrade to Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 or later or use Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Mozilla Firefox. If you are using Internet Explorer 9 or later, you must turn off compatibility mode by accessing the Compatibility View settings.

Note the following:

• Pega 7.1.9 does not support user interface rules that are not based on HTML5 standards (rules in quirks mode).
• If you use applications that are rendered in quirks mode, which enables Pega 7 to correctly display and render non-HTML5 standard user interfaces, you must update them to standards-based HTML5 user interfaces when you upgrade to Pega 7.1.9 or later. Pega 7 provides automated tools to help you migrate your applications.
• Pegasystems Global Customer Support will not investigate or fix any Pega 7.1.9 bugs or support requests that are exclusive to Internet Explorer 8 or quirks mode user interfaces.

You can quickly identify which components of your application user interface are not HTML5 standards-based by clicking Designer Studio > User Interface > HTML5 Application Readiness.

Upgrading to Pega 7.1.9 and a newer browser offers the following benefits:

• These browsers are HTML5 and CSS3 compliant.
• New features are supported and existing features work as intended.
• The Pega 7 Platform user interface is displayed and rendered as intended.
• Browser security is enhanced.

If you have additional questions about browser support, see the Platform Support Guide or contact Pegasystems Global Customer Support.