At mrc, we are committed to delivering the most feature-rich and secure m-Power platform possible. While we’re always excited to bring you new enhancements that make application development easier and better for your end-users, one of our top priorities is maintaining the highest levels of system safety and security.
As part of this ongoing commitment, we regularly evaluate the third-party libraries used within m-Power for end-of-life (EOL) support. It’s with this in mind that we wanted to share an important upcoming change regarding the Spring framework.
The Spring 5 library (which handles various database functions in m-Power) will be reaching EOL at the end of 2024. To stay ahead of this transition, we will be upgrading to the new Spring 6 library.
This upgrade does come with some important prerequisites, including:
- Requirement of JDK 17
- Requirement of Tomcat 10
Upgrading your Java Development Kit (JDK) is a relatively straightforward process, but upgrading to Tomcat 10 will require some more involved configuration changes. This may include adjusting pre-existing services and custom settings, such as SSL.
To help make this transition as seamless as possible, we will be releasing one final stable m-Power version in 2024 that is compatible with your current JDK 8/11 and Tomcat 9 environments. After that, all future m-Power releases will require the upgraded JDK 17 and Tomcat 10 environment.
We understand this change may require some work on your end, so we want to provide you with all the necessary documentation and guidance to help you through the upgrade process. Or, if you would prefer, you can hire our services team to facilitate the upgrade for you.
To learn more about the technical details and get your questions answered, I will be hosting a live Q&A session on August 29th. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have, so you can start planning for a smooth transition. You can register here: JDK/Tomcat Upgrade Q&A Webinar.
In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any other concerns or need further assistance.
FAQ:
Q: Why is this upgrade important?
A: Upgrading to Spring 6, JDK 17, and Tomcat 10 is crucial to maintaining the security and long-term viability of your m-Power platform. The current Spring 5 library will be reaching end-of-life, so we’re proactively moving to the newer, supported version to keep your applications protected.
Q: When will the documentation be available?
A: We’re currently working on creating detailed upgrade guides and documentation. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as these resources are ready and available.
Q: Should I start the upgrade process now?
A: No, we don’t recommend upgrading to the new requirements just yet. We’ll be providing a final stable m-Power release in 2024 that will work with your existing JDK and Tomcat versions. The Q&A session is intended to help you prepare for the future upgrade, not to initiate it immediately.
Q: What is the purpose of the Q&A session August 29th?
A: The goal of the Q&A session is to give you an early heads up on the upcoming changes, answer any initial questions you may have, and help you start planning for a smooth transition. We want to make sure you feel informed and ready when the time comes to upgrade.