End of Life Statements
- Windows 32bit Client - EOL
- Kiosk 1.0 for macOS/Windows - EOL
- macOS Imaging with IVS - EOL
- FileWave Compatibility Mode - EOL
- FileWave Server on CentOS - EOL
- FileWave Server on Windows - EOL
- ZeroMQ replacement with NATS - EOL
- Android device management pre-EMM - EOL
- Device Discovery - EOL
- Observe Client - EOL
- FileWave Official Version Support Statement
- Clever Integration - EOL
- FileWave Engage EOL
Windows 32bit Client - EOL
What
As the new desktop kiosk for Windows is based on 64bit libraries, FileWave 15.3.0 will not be supported on Windows 32bit platforms. FileWave Agent (fwcld) is currently still a 32bit executable, meaning there is no change in how Filesets are deployed, and scripts are executed with this initial change.
When/Why
Windows 32bit has long been on the way out. Because it can only handle 3.5Gb of RAM there has long been a lot of progress to get away from it by customers.
How
At first the Kiosk in FileWave 15.3.0 will be 64bit, and in a future release the entire agent will transition. Moving to a 64bit application is expected to happen later this year.
Related Content
Kiosk 1.0 for macOS/Windows - EOL
What
As the new desktop Kiosk 2.0 for macOS and Windows released with FileWave 15.3.0. In 15.3.x and 15.4.x the old Kiosk 1.0 is also included in the client. Noteworthy also is this new Kiosk is 64bit only.
When/Why
Some functions are still performed by Kiosk 1.0, and it is kept in place in case there is a need to revert to it.
How
We will be ultimately removing Kiosk 1.0 from the macOS/Windows client, so it is important not to depend on it being in place. Please contact support if there is a reason you are loading the old one so it can be known to development.
Related Content
macOS Imaging with IVS - EOL
What
macOS Imaging: Changes made by Apple with APFS, T2 chips and Apple Silicon, Imaging macOS devices has been part of history for a long time. With the deprecation of Compatibility mode, the last reason for keeping macOS imaging options in FileWave are gone.
When/Why
For years Apple has stated that imaging is dead. This change should not have any impact to your workflow because we do not believe anyone is still using this method of setting up macOS systems.
How
With the release of 15.4.0 in the first half of 2024 we will remove all trace of imaging as it relates to our IVS solution. This will eliminate the warning that has been an annoyance to most admins about Netboot not being configured and will remove a feature that has no use.
Related Content
FileWave Compatibility Mode - EOL
What
Compatibility Mode will be phased out with FileWave 15.4.0 in the first half of 2024.
When/Why
Communication between FileWave components is encrypted and relies on TLS certificates for several years now. Back in the day, to facilitate the transition, a Compatibility Mode was introduced, allowing clients running versions older than 13.1 to still be managed by a more recent server despite not supporting proper encryption. It is now time to drop compatibility mode to enforce secured communications.
How
It will be removed in FileWave 15.4.0 which will mean that it is very important to ensure that your macOS and Windows clients are running version 13.1 or higher to continue communication.
This means the minimum OS versions that can be enrolled are macOS 10.11 and Windows 7 SP1 - but it is obviously not recommended to run outdated, unsecured end-of-life Operating Systems
Related Content
FileWave Server on CentOS - EOL
As FileWave continues to develop our industry-leading multi-platform solution, our primary goal is to make it as simple, stable, and scalable as possible. With the End of Life of CentOS on June 30th, 2024, beginning with 15.2.0, the FileWave Server will be shipped for Debian Linux and macOS. Although we will produce FileWave Server for CentOS 7 with 15.2, 15.3, and 15.4, we will not continue to produce new versions of CentOS installers for Server or Boosters after the June 30th EOL date. When we released 15.4.1 in July 2024 it did not officially support CentOS, and the announcement email and Download page reflect this.
Want to get an email when this FAQ is updated? Using Email to stay updated on KB updates.
Easy URL to articles: https://go.filewave.com/debian
FAQ
Q: Does this change affect me?
My FileWave Server is:
- ⚙️ Managed by me on CentOS: You will be able to follow the migration documentation where we have step-by-step guidance. The entire process can take about an hour, but copying all the data from the old server to the new one can take a longer time if there is a lot to copy so plan for your server to be offline for the day you do the migration.
- Additional help is available on Discord. We have Debian-specific sessions every Thursday at 9:30am Eastern US time that are open for anyone, and monthly Open Office Hours for all questions in North American, European, and Asia Pacific time zones.
- For those who need someone to walk through this step by step, please contact Professional Services. However, if you are already working with PS, please ask your Engineer to check, as they may be able to give you the help you need under an existing project.
- You may also want to consider migrating to our Hosted offering, which would allow FileWave to manage and care for the server. Contact Customer Success for more information on Hosting.
- If something goes wrong in the migration process, please contact Customer Technical Support unless you are a Community Edition customer, in which case you would want to go to Discord for help.
- ✅ Managed by FileWave (Hosted): 100% handled by FileWave, so no action is needed, but make sure to check your Boosters and/or IVS.
- ✅ Managed by me on macOS: We continue to support FileWave Server on macOS, and no action is required for your Server. But make sure to also check your Boosters and/or IVS.
I Have Boosters:
- ⚙️ Running on CentOS: CentOS boosters will need to be switched over to Debian. The simplest process is to shut down each CentOS Booster, bring online a Debian Booster using the same IP address, and complete the setup process to enroll that Booster. Doing this will allow you to not need to worry about updating Firewall rules or Superprefs.
- If something goes wrong in the migration process, please contact Customer Technical Support unless you are a Community Edition customer, in which case you would want to go to Discord for support.
- ✅ Booster running on macOS or Windows will continue to be supported. No action is required for macOS or Windows Boosters.
I have FileWave IVS:
- ⚙️ Running on CentOS will need to be switched over to Debian. The simplest process is to shut down each CentOS IVS and then set up and enroll Debian replacements using the same IP address as the prior IVS. Setting up the IVS (Imaging Virtual Server)
- FileWave 15.3.1 and beyond includes a Debian IVS server.
- You can run a CentOS IVS with a Debian FileWave Server, so the order in which you migrate does not matter.
Q: Does this affect the Admin Console or Clients?
A: No. The FileWave Server, Boosters, and IVS are changing over to Debian, but all Windows and macOS components are still fully supported and will continue to be.
Q: Will FileWave help me with FileWave Server migration?
A: We are publishing and updating our documentation to help this process be as simple as possible.
Q: What if I don't want to run a FileWave Server On-Premise anymore?
A: Please connect with Customer Success because we offer Hosting options and will migrate your data to our Amazon infrastructure.
Q: What if I would like someone to walk me through the whole migration?
A: Please connect with Professional Services & Training about our Migration services.
Q: I have questions and just would like to speak with someone?
A: Please check out our Discord. We have sessions every month for Open Office Hours. If you are in a time zone where that doesn't work, use Discord channels to ask about alternatives pr reach out to Professional Services & Training.
Related Content
- End of Life of CentOS
- Migrating your On-Premise FileWave Server to new Hardware
- Upgrading your On-Premise FileWave Server
- Updating CentOS Repo Files After Mirrorlist End of Life
FileWave Server on Windows - EOL
As FileWave continues to develop our industry-leading multi-platform solution, our primary goal is to make it as simple, stable, and scalable as possible. We believe the best way to provide complete support for all endpoints, develop exciting new features more quickly, and enable more flexible deployment options, is to reduce the complexity of the FileWave Server.
As a result, beginning with 14.0.0, the FileWave Server will only be shipped for Linux and Mac. Although Windows will continue to be natively supported through 13.3, we wanted to let you know about this upcoming change well in advance so that you can plan your migration.
FAQ
Q: Does this change affect me?
A: If you already run your FileWave Server on Linux or Mac this change does not affect you.
To check your server OS. Click the blue status text in the bottom right corner of Admin.
The Status box will say "FileWave Windows Server"
Q: Does this affect the Admin Console, Boosters, or Clients?
A: No! The FileWave Server is the only component changing. Windows Admins, Boosters, and Clients are still fully supported and will continue to be.
Q: Can I still use my Windows hardware?
A: Yes! Our virtual appliance can run in any number of virtual environments, and your Windows hardware can host that appliance (e.g. Hyper-V, VirtualBox, etc.).
Q: Will FileWave assist me with the migration?
A: Yes! Please contact Professional Services & Training.
Related Content
ZeroMQ replacement with NATS - EOL
What
ZeroMQ is being replaced with NATS in a process starting with v14.8.
When/Why
This move will naturally occur when upgrading FileWave components where eventually NATS will replace ZMQ everywhere it is used. This article and release notes will explain what is migrated in each new version.
This does have an impact on what network ports are used in FileWave.
How
Please observe our TCP ports KB for additional and deprecated ports.
- As of FileWave 14.8, NATS will be implemented instead of ZeroMQ for Admin to Server communication.
- In 14.9 the ZeroMQ features for clients is removed. NATS is used for all notifications between clients and servers as well as boosters.
- In 15.0 ZeroMQ is entirely removed and no longer used.
Related Content
Android device management pre-EMM - EOL
What
This is a notice that as of FileWave v14.9.0 that Android device management pre-EMM (aka APK delivery) is deprecated.
When/Why
Android EMM is the replacement for the much older method of managing Android devices. This change should not affect you if you are using Android EMM for your devices with FileWave.
How
FileWave v14.9.0 was released in November 2022 and the function was removed in 15.2.0. Google's intent is that EMM would be used for enrollment.
Related Content
Device Discovery - EOL
What
This is a notice that as of FileWave v14.9.0 that Device Discovery is deprecated.
When/Why
This tool was never effective in production environments, has hardly ever been used, and is easily replaced by any off-the-shelf network scanning tool like Angry IP Scanner.
How
FileWave v14.9.0 was released in November 2022 and the function is removed in v15.0.
Observe Client - EOL
As a continuing bid to improve FileWave features and unify the product across platforms, as of FileWave 14.8.0 the FileWave computer client will no longer include the Observe Client feature. This has been replaced with TeamViewer.
TeamViewer expands the possibilities of features available for device connections, whilst being fully cross-platform for all device types managed.
FAQ
Q: How does this impact older clients?
A: Once the FileWave server has been upgraded to 14.8, the option to Observe Clients will no longer be possible, regardless of the version of the client.
Q: How does this impact Client Preferences?
A: FileWave Admin and the Superprefs Editor will no longer provide options to configure VNC ports. However, the Privacy Preferences for 'Managed Remote Control' and 'Prompt client for remote control access' are utilized by TeamViewer.
If you have Superpref Filesets to define VNC ports, these should be removed, since they will no longer do anything
Not familiar with TeamViewer in FileWave yet? Take a look at our KB articles.
FileWave Official Version Support Statement
What
FileWave supports the two latest major versions at any time. For example, if the current version is 15.5.x, we support versions 15.5.x and 15.4.x. Major releases occur roughly every quarter.
What does “officially support” mean?
We will investigate and patch significant issues in these versions. We do not produce patches for versions older than N-1, focusing instead on current versions and future improvements. If an issue is found in an older version, remediation will be in the form of an upgrade or a patch to a more recent version.
You can still contact our support teams about earlier versions. They will assist you to the best of their ability but won’t escalate tickets to our development teams. Upgrading is recommended to access the latest features and bug fixes.
Related Content
Clever Integration - EOL
This is the FAQ for the email that was sent out to customers on October 29, 2021, about Clever integration being discontinued. Please check back here over time as our answers may evolve over time as we work with customers.
FAQ
Q: When will the Clever integration stop working?
A: On December 31, 2021 it will stop syncing and you will no longer see updates from Clever.
Q: What if I do nothing?
A: On December 31, 2021, you will see Clever stop syncing. Existing associations between devices and people will be unaffected in your FileWave but future changes will not sync.
Q: I don’t use Engage or Apple Classroom associations through FileWave. What should I do?
A: If you open the Native Admin you can go to Preferences -> Education and switch your server from Clever to None. Then login to Clever and pick to Disconnect or book a meeting with us and we will disconnect it with you.
Q: What are my alternatives to Clever integration?
A: There are two. You can either work with ASM (recommended) or import CSV data.
Q: How would I connect my SIS to ASM?
A: See this Apple article: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207409
Q: What SIS are supported by ASM?
A: See this Apple article: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210156
Q: How do I setup ASM integration in FileWave?
A: See this FileWave article: Classroom – SIS Data and utilize the complimentary consulting time mentioned in the email you received.
Q: I have questions about ASM integration that I couldn’t answer after reading this and connecting with FileWave Pro Services.
A: If you do not know who your Apple account executive or system engineer is then call Apple's EDU support line (800-800-2775) to determine who they are. They will be best to help you with deep ASM questions.
Q: I’m already using ASM to sync to FileWave. Is there something I need to do?
A: Login to Clever and pick to Disconnect or book a meeting with us and we will disconnect it with you.
This was the original email sent to customers who have Clever integration enabled:
Good afternoon,
If we haven’t spoken then I wanted to first introduce myself. I joined FileWave earlier this year to run Professional Services and Training. I wanted to reach out to you because you appear to be using Clever integration in FileWave to assign devices to students and teachers. Clever was originally only added to support Engage, but then started to be used by some customers to support Apple Classroom. In your case, you may be using it for that or you may have simply left it configured after Engage went away.
Clever integration is something that we will be discontinuing at the end of this calendar year, but there is a free alternative that has similar functionality and we want to help you migrate to it.
To meet the need of creating relationships of devices to individuals I wanted to let you know about our Apple School Manager (ASM) integration. ASM is free to use with Apple and supports SIS integration. By December 31st, 2021 we would like to help you with making the switch from Clever over to either CSV imports or ASM integration. After that date, Clever will no longer sync changes to your FileWave server so we recommend working with us as soon as you are able to so that you are not rushed.
I have created the Calendly link below for you to create a meeting with a Professional Services engineer to discuss the process and the migration. There will be no cost to you for either this meeting or the complementary 2 hours of support with the same engineer to work through the migration process. I encourage you to setup a meeting as soon as possible after you have reviewed the FAQ below. The FAQ will help you understand what help you may or may not need in this process.
FileWave Engage EOL
What
This is a notice that as of FileWave v14.8+ Engage will no longer be supported.
When/Why
FileWave v14.8 should release in Spring 2022. Engage has been at end of life earlier than this, but this will be the first release that will remove the functionality.
How
In 14.8.0 the supporting features will be removed. Inventory queries related to Engage will not work anymore. There are 2 fields specifically: EngageProfile and EngageProfileStatus will be removed. We have also already removed EngageX from the app store.