X-Road version 6 was released in 2015, and it has been continuously developed further throughout the years. As so far, the most significant change has been adding support for REST services in 2019. However, the system hasn’t changed much visually since its release in 2015. That’s about to change soon since X-Road version 6.24.0 will introduce the biggest changes X-Road 6 has experienced yet.
The beta version of X-Road 6.24.0 is already out, and the official release version will be published on the 31st of August 2020.
It’s got the look
The most significant change in X-Road version 6.24.0 is the fully renewed Security Server user interface (UI). The new UI aims to improve the usability and user experience of the Security Server. The new intuitive UI makes regular administrative tasks easier and supports streamlining the on-boarding process of new X-Road members.
Image 1. Add client wizard.
For example, the new UI uses wizards to implement tasks that require completing multiple steps in a specific order, such as adding a new client with a new signature key and certificate. Before, the user needed to know what steps are required and their correct order, but from now on the UI provides the information to the user and guides the user through the process.
Image 2. The new UI provides additional information on different configuration options.
Another essential improvement is providing more additional information regarding different Security Server features in the UI. For example, the Security Server has multiple keys and certificates, and it may not always be clear what different keys and certificates are used for. Therefore, the new UI provides information about different keys, such as authentication and signature keys.
Management REST API
Another significant change in X-Road version 6.24.0 is the brand-new management REST API. The API provides all the same functionalities with the UI, and it can be used to automate common maintenance and management tasks. It means that maintaining and operating multiple Security Servers can be done more efficiently as configuration and maintenance tasks require less manual work. By the way, the new UI uses the same API under the hood too.
The Security Server User Guide provides more information about the API, and there’s also the API’s OpenAPI 3 description available on GitHub. Access to the API is controlled using API keys that can be managed through the Security Server UI or through the API itself. In addition, access to the API can be restricted using IP filtering.
Changes in the architecture
The new UI and management REST API have also caused changes in the Security Server architecture and packaging. The previously existed Nginx (xroad-nginx) and Jetty (xroad-jetty) components have been replaced with the new UI and API (xroad-proxy-ui-api) components. These changes have affected Security Server’s log files, directories, software packages, and services. It’s strongly recommended that Security Server administrators study the details of these changes from the release notes before upgrading to version 6.24.0.
Image 3. Changes in the Security Server architecture - before version 6.24.0 (left) and starting from version 6.24.0 (right).
Wait, there’s more!
Even though the new UI and management REST API are the most significant and most visible changes in version 6.24.0, the new version contains many other new features, improvements, and fixes. Here’s a short overview of other changes included in the latest version.
Support for running Security Server on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (RHEL8).
Updates on operational monitoring protocols that enable monitoring of SOAP and REST services in more consistent manner. N.B.! The updates cause breaking changes in the Operational Monitoring protocols.
Better support for using external database services on different platforms (e.g. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform) for both Central Server and Security Server.
Changes in allowed characters in X-Road system identifiers and improved validation of the identifiers.
Technology updates and decreased technical debt.
The full list of changes with more detailed descriptions is available in the release notes.
It’s all about users
Another significant change in X-Road over the years is how X-Road is being developed. Nowadays, X-Road users play an essential role in the design and development as a source of input and as validators of the development results. It applies to the new UI, too, since X-Road users have participated in its design and development by providing input, feedback, and comments in different phases of the process. The involvement of the users in the design and development is here to stay, and also the new UI will be further developed and improved based on the feedback received from the field.
Towards the Unicorn
One major change has just been completed, but the next ones are already waiting around the corner. The very first flight of the Unicorn – the release of the beta version of X-Road 7 – is expected to happen by the end of this year, and the first release version should see the daylight in 2021. More information about X-Road 7 and the changes it will introduce will be provided at a later date. Meanwhile, please try out the new X-Road 6.24.0 and tell us your opinion about it!