Web Help Desk 12.5.1 release notes
Release date: June 14, 2017
These release notes were last updated on August 16, 2024.
These release notes describe the new features, improvements, and fixed issues in Web Help Desk 12.5.1. They also provide information about upgrades and describe workarounds for known issues.
Learn more
For information about hotfixes, see Web Help Desk Hotfixes.
For access to previous release notes, see the Previous Version documentation.
For information about requirements, see the Web Help Desk documentation.
For information about configuring your deployment, see the Web Help Desk Administrator Guide.
New features and improvements in WHD
WHD 12.5.1 offers new features and improvements compared to previous releases of WHD.
Improved protocol and port management
The Server Options setting provides a user interface to manage the HTTP and HTTPS ports from the Web Help Desk Console. You can enable the listening port to listen for HTTP or HTTPS requests, configure the listening port numbers, and create a custom port for generated URL links.
To ensure that all incoming requests use a secure connection, you can redirect HTTP requests to the HTTPS port. When enabled, all incoming requests redirect to a secure HTTPS port.
Click Setup > General > Server Options to access the interface.
Brand new look and feel
The new user interface offers a roomy, clean visual design that eliminates visual noise to help you focus on what is important.
Improved keystore management
The Server Options setting also includes Keystore Options. Use this option to create a new Java Keystore (JKS) or a Public-Key Cryptography Standards #12 (PKCS12) KeyStore to store your SSL certificates.
By default, Web Help Desk creates a Java KeyStore when you install the software. Using Keystore Options, you can create a custom JKS to share certificates with other applications or create a PKCS12 KeyStore to store a certificate created using OpenSSL.
Click Setup > General > Server Options to access the interface.
Improved SSL certificate management
The Certificates setting allows you to view the SSL certificates in the KeyStore that provide a secure connection between a resource and the Web Help Desk Console. If the resource (such as an Apache Tomcat® web server) requires a key pair and a specific alias name, you can edit the alias name to enable the secure connection. You can also add and delete certificates as required.
Click Setup > General > Certificates to access the interface.
Improved APNS management
The Certificates setting also allows you to monitor your Apple Push Certification Services (APNS) Certificate expiration date and upload a new certificate prior to the expiration date.
APN enables Web Help Desk to send notifications to an Apple device running Web Help Desk Mobile and a supported Apple iOS. When enabled, the device receives SMS text messages each time a customer ticket is created or updated.
Click Setup > General > Certificates to access the interface.
Improved application support
This release now supports the following applications:
- Microsoft® Office 365
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2016
- Microsoft Windows Server® 2016
Other improvements
- Apache Tomcat updated to 7.0.77
Product licensing for new and existing installations
The evaluation version is fully functional for 30 days. After 30 days, you must purchase and apply a new SolarWinds Web Help Desk license to access all advanced features and additional tech seats based on your purchase. SolarWinds Web Help Desk license to access all advanced features and additional tech seats based on your purchase.
You can purchase a license online or by contacting Customer Sales at (866) 530-8100Call: (866) 530-8100. After your order is processed, you will receive an email with your SolarWinds customer ID (SWID) and password along with your SolarWinds customer ID (SWID) and password along with your invoice (if purchased directly). You can use this information to access the Customer Portal, create an account, download your software, and activate the license in your SolarWinds Web Help Desk software.
See Purchase and activate a SolarWinds Web Help Desk license for more information.
Before you upgrade
If you are upgrading from a previous version, be aware of the following considerations:
- Beginning with this release, Web Help Desk no longer supports Windows Server 2008 (32- and 64-bit). SolarWinds recommends that you upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2 or 2016 at your earliest convenience.
- Beginning with this release, Web Help Desk no longer supports Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2. SolarWinds recommends that you upgrade to Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 SP1 or 2016 at your earliest convenience.
New customer installation
For information about installing Web Help Desk, see the Web Help Desk Installation Guide.
How to upgrade
If you are upgrading from a previous version, use the following resources to plan and implement your upgrade:
- Use the SolarWinds Product Upgrade Advisor to determine your upgrade path. Based on your current environment and versions, the Product Upgrade Advisor provides an ordered list of how to proceed with the upgrade.
- If you are upgrading:
- Web Help Desk and other modules (NPM, SAM, NCM, NTA, etc.), see Upgrade Multiple SolarWinds Products.
- Web Help Desk as a stand-alone product, see Upgrade a Single SolarWinds Product.
Each guide includes checklists and instructions to help you plan and execute your upgrade.
- When you are ready, download the upgrade package from the SolarWinds Customer Portal.
Upgrading your Apache Tomcat software
The SolarWinds Web Help Desk software installer includes Apache Tomcat 7.0.77, which provides enhanced security and is required for this release. When you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, the upgrade procedure replaces the SolarWinds Web Help Desk software installer includes Apache Tomcat 7.0.77, which provides enhanced security and is required for this release. When you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, the upgrade procedure replaces the (WebHelpDesk)\conf\tomcat_web_template.xml file with an updated file that includes the Tomcat 7.0.70 settings.
Before you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, back up your current tomcat_web_template.xml file to an external directory. When the upgrade is completed, add your personal settings to the updated file from your backup file.
Upgrading your Apache Tomcat server template file
To prevent unauthorized access to your Tomcat server, SolarWinds recommends configuring your tomcat_server_template.xml file using the following procedure. Do not add any additional code or modifications to the file, which may result in system performance issues or errors.
- On your Web Help Desk server, navigate to the following directory:
(WebHelpDesk)/conf
where(WebHelpDesk)is your Web Help Desk home directory. - In the
/confdirectory, back up your currenttomcat_server_template.xmlfile to a separate location. - In the
/confdirectory, open the following file in a text editor:tomcat_server_template.xml - In the file, locate and replace all
_DHE_substrings with the following substring:_ECDHE_ - Save and close the file.
For assistance, contact SolarWinds Customer Support.
Fixed issues
WHD 12.5.1 fixes the following issues.
| Case Number | Description |
|---|---|
|
1082011 1115136 |
FAQs that include special characters now load correctly. |
| 1103687 | An error no longer occurs when upgrading Web Help Desk to the next release. |
| 1092500 | Deleted reports no longer remain in a report group. |
| 1089738 | The Web Help Desk Administrator Guide was updated to address asset discovery correctly. |
|
1081083 1095292 |
You can now delete an FAQ created from a ticket note. |
|
1047862 1056585 |
Running Web Help Desk with Microsoft® Internet Explorer® in Compatibility View no longer generates an error. |
|
987405 988290 995729 1004832 1012611 |
A ticket report now aggregates tickets from sub-request types. |
|
950639 1023815 1081834 |
The Department field is now inherited in a child ticket. |
| 937237 | The Calendar no longer displays Saturday as "Undefined". |
| 882023 | Mozilla® Firefox® now displays the correct page title in a browser window. |
|
462775 625173 630122 901562 937998 |
Custom fields no longer remain in a ticket after changing the Request Type. |
|
851416 877983 910668 946693 994924 |
The Bulletin Board Code (BBC) ticket link in ticket emails is no longer broken. |
| 403944 | Tickets with surveys no longer require an extended amount of time to close. |
| 1085509 | You can now select a Location with an extended name in Ticket Details. |
|
827104 1119125 1158158 |
An issue with using Bulk Actions is resolved. |
| N/A | A security issue was resolved to prevent a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. |
| N/A | A security issue was resolved to prevent Web Help Desk from being indexed and displayed in a Google search. |
End of life
| Version | EoL Annoucement | EoE Effective Date | EoL Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1 and earlier | November 17, 2016: End-of-Life (EoL) Announcement - Customers on Web Help Desk version 12.1 or older should begin transitioning to Web Help Desk version 12.5 and above. | February 17, 2017: End-of-Engineering (EoE) - Service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for Web Help Desk version 12.1 or older will no longer actively be supported by SolarWinds. | February 17, 2018: End-of-Life (EoL) - SolarWinds will no longer provide technical support for Web Help Desk version 12.1 or older. |
See the End of Life Policy for information about SolarWinds product lifecycle phases. For supported versions and EOL announcements for all SolarWinds products, see Currently supported software versions.
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