Java agent v8.6.0

New features and improvements

Support latest Wildfly #1373
Support latest JBoss EAP #1336
Spring Cache instrumentation #1458

This new instrumentation module allows you to see how your caches are performing. It provides hit/miss metrics as well as clear and evict. Search "Metrics Explorer" for the new metrics:

Cache/Spring/<cache-provider>/<cache-name>/hits
Cache/Spring/<cache-provider>/<cache-name>/misses
Cache/Spring/<cache-provider>/<cache-name>/clear
Cache/Spring/<cache-provider>/<cache-name>/evict

Kafka client node metrics #1338

This is a new instrumentation for Kafka clients. It provides metrics similar to the existing instrumentation module, but this provides them by node/topic, whereas the existing one only uses topic. This module is disabled by default, check the documentation for more information.

Kafka client config events #1338

This new instrumentation module sends the Kafka configuration as events periodically. This module is disabled by default, check the documentation for more information.

Improved Struts 2 instrumentation #1457

The Struts 2 instrumentation has been refactored to use a newer instrumentation technique, which allows it to be disabled.

Improved code-level metrics for Servlets. #1394
Security Agent: Support for Apache log4j 3.0.0-alpha1.
Security Agent: Support for Commons.jxpath.
Security Agent: Add agent monitoring details and matrix to health check.
Security Agent: Limiting the supported version range for Jetty.

Fixes

Fixed a bug in the Spring instrumentation when OpenFeign was used. #1197
Fixed a bug where utility classes were not weaved. #1073
Fixed a bug where the agent would not properly send its dependencies. #1340
Security Agent: Issue with HealthChecking having empty process stats issue

Deprecations

aws-wrap-0.7.0
java.completable-future-jdk8
play-2.3
spring-3.0.0
netty-3.4
Struts v1 (legacy pointcut instrumentation)

Update to latest version

To identify which version of the Java agent you're currently using, run java -jar newrelic.jar -v. Your Java agent version will be printed to your console.

Then, to update to the latest Java agent version:

Back up the entire Java agent root directory to another location. Rename that directory to NewRelic_Agent#.#.#, where #.#.# is the agent version number.
Download the agent.
Unzip the new agent download file, then copy newrelic-api.jar and newrelic.jar into the original Java agent root directory.
Compare your old newrelic.yml with the newly downloaded newrelic.yml from the zip, and update the file if needed.
Restart your Java dispatcher.

If you experience issues after the Java agent update, restore from the backed-up New Relic agent directory.

Update agent config differences

We add new settings to newrelic.yml as we release new versions of the agent. You can use diff or another diffing utility to see what's changed, and add the new config settings to your old file. Make sure not to overwrite any customizations you've made to the file, such as your license key, app name, or changes to default settings.

For example, if you diff the default newrelic.yml files for Java agent versions 7.10.0 and 7.11.0, the results printed to the console will be like:

➜ diff newrelic_7.10.0.yml newrelic_7.11.0.yml
...
107a108,119
>       # Whether the log events should include context from loggers with support for that.
>       include_context_data:
>
>         # When true, application logs will contain context data.
>         enabled: false
>
>         # A comma separated list of attribute keys whose values should be sent to New Relic.
>         #include:
>
>         # A comma separated list of attribute keys whose values should not be sent to New Relic.
>         #exclude:
>
125a138
>
128c141
<     enabled: false
---
>     enabled: true
...

In this example, these lines were added to the default newrelic.yml in Java agent version 7.11.0. If you are moving to 7.11.0 or higher, you should add these new lines to your original newrelic.yml.

Support statement: