T34-2019 BIOVIA Notebook 2019 Hot Fix 6

Program

BIOVIA Notebook 2019

Operating System

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit only; Microsoft Windows Server 2016 64-bit only

Background

BIOVIA Notebook needs to interact with third party applications on a desktop computer e.g. Excel, Word to pull in data. This enabling feature is referred to as the “plugin”, “legacy plugin or “Desktop connector” and installed on a user’s desktop (Windows 7, Windows 10 and OSX Mojave).

From version BIOVIA Notebook 2018 SP3 onwards, the plugin took two development tracks whereby “legacy plugin” stayed as the traditional implementation and the “Desktop connector” took on a new design. Both are shipped with the BIOVIA Notebook and the customer configures the systems as they deem fit.

Many of the technologies underpinning the web browsers have been blocked for the “legacy plugin” see table below.

Browser	Legacy Plugin	BIOVIA Desktop connector
Chrome	Certificate expires and need Hot Fix *	Works
Firefox	Certificate expires and need Hot Fix *	Works
IE11	Active X technology works	Works
EDGE	Some distributions blocked	Works
Safari (OSX)	Blocked NPAPI technology	Works
Firefox (OSX)	Blocked NPAPI technology	Works
Chrome (OSX)	Blocked NPAPI technology	Works

* BIOVIA is issuing security updates as needed

Solution

BIOVIA Desktop connector is dependent on a server side messaging service that only runs on MS Windows Server. If the customer is unable to run on such an environment, consider applying one of the relevant hotfixes as the “legacy plugin” will expire in Jan 2020 and will affect usage.

A new security update “legacy plugin” is issued in BIOVIA Notebook 2019 HF6; this new certificate expires 5-Sept-2021.

Using BIOVIA Notebook 2019 with the web client on browsers Firefox and Chrome and continue to use the plugin legacy mode.

Two recommended options
- Upgrading to BIOVIA Notebook 2019 HF6 or BIOVIA Notebook 2020
- The other option is to run a MS Windows Server messaging service with “Desktop Connector” then no need to upgrade to 2019 HF6 but rather to setup the messaging service.

For BIOVIA Notebook 2019 SP2 and higher with the Web client on browsers Firefox and Chrome and continue to use the plugin legacy mode.

Recommend upgrading to 2020

Jira Change Request: CELN-10925

How to contact BIOVIA Support

If you have any questions, please contact BIOVIA Support.