See Finding Your Alation Version for help determining which version of Alation you're using.

2024.1.2 API Release Notes

New

NoSQL API

We've added a new NoSQL API for reading, creating, updating, and deleting metadata for virtual NoSQL data sources. (AL-148931)

🚧

Known Issue

Using object name, path, or ID as request parameters in the Delete endpoint incorrectly deletes data from attributes with the same name under different schemas. (AL-155752)

Homepage Preferences API

In version 2023.3.4, we introduced group-based homepages. If a user is a member of multiple groups that are assigned to different homepages, and they may have multiple homepages available to them. If your Alation instance is configured to allow users to choose their homepage, users can select a preferred homepage. Their preferred homepage is the one they will see when logging into Alation and when clicking the logo in the top toolbar.

The new Homepage Preferences API lets Catalog Admins and Server Admins set the homepage preference for multiple groups that are already assigned to a specific homepage. See Multiple Homepages for more information about group-based homepages and how to work with multiple homepages. (AL-143659)

Updated

BI Source API

We've added a new endpoint for migrating curation data after migrating a BI server from a native connector to an OCF connector. The initial migration of a BI server to an OCF connector doesn't bring curation data for certain BI objects. This endpoint migrates that curation data. (AL-146464)

Custom Field Values

Alation is transitioning from storing custom field values in one data store to another, faster data store. To keep data consistent and performant during the transition, we will begin writing asynchronously to both places. Eventually the second one will be removed.

When updating custom field values, this API runs two background jobs. The API response returns the ID of the first job. Use that ID to query the Jobs API. The response from the Jobs API returns the ID of the second job.

If either job fails, you must retry the Custom Field Values API request. (AL-147696)

Queries API

When creating a query via API, you can now set additional fields:

• Description
• Domains
• Tags

(AL-151448)

Deprecation Notices

NoSQL API v1

Version 1 of the NoSQL API will be deprecated in release 2024.3.2 in early November 2024. Start using the newer NoSQL API v2 as soon as possible.

Upload Logical Metadata (ULM) API

The ULM API will be deprecated in release 2024.3.1 in early October.

If you are using the ULM API, we recommend you move as soon as possible to using the newer, more performant Custom Field Values Async API or one of the other alternatives for your use case as shown below.

Why is this happening?

Alation is investing in scalable APIs and infrastructure that are no longer compatible with the ULM API. To give our customers the best experience, we will be focusing our efforts on more scalable alternatives as shown in the table above.

What about articles?

Alation is replacing articles with Document Hubs. Articles will eventually be deprecated, and Alation will provide a migration path to Document Hubs. No deprecation date for articles has been announced at this time. For now, you can continue to use the ULM API to update custom field values on articles, until the ULM API is sunset. The sunset timeline will be communicated to customers at a later date.

Custom Field Values Synchronous PUT

The PUT multiple Custom Field Values synchronous endpoint will be deprecated in release 2024.3.1 in early October. As an alternative, migrate to the PUT multiple Custom Field Values Async endpoint as soon as possible. The asynchronous endpoint is much more performant and provides a better experience.

OCF Data Sources API Parameters

For the Trigger metadata extraction job endpoint of the OCF Data Sources API, we will be deprecating the three body parameters limit_schemas , exclude_schemas, and remove_filtered_schemas. The deprecation will occur in release 2024.3 in early September. As an alternative, we recommend you use the Update metadata extraction configurations endpoint to configure the extraction and use the Trigger metadata extraction job endpoint to run the extraction. (AL-148936)