Data360 Analyze: storing jar files in '/ext' directory is no longer supported

The purpose of this article is to alert you to a small change that needs to be made if you have jar files stored within the Data360 Analyze /ext directory. 

In Data360 Analyze, from version 3.6.1 onward, it is no longer recommended to keep any jar files (for example, files used by JDBC drivers) under the '/ext' directory, i.e. <site directory>/lib/java/ext directory. The use of this location is deprecated and will not be supported in a future release - which may result in data flows failing to run successfully following the upgrade of the Data360 Analyze installed software.

REASON FOR THE CHANGE

The version of Java that we ship with Analyze (currently Java 1.8) will be upgraded in a future release, and the upgraded Java will no longer load jar files from the /ext directory.  

Currently, jar files in the /ext directory, are are being loaded by the Java nodes whether they actually needed them or not - Java loads everything it finds in the ext directory. We have found that this could lead to clashes in the classes that were being loaded.

Going forward, Java will no longer load the jars by default - which is a positive step but it means that any nodes that expect the default loading of jars from the ext directory will fail. It will be necessary to update the classpaths on the node to reflect the directory where the jars are stored.

NEW LOCATION FOR JAR FILES

It doesn't really matter what new location you choose for jar file storage. However, if you put them somewhere within the Site directory then they will be carried forward upon upgrade. It is recommended that you have a logical structure for you custom drivers, so if the jars are for a DB driver then you should put them in an appropriately named sub-directory of the site/lib/java/db directory.