This website uses Cookies. Click Accept to agree to our website's cookie use as described in our Privacy Policy. Click Preferences to customize your cookie settings.
Accept
Reject
Preferences
FAQ
Synthetic Monitoring
Browser monitors, HTTP monitors, synthetic locations.
cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

📢 Changes to Upgrading Private Synthetic Locations on Ubuntu 20/22

Cezary_Tomaszew
Dynatrace Contributor
Dynatrace Contributor

‎02 Feb 2026 11:24 AM - edited ‎03 Feb 2026 10:15 AM

Hi, 

Starting February 10 (version Synthetic ActiveGate 331), we are upgrading the browser engine used for Private Synthetic locations from Chromium to Chrome for Testing for ActiveGates based on Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04.

Why are we making this change?

We are transitioning to a standardized, platform-independent solution to improve the reliability of your synthetic monitoring. Key benefits include:

  • Faster Security Updates: By removing dependencies on third-party package maintainers (like Canonical Snap), we can deliver vulnerability fixes significantly faster.
  • Improved Stability: Moving away from Snap packages eliminates specific limitations and stability issues associated with that format.
  • Standardization: Chrome for Testing provides a consistent execution environment, reducing complexity across different platforms.

 

What do I need to do?

  • If you use Automatic Updates: No manual action is required. The transition to the new engine will be applied automatically out-of-the-box.
  • If you use Manual Updates: You must adjust your installation procedure or automation scripts before or during your next ActiveGate update.

Action required for manual installations

Because the dependency is changing, the old installation commands (using snap for Chromium) are no longer valid. Please perform the following steps before or during your next Synthetic ActiveGate update:

  1. Stop the service: Stop the ActiveGate/Synthetic service.
  2. Update Installation Commands: Apply the new "Chrome for Testing" installation procedure found here: New Procedure: Chrome for Testing on Ubuntu (Note: The dedicated documentation for Ubuntu 20/22 will be published in mid-February. In the meantime, you can refer to the link above—currently showing the Ubuntu 24 procedure—as the steps are very similar.)
  3. Clean up (Optional): You may remove the previous Chromium snap version to save space (sudo snap remove chromium), as it is no longer needed.
  4. Start the service: Restart the service to resume testing.

 

What happens if I don't take action (Manual Updates only)?

If you rely on manual updates and do not adjust your procedures:

  • Update Failure: If you do not update your installation scripts, the update process will fail.
  • Outdated Browser: If the Synthetic location is not updated, you will not be utilizing the latest browser version for your browser monitors.

For reference, the deprecated Chromium procedure (which you should no longer use) is located here: Old Chromium Procedure.

Best regards,

Reply
0 REPLIES 0
Ask a question

Featured Posts