diff --git a/buildScript/dependencies.gradle b/buildScript/dependencies.gradle
index 262d6e1424..7ec4e5c35b 100644
--- a/buildScript/dependencies.gradle
+++ b/buildScript/dependencies.gradle
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ dependencies {
     // amazon s3 support
     implementation 'software.amazon.awssdk:s3-transfer-manager:2.33.11'
 
+    // jackson serialization support, including msgpack
+    implementation "org.msgpack:jackson-dataformat-msgpack:0.9.8"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:2.17.2"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-annotations:2.17.2"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.datatype:jackson-datatype-jsr310:2.17.2"
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/api/Async.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/api/Async.java
index bb058a2df2..df7956c576 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/api/Async.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/api/Async.java
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ private static void sendErrorResponse(int code, JobInfo info, String message, Ht
         }
         res.setStatus(code);
         info.setPhase(JobInfo.Phase.ERROR);
-        info.setError(new JobInfo.Error(code, message));
+        info.setErrorSummary(new JobInfo.ErrorSummary(message));
         sendResponse(JobUtil.toJson(info), res);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisService.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisService.java
index 438146dbf2..8f5863c8c0 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisService.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisService.java
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.cache.StringKey;
 import io.lettuce.core.*;
 import io.lettuce.core.api.StatefulRedisConnection;
+import io.lettuce.core.codec.ByteArrayCodec;
+import io.lettuce.core.codec.RedisCodec;
+import io.lettuce.core.codec.StringCodec;
 import io.lettuce.core.pubsub.StatefulRedisPubSubConnection;
 import io.lettuce.core.event.EventBus;
 import io.lettuce.core.event.connection.ConnectionActivatedEvent;
@@ -74,13 +77,15 @@ private enum SchemaVersion { V1_0, V1_1 }
     private static Instant failSince;
 
     private static RedisClient client;
-    private static StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> mainConn;
-    private static StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> scanConn;
-    private static StatefulRedisPubSubConnection<String, String> subPubConn;
+    private static StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> mainConn;
+    private static StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> scanConn;
+    private static StatefulRedisPubSubConnection<String, byte[]> subPubConn;
 
     private static final List<String> RESERVED_KEYS = List.of(ALL_JOB_CACHE_KEY);
     private static final AtomicBoolean initialized = new AtomicBoolean(false);
     private static final AtomicBoolean localStartupTriggered = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+    private static RedisCodec<String, byte[]> codec =
+            RedisCodec.of(StringCodec.UTF8, ByteArrayCodec.INSTANCE);
 
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Initialization
@@ -141,9 +146,9 @@ public static synchronized void init() throws Exception {
 
     private static void tryConnect() throws Exception{
         try {
-            mainConn = client.connect();
-            scanConn = client.connect();
-            subPubConn = client.connectPubSub();
+            mainConn = client.connect(codec);
+            scanConn = client.connect(codec);
+            subPubConn = client.connectPubSub(codec);
             LOG.info("Lettuce connections created. Auto-reconnect enabled.");
         } catch (Exception e) {
             LOG.error("Error connecting to Redis...");
@@ -189,19 +194,19 @@ public static boolean isConnected() {
     // Connection accessors
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    public static StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> mainConn() throws Exception {
+    public static StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> mainConn() throws Exception {
         return checkConn(mainConn);
     }
 
-    public static StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> scanConn() throws Exception {
+    public static StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> scanConn() throws Exception {
         return checkConn(scanConn);
     }
 
-    public static StatefulRedisPubSubConnection<String, String> pubSubConn() throws Exception {
+    public static StatefulRedisPubSubConnection<String, byte[]> pubSubConn() throws Exception {
         return checkConn(subPubConn);
     }
 
-    private static <T extends StatefulRedisConnection<String, String>> T checkConn(T conn)
+    private static <T extends StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>> T checkConn(T conn)
             throws Exception {
         if (conn == null) init();
         if (conn != null && conn.isOpen()) return conn;
@@ -510,15 +515,16 @@ private static void dataMigration() {
         if (isEmpty(cVersion) && isEmpty(jobCacheVersion)) {
             LOG.info("Migrating unversioned Redis data schema to version 1.0");
             LOG.info("  - change to composite job key; jobId:userKey");
-            int count = migrateRedisKeys();
+            int count = appendUserKeyToJobId();
             LOG.info("Migrated " + count + " job keys to new format");
             CacheManager.getDistributed().put(JOB_CACHE_VERSION_KEY, "1.0");
+            jobCacheVersion = "1.0";
         }
 
         // moving 1.0 to V1_1:
         // Rename key to SchemaVersion.  Apply version to the full Redis data structure and not just JobInfo.
         if (!isEmpty(jobCacheVersion)) {
-            LOG.info("Updating Redis data structure version from 1.0 to V1.1");
+            LOG.info("Updating Redis data structure version from 1.0 to V1_1");
             redisCache.remove(JOB_CACHE_VERSION_KEY);
             redisCache.put(VersionKey, SchemaVersion.V1_1.name());
         }
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/EmailNotification.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/EmailNotification.java
index 4a22e13844..3527252c45 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/EmailNotification.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/EmailNotification.java
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ public static void sendNotification(JobInfo jobInfo) {
             Logger.getLogger().info("No email address found for job: %s;  skip Email Notification".formatted(jobInfo.getJobId()));
             return;
         }
-        if (jobInfo.getError() != null) {
+        if (jobInfo.getErrorSummary() != null) {
 
-            String msg = failure.formatted(name, jobInfo.getJobId(), jobInfo.getError().msg(), contact);
+            String msg = failure.formatted(name, jobInfo.getJobId(), jobInfo.getErrorSummary().message(), contact);
             Try.it(() -> EMailUtil.sendMessage(new String[]{email}, null, null, subject, msg))
                     .getOrElse(e -> Logger.getLogger().error(e));
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/Job.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/Job.java
index debb637e00..c00f8cc8ca 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/Job.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/Job.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager.sendUpdate;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager.updateJobInfo;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.QueryUtil.combineErrorMsg;
-import static java.util.Optional.ofNullable;
 
 /**
  * Date: 9/29/21
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ default String call() {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             updateManagedStatus(ji -> {
                 String msg = combineErrorMsg(e.getMessage(), e.getCause() == null ? null : e.getCause().getMessage());
-                ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(500, msg));
+                ji.setErrorSummary(new JobInfo.ErrorSummary(msg));
             });
             Logger.getLogger().error(e);
         } finally {
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobInfo.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobInfo.java
index 4ef3481a6a..ccb86392d2 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobInfo.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobInfo.java
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.SrvParam;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.AppProperties;
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ public enum Phase {PENDING, QUEUED, EXECUTING, COMPLETED, ERROR, ABORTED, HELD,
     public static final String ERROR_SUMMARY = "errorSummary";
     public static final String ERROR_TYPE = "type";
     public static final String ERROR_MSG = "message";
+    public static final String ERROR_HAS_DETAILS = "hasDetail";
     public static final String META = "meta";
     public static final String JOB_INFO = "jobInfo";
 
@@ -83,9 +86,9 @@ public enum Phase {PENDING, QUEUED, EXECUTING, COMPLETED, ERROR, ABORTED, HELD,
     private Instant endTime;
     private int executionDuration = LIFE_SPAN;
     private Instant destruction;
-    private Map<String, String> params = new HashMap<>();
+    private Map<String, String> parameters = new HashMap<>();
     private List<Result> results = new ArrayList<>();
-    private Error error;
+    private ErrorSummary errorSummary;
 
     //meta contains essential information needed to manage the job
     final private Meta meta = new Meta();
@@ -113,6 +116,8 @@ public void setRunId(String runId) {
     public Meta getMeta() {
         return meta;
     }
+
+    @JsonProperty("jobInfo")
     public Aux getAux() {return aux; }
 
     public Phase getPhase() {
@@ -127,13 +132,13 @@ public void setPhase(Phase phase) {
         this.phase = phase;
     }
 
-    public Error getError() {
-        return error;
+    public ErrorSummary getErrorSummary() {
+        return errorSummary;
     }
 
-    public void setError(Error error) {
+    public void setErrorSummary(ErrorSummary errorSummary) {
         setPhase(Phase.ERROR);
-        this.error = error;
+        this.errorSummary = errorSummary;
     }
 
     public List<Result> getResults() {
@@ -145,11 +150,11 @@ public void setResults(List<Result> results) {
     }
 
     @Nonnull
-    public Map<String, String> getParams() {
-        return params;
+    public Map<String, String> getParameters() {
+        return parameters;
     }
 
-    public void setParams(Map<String,String> params) { this.params = params; }
+    public void setParameters(Map<String,String> parameters) { this.parameters = parameters; }
 
     public String getOwnerId() { return ownerId;}
 
@@ -187,7 +192,7 @@ public Instant getEndTime() {
     /**
      * @return how long this job may run in seconds.  zero implies unlimited execution duration.
      */
-    public long executionDuration() {
+    public long getExecutionDuration() {
         return executionDuration;
     }
     public void setExecutionDuration(int duration) { executionDuration = duration; }
@@ -195,8 +200,9 @@ public long executionDuration() {
     /**
      * @return a SrvParam from the flatten params map
      */
+    @JsonIgnore
     public SrvParam getSrvParams() {
-        return SrvParam.makeSrvParamSimpleMap(getMeta().getParams());
+        return SrvParam.makeSrvParamSimpleMap(getMeta().getParameters());
     }
 
     public void copyFrom(JobInfo uws) {
@@ -212,9 +218,9 @@ public void copyFrom(JobInfo uws) {
         this.endTime = uws.endTime;
         this.executionDuration = uws.executionDuration;
         this.destruction = uws.destruction;
-        this.params = new HashMap<>(uws.params);
+        this.parameters = new HashMap<>(uws.parameters);
         this.results = new ArrayList<>(uws.results);
-        this.error = uws.error;
+        this.errorSummary = uws.errorSummary;
         ifNotNull(uws.aux.getJobUrl()).apply(aux::setJobUrl);
         ifNotNull(uws.aux.getUserId()).apply(aux::setUserId);
         ifNotNull(uws.aux.getUserName()).apply(aux::setUserName);
@@ -226,7 +232,11 @@ public void copyFrom(JobInfo uws) {
 //
 //====================================================================
 
-    public record Error ( int code, String msg) implements Serializable {}
+    public record ErrorSummary(String message, String type, boolean hasDetail) implements Serializable {
+        public ErrorSummary(String message) {
+            this(message, "transient", true);
+        }
+    }
     public record Result(String id, String href, String mimeType, String size) implements Serializable {};
 
     /**
@@ -237,7 +247,7 @@ public record Result(String id, String href, String mimeType, String size) imple
     public static class Meta implements Serializable {
         String jobId;
         String runId;
-        Map<String, String> params = new HashMap<>();
+        Map<String, String> parameters = new HashMap<>();
         String userKey;
         Job.Type type;
         int progress;
@@ -258,8 +268,8 @@ public static class Meta implements Serializable {
         public String getRunId() { return runId; }
         public void setRunId(String runId) { this.runId = runId; }
 
-        public Map<String, String> getParams() { return params; }
-        public void setParams(Map<String, String> params) { this.params = params; }
+        public Map<String, String> getParameters() { return parameters; }
+        public void setParameters(Map<String, String> parameters) { this.parameters = parameters; }
 
         public String getUserKey() { return userKey; }
         public void setUserKey(String userKey) { this.userKey = userKey;}
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManager.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManager.java
index 236cbef171..944d40d643 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManager.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManager.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 import io.lettuce.core.ScanArgs;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.text.StrBuilder;
 import org.json.simple.JSONObject;
-import org.json.simple.parser.JSONParser;
 
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import java.io.Serializable;
@@ -68,8 +67,8 @@ public class JobManager {
 
     public static final String BG_INFO = "background.info";
     public static final String ALL_JOB_CACHE_KEY = "ALL_JOB_INFOS"; // cache key for all job infos
-    public static final long CLEANUP_INTVL_MINS = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.cleanup.interval", 12*60);          // run cleanup once every 12 hours
-    public static final int JOB_LIST_DEFAULT_LIMIT = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.list.default.limit", 100_000);    // the default limit for job list queries
+    public static final long CLEANUP_INTVL_MINS = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.cleanup.interval", 2*60);          // run cleanup once every 2 hours
+    public static final int JOB_LIST_DEFAULT_LIMIT = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.list.default.limit", 100_000);  // the default limit for job list queries
     private static final int KEEP_ALIVE_INTERVAL = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.keepalive.interval", 60);  // default keepalive interval in seconds
     private static final int WAIT_COMPLETE = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.wait.complete", 1);              // wait for complete after submit in seconds
     private static final int MAX_PACKAGERS = AppProperties.getIntProperty("job.max.packagers", 10);             // maximum number of simultaneous packaging threads
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ public class JobManager {
     private static final ExecutorService packagers = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(MAX_PACKAGERS);
     private static final ExecutorService searches = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
     private static final HashMap<String, JobEntry> runningJobs = new HashMap<>();
-    private static final DistribMapCache<JobInfo> allJobInfos = new DistribMapCache<>(ALL_JOB_CACHE_KEY, 0, new JobInfoSerializer()); // the all job hash should never expire
+    private static final DistribMapCache<JobInfo> allJobInfos = new DistribMapCache<>(ALL_JOB_CACHE_KEY, 0); // the all job hash should never expire
     private static final String COMPLETED_HANDLER = AppProperties.getProperty("job.completed.handler");
     public static final CacheKey JOB_CACHE_VERSION_KEY = new StringKey("job.all.cache.version");
 
@@ -124,18 +123,20 @@ public static List<JobInfo> list() {
             if (ids != null) importedJobIds.addAll(ids);
         });
         // update all userJobs with active status
-        userJobs.forEach(ji -> {
-            if (ji.getMeta().getType() == UWS &&
-                    isActive(ji) &&
-                    !importedJobIds.contains(ji.getMeta().getJobId())) {
-                JobInfo uws = Try.it(() -> getUwsJobInfo(ji.getAux().getJobUrl())).get();
-                if (uws == null) {
-                    LOG.debug("Job no longer exists:" + ji.getAux().getJobUrl());
-                    ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(404, "Job no longer exists"));
-                } else {
-                    mergeJobInfo(ji, uws, null, null);
+        userJobs.removeIf(ji -> {
+            if (isActive(ji)) {
+                if (ji.getMeta().getType() == UWS && !importedJobIds.contains(ji.getMeta().getJobId())) {
+                    // update UWS job status, if not already updated during import
+                    JobInfo uws = Try.it(() -> getUwsJobInfo(ji.getAux().getJobUrl())).get();
+                    if (uws == null) {
+                        LOG.debug("Job no longer exists:" + ji.getAux().getJobUrl());
+                        return true;    // remove job that no longer exists
+                    } else {
+                        mergeJobInfo(ji, uws, null, null);
+                    }
                 }
             }
+            return false;
         });
 
         return userJobs;
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ public static JobInfo submit(Job job) {
             ji.setCreationTime(start);
             ji.setDestruction(start.plus(JOB_TTL_DAYS, ChronoUnit.DAYS));
             ji.getMeta().setType(job.getType());
+            ji.getMeta().setRunHost(hostName());
         });
         // update Job after jobInfo has been created
         job.runAs(reqOwner);
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ public static JobInfo submit(Job job) {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             // job run() handles exceptions; this only happens if submit or future.get() fails
             sendUpdate(jobId, (ji) -> {
-                ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(500, e.getMessage()));
+                ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(e.getMessage()));
                 ji.getMeta().setProgress(100, null);
             });
             LOG.error(e);
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ public static JobInfo submit(Job job) {
 
     public static JobInfo abort(String jobId, String reason) {
         JobInfo info = updateJobInfo(jobId, (ji) -> {
-            if (reason != null) ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(500, reason));
+            if (reason != null) ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(reason));
             ji.setPhase(ABORTED);
         });
         if (info != null) {
@@ -219,7 +221,7 @@ public static JobInfo setMonitored(String jobId, boolean isMonitored) {
     }
 
     public static JobInfo sendEmail(String jobId, String email) {
-        updateJobInfo(jobId, (ji) -> ji.getMeta().getParams().put(EMAIL, email));
+        updateJobInfo(jobId, (ji) -> ji.getMeta().getParameters().put(EMAIL, email));
         JobInfo jobInfo = getJobInfo(jobId);
         if (jobInfo != null) EmailNotification.sendNotification(jobInfo);
         return jobInfo;
@@ -426,7 +428,6 @@ private static void initNewJob(JobInfo ji) {
         ji.getMeta().setJobId(ji.getJobId());
         ji.getMeta().setUserKey(reqOwner.getUserKey());
         ji.getMeta().setEventConnId(reqOwner.getEventConnID());
-        ji.getMeta().setRunHost(hostName());
         ji.getMeta().setAppUrl(ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getBaseUrl());
         ji.getMeta().setMonitored(true);                // all async jobs are monitored by default
 
@@ -468,7 +469,7 @@ private static void checkJobs() {
 
         // kill expired jobs
         getRunningJobs().forEach(fi -> {
-                    long duration = fi.executionDuration();
+                    long duration = fi.getExecutionDuration();
                     if (duration != 0 && fi.getStartTime().plus(duration, ChronoUnit.SECONDS).isBefore(Instant.now())) {
                         abort(fi.getMeta().getJobId(), "Exceeded execution duration");
                     }
@@ -565,13 +566,24 @@ public static void cleanup() {
         List<JobInfo> jobs = getAllJobs();
         jobs.forEach(job -> {
             CacheKey k = cacheKey(job);
-            if (!job.getMeta().isMonitored() && job.getEndTime().plus(1, ChronoUnit.HOURS).isBefore(Instant.now())) {
-                LOG.info("  Removing non-monitored job: " + k);
+            var endTime = job.getEndTime();
+            if (endTime == null) return;   // skip active jobs
+
+            if (!job.getMeta().isMonitored() && endTime.plus(1, ChronoUnit.HOURS).isBefore(Instant.now())) {
+                LOG.info("Removing non-monitored job: " + k);
                 allJobInfos.remove(k);      // remove non-monitored job after 1 hour
+            } else if (isActive(job) && hostName().equals(job.getMeta().getRunHost())) {
+                if (job.getMeta().getType() != UWS && !runningJobs.containsKey(job.getMeta().getJobId())) {
+                    // if the job is active and supposed to run on this host, but we don't have record of it running, remove it
+                    LOG.info("Removing orphan active job: " + k);
+                    allJobInfos.remove(k);
+                }
             } else {
                 Instant desDate = job.getDestruction();
-                desDate = desDate == null ? job.getCreationTime().plus(JOB_TTL_DAYS, ChronoUnit.DAYS) : desDate;        // ensure destruction date has a value
-                if (desDate.isBefore(Instant.now())) {
+                if (desDate == null) {
+                    desDate = job.getCreationTime() == null ? null : job.getCreationTime().plus(JOB_TTL_DAYS, ChronoUnit.DAYS);        // ensure destruction date has a value
+                }
+                if (desDate != null && desDate.isBefore(Instant.now())) {
                     LOG.info("  Removing expired job: " + k);
                     allJobInfos.remove(k);
                 }
@@ -580,28 +592,6 @@ public static void cleanup() {
         LOG.info("JobInfo cleanup finished");
     }
 
-    /**
-     * This serializer is used to serialize JobInfo objects for storage in the cache.
-     * Instead of using the default Java serialization, it uses a JSON string.
-     */
-    private static class JobInfoSerializer implements DistribMapCache.Serializer<JobInfo> {
-
-        public String serialize(Object obj) {
-            if (obj instanceof JobInfo jobInfo) {
-                return toJson(jobInfo);
-            }
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        public JobInfo deserialize(String str) throws Exception{
-            if (str != null) {
-                return toJobInfo((JSONObject) new JSONParser().parse(str));
-            }
-            return null;
-        }
-    }
-
-
 //====================================================================
 //  Utilities: adhoc use cases
 //====================================================================
@@ -610,7 +600,7 @@ public JobInfo deserialize(String str) throws Exception{
      * Migrate all Redis keys that do not have userKey in the key to the new format.
      * @return the number of keys migrated
      */
-    public static int migrateRedisKeys() {
+    public static int appendUserKeyToJobId() {
         // For keys without userKey, we need to migrate them to the new format where userKey is appended to the jobId.
         int count = 0;
         for(CacheKey key : allJobInfos.getKeys()) {
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobUtil.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobUtil.java
index dc3b3de8d9..d80e5e9777 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobUtil.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobUtil.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.Logger;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.util.Ref;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.AppProperties;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer;
 import org.json.simple.JSONArray;
 import org.json.simple.JSONObject;
 import org.w3c.dom.Document;
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@
 import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.Base64;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -116,8 +116,7 @@ public static String jobIdToDir(String jobId) {
     }
 
     public static String toJson(JobInfo info) {
-        JSONObject jsonObject = toJsonObject(info);
-        return jsonObject == null ? "null" : jsonObject.toJSONString();
+        return info == null ? "null" : Serializer.toJsonString(info);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -222,16 +221,17 @@ public static JSONObject toJsonObject(JobInfo info) {
         applyIfNotEmpty(info.getCreationTime(), v -> rval.put(CREATION_TIME, v.toString()));
         applyIfNotEmpty(info.getStartTime(), v -> rval.put(START_TIME, v.toString()));
         applyIfNotEmpty(info.getEndTime(), v -> rval.put(END_TIME, v.toString()));
-        applyIfNotEmpty(info.executionDuration(), v -> rval.put(EXECUTION_DURATION, v));
+        applyIfNotEmpty(info.getExecutionDuration(), v -> rval.put(EXECUTION_DURATION, v));
         applyIfNotEmpty(info.getDestruction(), v -> rval.put(DESTRUCTION, v.toString()));
 
-        if (!info.getParams().isEmpty()) rval.put(PARAMETERS, info.getParams());
+        if (!info.getParameters().isEmpty()) rval.put(PARAMETERS, info.getParameters());
         if (!info.getResults().isEmpty())  rval.put(RESULTS, toResults(info.getResults()));
 
-        applyIfNotEmpty(info.getError(), v -> {
+        applyIfNotEmpty(info.getErrorSummary(), v -> {
             JSONObject errSum = new JSONObject();
-            errSum.put(ERROR_MSG, v.msg());
-            errSum.put(ERROR_TYPE, v.code() < 500 ? "fatal" : "transient");     // 5xx are typically system error, e.g. server down.
+            errSum.put(ERROR_MSG, v.message());
+            ifNotNull(v.type()).apply((t) -> errSum.put(ERROR_TYPE, t));
+            errSum.put(ERROR_HAS_DETAILS, v.hasDetail());
             rval.put(ERROR_SUMMARY, errSum);
         });
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ public static JSONObject toJsonObject(JobInfo info) {
         applyIfNotEmpty(meta.getRunHost(), v -> jsonMeta.put(RUN_HOST, v));
         applyIfNotEmpty(meta.getSendNotif(), v -> jsonMeta.put(SEND_NOTIF, v));
 
-        if (!meta.getParams().isEmpty()) jsonMeta.put(PARAMETERS, meta.getParams());
+        if (!meta.getParameters().isEmpty()) jsonMeta.put(PARAMETERS, meta.getParameters());
 
         return rval;
     }
@@ -279,14 +279,14 @@ public static JobInfo toJobInfo(JSONObject json) {
         ifNotNull(json.get(EXECUTION_DURATION)).apply(v -> rval.setExecutionDuration(((Long) v).intValue()));
         ifNotNull(json.get(DESTRUCTION)).apply(v -> rval.setDestruction(Instant.parse(v.toString())));
 
-        ifNotNull(toParameters(json.get(PARAMETERS))).apply(p -> rval.setParams(p));
+        ifNotNull(toParameters(json.get(PARAMETERS))).apply(p -> rval.setParameters(p));
         ifNotNull(toResults(json.get(RESULTS))).apply(r -> rval.setResults(r));
 
         ifNotNull(json.get(ERROR_SUMMARY)).apply(v -> {
             if (v instanceof JSONObject jo) {
                 int code = getInt(jo.get(ERROR_TYPE), 500);
                 String msg = String.valueOf(jo.get(ERROR_MSG));
-                rval.setError(new JobInfo.Error(code, msg));
+                rval.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(msg));
             }
         });
         ifNotNull(json.get(META)).apply(v -> {
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ public static JobInfo toJobInfo(JSONObject json) {
                 ifNotNull(ji.get(RUN_HOST)).apply(s -> rval.getMeta().setRunHost(s.toString()));
                 ifNotNull(ji.get(SEND_NOTIF)).apply(o -> rval.getMeta().setSendNotif((Boolean) o));
 
-                ifNotNull(toParameters(ji.get(PARAMETERS))).apply(p -> rval.getMeta().setParams(p));
+                ifNotNull(toParameters(ji.get(PARAMETERS))).apply(p -> rval.getMeta().setParameters(p));
             }
         });
         ifNotNull(json.get(JOB_INFO)).apply(v -> {
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/ServCmdJob.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/ServCmdJob.java
index 8d55128051..461c9158e5 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/ServCmdJob.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/ServCmdJob.java
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.ServerContext;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.SrvParam;
 
-import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager.*;
@@ -53,8 +52,8 @@ public void setJobId(String jobId) {
         this.jobId = jobId;
         updateJobInfo(jobId, ji -> {
             Map<String, String> p = params.flatten();
-            ji.getMeta().setParams(p);
-            ji.setParams(p);    // for non-uws searches.
+            ji.getMeta().setParameters(p);
+            ji.setParameters(p);    // for non-uws searches.
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/FileInfo.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/FileInfo.java
index 77e77cbf63..a76997f9be 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/FileInfo.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/FileInfo.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.network.HttpServiceInput;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.StringUtils;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.cache.CacheKey;
@@ -22,7 +23,11 @@
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.HttpResultInfo.SIZE_IN_BYTES;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.HttpResultInfo.SUFFIX;
 
-
+@JsonAutoDetect(
+        fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY,
+        getterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE,
+        setterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE
+)
 public class FileInfo implements HasAccessInfo, Serializable, CacheKey {
 
     public static final String INTERNAL_NAME= "internalName";
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/RelatedData.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/RelatedData.java
index b63afa392f..3cc425fe75 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/RelatedData.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/RelatedData.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.visualize.RequestType;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.visualize.WebPlotRequest;
 
@@ -15,6 +16,11 @@
 /**
 * @author Trey Roby
 */
+@JsonAutoDetect(
+        fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY,
+        getterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE,
+        setterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE
+)
 public class RelatedData implements Serializable, HasSizeOf {
     public static final String IMAGE_OVERLAY= "IMAGE_OVERLAY";
     public static final String IMAGE_MASK= "IMAGE_MASK";
@@ -36,6 +42,8 @@ public class RelatedData implements Serializable, HasSizeOf {
     private long size= 0;
 
 
+    protected RelatedData() {this(null, null, null);}
+
     private RelatedData(String dataType, String dataKey, String desc) {
         this.dataType= dataType;
         this.dataKey= dataKey;
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/userdata/UserInfo.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/userdata/UserInfo.java
index 0f6bd84e1a..5d982e2559 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/userdata/UserInfo.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/data/userdata/UserInfo.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
  */
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.userdata;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
+
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -11,6 +13,11 @@
  * @author tatianag
  * @version $Id: UserInfo.java,v 1.15 2012/07/16 23:30:10 loi Exp $
  */
+@JsonAutoDetect(
+        fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY,
+        getterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE,
+        setterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE
+)
 public class UserInfo implements Serializable {
 
     public static final String GUEST = "Guest";
@@ -81,10 +88,7 @@ public void setLastName(String lastName) {
         setProperty(LASTNAME, lastName);
     }
 
-    public String getEmail() {
-        String email = getProperty(EMAIL);
-        return email == null ? getLoginName() : email;
-    }
+    public String getEmail() { return getProperty(EMAIL);}
 
     public void setEmail(String email) {
         setProperty(EMAIL, email);
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/messaging/Messenger.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/messaging/Messenger.java
index 0fe6c2d595..d9b5ef376a 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/messaging/Messenger.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/messaging/Messenger.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList;
 
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util.Opt.ifNotEmpty;
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.fromUtf8;
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.toUtf8;
 
 /**
  * An implementation of publish-subscribe messaging pattern based on Jedis client and Redis backend.
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ public static Map<String, List<Subscriber>> getSubscribers() {
      */
     public static void publish(String topic, Message msg) {
         try {
-            RedisService.mainConn().async().publish(topic, msg.toJson());
+            RedisService.mainConn().async().publish(topic, fromUtf8(msg.toJson()));
         } catch (Exception e) {
             LOG.error(e, "Error publishing message to topic: " + topic);
         }
@@ -118,9 +120,10 @@ public static void publish(Message msg) {
 // A single Listener that dispatches messages to all subscribers
 //====================================================================
 
-    private static class RedisPubListener extends RedisPubSubAdapter<String, String> {
+    private static class RedisPubListener extends RedisPubSubAdapter<String, byte[]> {
         @Override
-        public void message(String channel, String message) {
+        public void message(String channel, byte[] raw) {
+            String message = toUtf8(raw);
             LOG.trace("Received message from channel [" + channel + "]: " + message);
             List<Subscriber> subs = subscribers.get(channel);
             if (subs != null) {
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistribMapCache.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistribMapCache.java
index e9840cadf0..8ec31e9a3d 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistribMapCache.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistribMapCache.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public DistribMapCache(String mapKey, long ttl) {
         this(mapKey, ttl, new DefaultImpl<>());
     }
 
-    public DistribMapCache(String mapKey, long ttl, Serializer<T> serializer) {
+    public DistribMapCache(String mapKey, long ttl, ValueSerializer<T> serializer) {
         super(serializer);
         this.mapKey = mapKey;
         this.ttl = ttl;
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ public List<T> getValuesFor(ScanArgs scanArgs) {
             ScanCursor cursor = ScanCursor.INITIAL;
 
             do {
-                MapScanCursor<String, String> scanResult = redis.hscan(mapKey, cursor, scanArgs);
-                for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry : scanResult.getMap().entrySet()) {
+                MapScanCursor<String, byte[]> scanResult = redis.hscan(mapKey, cursor, scanArgs);
+                for (Map.Entry<String, byte[]> entry : scanResult.getMap().entrySet()) {
                     result.add(deserialize(entry.getValue()));
                 }
                 cursor = scanResult;   // advance cursor
@@ -64,15 +64,15 @@ public List<T> getValuesFor(ScanArgs scanArgs) {
 //  override for Redis Map implementation
 //====================================================================
 
-    String get(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    byte[] get(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis, String key) {
         return redis.sync().hget(mapKey, key);
     }
 
-    void del(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    void del(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis, String key) {
         redis.sync().hdel(mapKey, key);
     }
 
-    void set(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key, String value) {
+    void set(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis, String key, byte[] value) {
         var sync = redis.sync();
         sync.hset(mapKey, key, value);
         if (ttl > 0) {
@@ -82,19 +82,19 @@ void set(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key, String value
         }
     }
 
-    void setex(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key, String value, long ttl) {
+    void setex(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis, String key, byte[] value, long ttl) {
         set(redis, key, value); // ttl is managed at the map level, not individual keys
     }
 
-    List<String> keys(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis) {
+    List<String> keys(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis) {
         return new ArrayList<>(redis.sync().hkeys(mapKey));
     }
 
-    boolean exists(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    boolean exists(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis, String key) {
         return redis.sync().hexists(mapKey, key);
     }
 
-    long size(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis) {
+    long size(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]>  redis) {
         return redis.sync().hlen(mapKey);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistributedCache.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistributedCache.java
index 937f486c93..0580dd17de 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistributedCache.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/cache/DistributedCache.java
@@ -5,17 +5,21 @@
 
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.RedisService;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobInfo;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.Logger;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.AppProperties;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.cache.Cache;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.cache.CacheKey;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.cache.StringKey;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer;
 import io.lettuce.core.api.StatefulRedisConnection;
 
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.*;
+
 /**
  * This class provides an implementation of a distributed cache using Redis.
  * <p>
@@ -35,26 +39,26 @@
  * @version $Id: EhcacheImpl.java,v 1.8 2009/12/16 21:43:25 loi Exp $
  */
 public class DistributedCache<T> implements Cache<T> {
-    public static final int DEF_TTL = AppProperties.getIntProperty("dist.cache.ttl.hours", 14*24) * 60 * 60;   // default to 14 days in seconds
+    public static final int DEF_TTL = AppProperties.getIntProperty("dist.cache.ttl.hours", 7*24) * 60 * 60;   // default to 7 days in seconds
     static final Logger.LoggerImpl LOG = Logger.getLogger();
     private static final String BASE64 = "BASE64::";
     private transient Predicate<T> getValidator;
 
-    private final Serializer<T> serializer;      // required; default is DefaultImpl
+    private final ValueSerializer<T> serializer;      // required; default is DefaultImpl
 
     public DistributedCache() {
         this(new DefaultImpl<>());
     }
-    public DistributedCache(Serializer<T> serializer) {
+    public DistributedCache(ValueSerializer<T> serializer) {
         this.serializer = serializer;
     }
 
 
-    String serialize(Object value) {
+    byte[] serialize(Object value) {
         return serializer.serialize(value);
     }
 
-    T deserialize(String value) throws Exception {
+    T deserialize(byte[] value) throws Exception {
         return serializer.deserialize(value);
     }
 
@@ -134,33 +138,33 @@ public long getSize() {
 // Implementation of redis string;  override for map, list, and set.
 //====================================================================
 
-    String  get(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    byte[] get(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis, String key) {
         return redis.sync().get(key);
     }
 
-    void del(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    void del(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis, String key) {
         redis.sync().del(key);
     }
 
-    void set(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key, String value) {
+    void set(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis, String key, byte[] value) {
         redis.sync().set(key, value);
     }
 
-    void setex(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key, String value, long lifespanInSecs) {
+    void setex(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis, String key, byte[] value, long lifespanInSecs) {
         redis.sync().setex(key, lifespanInSecs, value);
     }
 
     @Nonnull
-    List<String> keys(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis) {
+    List<String> keys(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis) {
         var keys = redis.sync().keys("*");
         return keys == null ? List.of() : keys.stream().toList();
     }
 
-    boolean exists(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis, String key) {
+    boolean exists(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis, String key) {
         return redis.sync().exists(key) > 0;
     }
 
-    long size(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis) {
+    long size(StatefulRedisConnection<String, byte[]> redis) {
         return redis.sync().dbsize();
     }
 
@@ -168,30 +172,42 @@ long size(StatefulRedisConnection<String, String> redis) {
 //  Utility functions
 //====================================================================
 
-    public interface Serializer<T> {
-        String serialize(Object object);
-        T deserialize(String s) throws Exception;
+    public interface ValueSerializer<T> {
+        byte[] serialize(Object object);
+        T deserialize(byte[] s) throws Exception;
     }
 
     /**
      * Default implementation of the Serializer.  It serializes objects to Base64 strings
      * using java serialization.  When the object is a String, it returns the string directly.
      */
-    public static class DefaultImpl<T> implements Serializer<T> {
+    public static class DefaultImpl<T> implements ValueSerializer<T> {
 
-        public String serialize(Object object) {
+        public byte[] serialize(Object object) {
             if (object == null) return null;
-            if (object instanceof String v) {
-                return v;
-            } else {
-                return BASE64 + Util.serialize(object);
-            }
+            return Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(object);
         }
 
-        public T deserialize(String s) throws Exception {
-            if (s == null) return null;
-            return !s.startsWith(BASE64) ? (T) s : (T) Util.deserialize(s.substring(BASE64.length()));
+        public T deserialize(byte[] raw) throws Exception {
+            if (raw == null) return null;
+            // prior to MsgPack, JobInfo was stored as JSON string
+            // for the time being, we will add special case here
+            // it may be removed in the future
+            if (looksLikeJson(raw)) {
+                try {
+                    return (T) Serializer.fromJson(toUtf8(raw), JobInfo.class);
+                } catch (Exception ignored) {}
+            }
+            var val = Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(raw);
+            if (val instanceof String s) {
+                if (s.startsWith(BASE64)) {
+                    return (T) Util.deserialize(s.substring(BASE64.length()));
+                } else {
+                    return (T) s;
+                }
+            } else {
+                return (T) val;
+            }
         }
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ReplicatedQueueList.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ReplicatedQueueList.java
index fe58cda927..078511b963 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ReplicatedQueueList.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ReplicatedQueueList.java
@@ -16,23 +16,25 @@
 /**
  * @author Trey Roby
  */
-class ReplicatedQueueList {
+public class ReplicatedQueueList {
 
    private static final StringKey HOST_NAME= new StringKey(FileUtil.getHostname());
    private static final String REP_QUEUE_MAP = "ReplicatedEventQueueMap";
-   private static Cache<List<ServerEventQueue>> getCache() {
+   private static Cache<EventQueueList> getCache() {
        return CacheManager.getDistributedMap(REP_QUEUE_MAP);
    }
 
+   public record EventQueueList(List<ServerEventQueue> items) {}
+
    synchronized void setQueueListForNode(List<ServerEventQueue> list)  {
-      getCache().put(HOST_NAME, list);
+      getCache().put(HOST_NAME, new EventQueueList(list));
    }
 
    synchronized List<ServerEventQueue> getCombinedNodeList()  {
        List<ServerEventQueue> retList= new ArrayList<>();
-       Cache<List<ServerEventQueue>> cache= getCache();
+       Cache<EventQueueList> cache= getCache();
        for(CacheKey k : cache.getKeys()) {
-           retList.addAll(cache.get(k));
+           retList.addAll(cache.get(k).items);
        }
        return retList;
    }
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ServerEventQueue.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ServerEventQueue.java
index 9a524b6673..88a333cb97 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ServerEventQueue.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/events/ServerEventQueue.java
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ public class ServerEventQueue implements Serializable {
     private String userKey;
     private transient long lastPutTime= 0;
 
+    protected ServerEventQueue() {
+        this.eventTerminal = null;
+    }
+
     public ServerEventQueue(String connID, String channel, String userKey, EventConnector terminal) {
         this.connID = connID;
         this.channel = channel;
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/EmbeddedDbProcessor.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/EmbeddedDbProcessor.java
index 3cd833dcd0..fa0e1b7dbb 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/EmbeddedDbProcessor.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/EmbeddedDbProcessor.java
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.db.DuckDbReadable;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.Logger;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.table.TableUtil;
-import edu.caltech.ipac.table.io.IpacTableException;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.table.io.IpacTableWriter;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.table.io.RegionTableWriter;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.table.io.VoTableWriter;
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util.Opt.ifNotNull;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.TableServerRequest.TBL_INDEX;
@@ -164,7 +162,7 @@ public DataGroupPart getData(ServerRequest request) throws DataAccessException {
                     results = EmbeddedDbUtil.toDataGroupPart(dg, treq);
                     String error = dbAdapter.handleSqlExp("", e).getCause().getMessage(); // get the message describing the cause of the exception.
                     results.setErrorMsg(error);
-                    sendJobUpdate(ji -> ji.setError( new JobInfo.Error(500, error)));      // because an error table is returned
+                    sendJobUpdate(ji -> ji.setErrorSummary( new JobInfo.ErrorSummary(error)));      // because an error table is returned
                 } else {
                     throw e;
                 }
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/UwsJobProcessor.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/UwsJobProcessor.java
index 77791b3986..38bd19d986 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/UwsJobProcessor.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/query/UwsJobProcessor.java
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.Job;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager;
-import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobUtil;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.TableServerRequest;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.network.HttpServiceInput;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.network.HttpServices;
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
-import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util.Opt.ifNotEmpty;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util.Opt.ifNotNull;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobInfo.*;
 import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager.getJobInfo;
@@ -90,7 +88,7 @@ public void onAbort() {
                     // instead, we will query the jobUrl directly to see if it's aborted
                     JobInfo jobInfo = Try.it(() -> getUwsJobInfo(jobUrl)).get();
                     if (jobInfo == null || jobInfo.getPhase() != Phase.ABORTED) {
-                        String msg = ifNotNull(jobInfo.getError().msg()).getOrElse("Job cannot be aborted");
+                        String msg = ifNotNull(jobInfo.getErrorSummary().message()).getOrElse("Job cannot be aborted");
                         return new Status(400, "Failed to abort: %s".formatted(msg) );
                     }
                     return Status.ok();         // aborted or no longer active
@@ -99,7 +97,7 @@ public void onAbort() {
         if (status.isError()) {
             logger.warn(status.getErrMsg());
             sendJobUpdate(ji -> {
-                ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(status.getStatusCode(), status.getErrMsg()));
+                ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(status.getErrMsg()));
             });
         } else {
             logger.info("UWS job aborted: " + jobUrl);
@@ -130,7 +128,7 @@ public DataGroup fetchDataGroup(TableServerRequest req) throws DataAccessExcepti
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             updateJob(ji -> {
-                ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(400, e.getMessage()));
+                ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(e.getMessage()));
                 ji.getMeta().setProgress(100);
             });
             throw new DataAccessException(e.getMessage());
@@ -147,7 +145,7 @@ public DataGroup fetchDataGroup(TableServerRequest req) throws DataAccessExcepti
                 JobInfo uwsJob = getUwsJobInfo(jobUrl);
                 if (uwsJob == null) {
                     String msg = "Failed to retrieve UWS job info";
-                    sendJobUpdate(ji -> ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(500, msg)));
+                    sendJobUpdate(ji -> ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(msg)));
                     throw new DataAccessException(msg);
                 }
 
@@ -165,11 +163,11 @@ public DataGroup fetchDataGroup(TableServerRequest req) throws DataAccessExcepti
                     updateJob(ji -> ji.setPhase(Phase.PENDING));
                     throw new DataAccessException("The job was submitted, but no execution request has been made.");
                 } else if (phase == Phase.ERROR) {
-                    JobInfo.Error error = getError(uwsJob, jobUrl);
-                    updateJob(ji -> ji.setError(error));
-                    throw new DataAccessException("Job has failed with the error: " + error.msg());
+                    ErrorSummary error = getError(uwsJob, jobUrl);
+                    updateJob(ji -> ji.setErrorSummary(error));
+                    throw new DataAccessException("Job has failed with the error: " + error.message());
                 } else if (phase == Phase.UNKNOWN) {
-                    updateJob(ji -> ji.setError(new JobInfo.Error(500, "Unknown phase")));
+                    updateJob(ji -> ji.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary("Unknown phase")));
                     throw new DataAccessException("The job is in an unknown state");
                 } else {
                     int wait = cnt < 3 ? 500 : cnt < 20 ? 1000 : 2000;
@@ -344,8 +342,8 @@ public static Phase getPhase(String jobUrl) throws DataAccessException {
         }
     }
 
-    public static JobInfo.Error getError(JobInfo uwsJob, String jobUrl)  {
-        JobInfo.Error jobError = uwsJob.getError();
+    public static ErrorSummary getError(JobInfo uwsJob, String jobUrl)  {
+        ErrorSummary jobError = uwsJob.getErrorSummary();
         if (jobError != null) return jobError; // error is a part of the job resource
         else { // error document maybe present at /error endpoint of the job
             String errorUrl = jobUrl + "/error";
@@ -356,7 +354,7 @@ public static JobInfo.Error getError(JobInfo uwsJob, String jobUrl)  {
                     return new HttpServices.Status(500, "Unexpected exception: " + e.getMessage());
                 }
             });
-            return new JobInfo.Error(status.getStatusCode(), status.getErrMsg());
+            return new ErrorSummary(status.getErrMsg());
         }
     }
 
@@ -427,9 +425,9 @@ public static JobInfo convertToJobInfo(Document doc) throws Exception {
                 for (int i = 0; i < plist.getLength(); i++) {
                     Node p = plist.item(i);
                     String key = getAttr(p, "id");
-                    String val = jobInfo.getParams().get(key);
+                    String val = jobInfo.getParameters().get(key);
                     val = isEmpty(val) ? p.getTextContent() : val + PARAM_DELIM + p.getTextContent();
-                    jobInfo.getParams().put(key, val);
+                    jobInfo.getParameters().put(key, val);
                 }
             });
 
@@ -450,10 +448,10 @@ public static JobInfo convertToJobInfo(Document doc) throws Exception {
 
             applyIfNotEmpty(getEl(root, prefix + ERROR_SUMMARY), errsum -> {
                 String type = errsum.getAttribute(ERROR_TYPE);
-                int code = type.equals("transient") ? 500 : 400;
+                String hasDetails = errsum.getAttribute(ERROR_HAS_DETAILS);
                 String msg = getVal(errsum, prefix + ERROR_MSG);
                 if (!isEmpty(msg)) {
-                    jobInfo.setError(new JobInfo.Error(code, msg));
+                    jobInfo.setErrorSummary(new ErrorSummary(msg, type, Boolean.parseBoolean(hasDetails)));
                 }
             });
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/servlets/ServerStatus.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/servlets/ServerStatus.java
index 6827899bc3..78410fca4a 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/servlets/ServerStatus.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/servlets/ServerStatus.java
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@ protected void processRequest(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res) t
             if (execGC) System.gc();            // force garbage collection.
             if (execRedisCleanup) {
                 long keyCount = RedisService.cleanupStaleKeys();    // manually clean up stale Redis keys
-                writer.println("* Redis cleanup completed. Number of keys removed: " + keyCount);
+                writer.println("* Redis cleanupStaleKeys completed. Number of keys removed: " + keyCount);
+                JobManager.cleanup();
+                writer.println("* JobManager cleanup completed.  Check redis CACHE USAGE SUMMARY for details.");
                 skip(writer);
             }
 
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/util/multipart/UploadFileInfo.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/util/multipart/UploadFileInfo.java
index 56e394f7e6..6897726998 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/util/multipart/UploadFileInfo.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/util/multipart/UploadFileInfo.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.multipart;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.FileInfo;
 
 import java.io.File;
@@ -14,6 +15,11 @@
  * @author loi
  * @version $Id: UploadFileInfo.java,v 1.1 2010/07/29 00:37:05 loi Exp $
  */
+@JsonAutoDetect(
+        fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY,
+        getterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE,
+        setterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE
+)
 public class UploadFileInfo implements Serializable {
     private String pname;
     private File file;
@@ -23,6 +29,8 @@ public class UploadFileInfo implements Serializable {
     private long size;
     private transient FileInfo fileInfo;
 
+    protected UploadFileInfo() {}
+
     public UploadFileInfo(String pname, File file, String fileName, String contentType, int responseCode) {
         this.pname = pname;
         this.file = file;
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/visualize/ProgressStat.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/visualize/ProgressStat.java
index 35af616472..b6796e328d 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/visualize/ProgressStat.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/server/visualize/ProgressStat.java
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ public enum PType { DOWNLOADING, READING, CREATING, OTHER, GROUP, SUCCESS, FAIL
     private final String plotId;
     private final List<String> memberIDList;
 
+    protected ProgressStat() {this(null, null, null, null);}
+
     public ProgressStat(String id, String plotId, PType type, String message) {
         this.id = id;
         this.plotId = plotId;
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/util/event/Name.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/util/event/Name.java
index 5d2bb97d82..a7cf4b382a 100644
--- a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/util/event/Name.java
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/util/event/Name.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 package edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.util.event;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
 import edu.caltech.ipac.util.ComparisonUtil;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
@@ -17,6 +18,11 @@
 /**
  * @author Trey Roby
  */
+@JsonAutoDetect(
+        fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY,
+        getterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE,
+        setterVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.NONE
+)
 public class Name implements Serializable {
 
     public static final Name EVT_CONN_EST =  new Name("EVT_CONN_EST",
diff --git a/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/Serializer.java b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/Serializer.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d094f160a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/firefly/java/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/Serializer.java
@@ -0,0 +1,274 @@
+/*
+ * License information at https://github.com/Caltech-IPAC/firefly/blob/master/License.txt
+ */
+
+package edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization;
+
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonInclude;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.DeserializationFeature;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.SerializationFeature;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.datatype.jsr310.JavaTimeModule;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.events.ReplicatedQueueList;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.events.ServerEventQueue;
+import org.msgpack.jackson.dataformat.MessagePackFactory;
+import org.msgpack.core.MessagePack;
+import org.msgpack.core.MessageUnpacker;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.FileInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.ServerEvent;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.userdata.UserInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.multipart.UploadFileInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.visualize.ProgressStat;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+public final class Serializer {
+
+    private static final ObjectMapper JSON_MAPPER = baseMapper(new ObjectMapper());
+    private static final ObjectMapper MSGPACK_MAPPER = baseMapper(new ObjectMapper(new MessagePackFactory()));
+
+    private static ObjectMapper baseMapper(ObjectMapper mapper) {
+        mapper.registerModule(new JavaTimeModule());
+        mapper.disable(SerializationFeature.WRITE_DATES_AS_TIMESTAMPS);
+        mapper.disable(DeserializationFeature.FAIL_ON_UNKNOWN_PROPERTIES);  // Unknown properties are silently ignored
+        mapper.setSerializationInclusion(JsonInclude.Include.NON_EMPTY);    // Omits fields that are empty (lists, strings, arrays, maps) during serialization
+        return mapper;
+    }
+
+    public static ObjectMapper getJsonMapper() { return JSON_MAPPER; }
+    public static ObjectMapper getMsgpackMapper() { return MSGPACK_MAPPER; }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Typed MessagePack envelope format; Class type is stored as part of the payload.
+     *   [ 0xC1 0xC1 0x01 ]  (magic + version; invalid UTF-8 bytes prevent text collision)
+     *   [ u16 typeId ]     (unsigned short)
+     *   [ msgpack bytes ]  (payload)
+     */
+    private static final byte[] TYPED_MAGIC = new byte[] { (byte) 0xC1, (byte) 0xC1, (byte) 0x01 };
+
+    /**
+     * Registry: typeId <-> class.
+     * Keep IDs stable over time.  Add new types by appending new IDs; don't renumber.
+     * NOTE: You must register any types you intend to deserialize.
+     * This keeps the payload small while still allowing automatic type resolution during deserialization.
+     */
+    private static final Map<Short, Class<?>> ID_TO_CLASS;
+    private static final Map<Class<?>, Short> CLASS_TO_ID;
+
+    static {
+        // Register a type id <-> class mapping for typed MessagePack.
+        Map<Short, Class<?>> idToClass = Map.ofEntries(
+                Map.entry((short) 1, File.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 2, Character.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 100, JobInfo.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 101, FileInfo.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 102, JobManager.BackGroundInfo.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 103, UserInfo.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 104, ProgressStat.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 105, UploadFileInfo.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 106, ServerEvent.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 107, ServerEventQueue.class),
+                Map.entry((short) 108, ReplicatedQueueList.EventQueueList.class)
+        );
+        Map<Short, Class<?>> id2c = new HashMap<>(idToClass);
+        Map<Class<?>, Short> c2id = new HashMap<>(id2c.size() * 2);
+
+        for (Map.Entry<Short, Class<?>> e : id2c.entrySet()) {
+            Short id = e.getKey();
+            Class<?> cls = e.getValue();
+            if (id == null || cls == null) continue;
+            if (c2id.containsKey(cls)) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Duplicate class registered: " + cls.getName());
+            }
+            c2id.put(cls, id);
+        }
+        ID_TO_CLASS = Collections.unmodifiableMap(id2c);
+        CLASS_TO_ID = Collections.unmodifiableMap(c2id);
+    }
+
+//====================================================================
+//  Typed MessagePack API
+//====================================================================
+
+    /**
+     * Serializes the value as typed MessagePack if its class is registered;
+     * otherwise, serializes it as plain MessagePack.
+     * Supported classes are registered statically in this class at initialization time.
+     */
+    public static byte[] toTypedMessagePack(Object value) {
+        if (value == null) return null;
+        byte[] payload = toMessagePack(value);
+
+        Short typeId = CLASS_TO_ID.get(value.getClass());
+        if (typeId == null) {
+            return payload;  // not registered; return plain MessagePack
+        }
+
+        // [magic][u16 typeId][payload]
+        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocate(TYPED_MAGIC.length + 2 + payload.length);
+        bb.put(TYPED_MAGIC);
+        bb.putShort(typeId);
+        bb.put(payload);
+        return bb.array();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Deserialize a typed MessagePack envelope into its registered Java class if registered.
+     * Otherwise, deserialize as plain MessagePack.
+     */
+    public static Object fromTypedMessagePack(byte[] data) {
+        if (data == null) return null;
+
+        try {
+
+            if (isTypedMessagePack(data)) {
+                ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.wrap(data);
+                bb.position(TYPED_MAGIC.length);
+
+                short typeId = bb.getShort();
+                Class<?> cls = ID_TO_CLASS.get(typeId);
+                if (cls == null) {
+                    throw new SerializationException("Unknown typeId for typed MessagePack: " + (typeId & 0xFFFF), null);
+                }
+
+                byte[] payload = new byte[bb.remaining()];
+                bb.get(payload);
+
+                return fromMessagePack(payload, cls);
+            } else if(isMsgPack(data)) {
+                return fromMessagePack(data, Object.class); // plain MessagePack
+            } else {
+                // Previously, strings were stored as UTF-8 bytes, not MessagePack.
+                // Temporary workaround for backward compatibility.
+                return toUtf8(data);
+            }
+        } catch (SerializationException e) {
+            throw e;
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("Typed MessagePack deserialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** True if bytes begin with the typed MessagePack magic header. */
+    public static boolean isTypedMessagePack(byte[] data) {
+        if (data == null || data.length < TYPED_MAGIC.length + 2) return false; // +2 for typeId
+        for (int i = 0; i < TYPED_MAGIC.length; i++) {
+            if (data[i] != TYPED_MAGIC[i]) return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+
+//====================================================================
+//  MessagePack API without type info
+//====================================================================
+
+    public static byte[] toMessagePack(Object value) {
+        try {
+            return getMsgpackMapper().writeValueAsBytes(value);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("MessagePack serialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static <T> T fromMessagePack(byte[] data, Class<T> type) {
+        if (data == null) return null;
+        try {
+            return getMsgpackMapper().readValue(data, type);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("MessagePack deserialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+//====================================================================
+//  JSON API
+//====================================================================
+
+    public static byte[] toJsonBytes(Object value) {
+        try {
+            return getJsonMapper().writeValueAsBytes(value);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("JSON serialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static String toJsonString(Object value) {
+        try {
+            return getJsonMapper().writeValueAsString(value);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("JSON serialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static <T> T fromJson(byte[] data, Class<T> type) {
+        if (data == null) return null;
+        try {
+            return getJsonMapper().readValue(data, type);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("JSON deserialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static <T> T fromJson(String json, Class<T> type) {
+        if (json == null) return null;
+        try {
+            return getJsonMapper().readValue(json, type);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new SerializationException("JSON deserialization failed", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+//====================================================================
+//  Helper methods
+//====================================================================
+
+    public static boolean isMsgPack(byte[] raw) {
+        if (raw == null || raw.length == 0) return false;
+        try (MessageUnpacker u = MessagePack.newDefaultUnpacker(raw)) {
+            u.unpackValue();                 // parse one complete value
+            return !u.hasNext();             // ensure no trailing junk
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Attempt MessagePack first, then fall back to JSON.
+     * Intended for Redis migration.
+     */
+    public static <T> T fromMessagePackOrJson(byte[] data, Class<T> type) {
+        if (data == null) return null;
+        try {
+            return fromMessagePack(data, type);
+        } catch (Exception mpFail) {
+            return fromJson(data, type);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static boolean looksLikeJson(byte[] data) {
+        if (data == null || data.length == 0) return false;
+        byte b = data[0];
+        return b == '{' || b == '[';
+    }
+
+    public static String toUtf8(byte[] data) { return data == null ? null : new String(data, StandardCharsets.UTF_8); }
+    public static byte[] fromUtf8(String data) { return data == null ? null : data.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8); }
+
+//====================================================================
+//  Inner Classes
+//====================================================================
+
+    public static class SerializationException extends RuntimeException {
+        public SerializationException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+            super(message, cause);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisServiceTest.java b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisServiceTest.java
index cb742245f6..fc194383ed 100644
--- a/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisServiceTest.java
+++ b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/RedisServiceTest.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.fromUtf8;
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.toUtf8;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 
 /**
@@ -82,8 +84,8 @@ private void testRedis() {
 
         try {
             var redis = RedisService.mainConn().sync();
-            redis.setex("key1", 1, "val1");
-            assertEquals("val1", redis.get("key1"));
+            redis.setex("key1", 1, fromUtf8("val1"));
+            assertEquals("val1", toUtf8(redis.get("key1")));
             Thread.sleep(3_000);        // should be expired after 3 seconds
             assertEquals(0, (long) redis.exists("key1"));
         } catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManagerTest.java b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManagerTest.java
index c787999d71..cd10ca9a53 100644
--- a/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManagerTest.java
+++ b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/firefly/core/background/JobManagerTest.java
@@ -86,27 +86,27 @@ public void loadRedisDB() throws Exception {
         AppProperties.setProperty("job.wait.complete", "0");
         Logger.setLogLevel(Level.INFO);
 
-//        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setWsConnInfo("test", "test");
-//        for(int i =0; i < 100_000; i++) {
+//        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414629999");      // ridiculously large amount of jobs
+//        for(int i =0; i < 2_000_000; i++) {
 //            JobManager.submit(new SleepJob(Job.Type.PACKAGE, ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getEventConnID()));
 //        }
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414629999");      // load 9999 with 100k; extreme
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414629999");      // load user x9999 with 100k; extreme
         for(int i =0; i < 100_000; i++) {
             JobManager.submit(new SleepJob(Job.Type.PACKAGE, ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getEventConnID()));
         }
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414621000");      // load 1000 with 1k; rare
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414621000");      // load user x1000 with 1k; rare
         for(int i =0; i < 1000; i++) {
             JobManager.submit(new SleepJob(Job.Type.PACKAGE, ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getEventConnID()));
         }
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620100");      // load 0100 with 100; normal
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620100");      // load user x0100 with 100; normal
         for(int i =0; i < 100; i++) {
             JobManager.submit(new SleepJob(Job.Type.PACKAGE, ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getEventConnID()));
         }
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620010");      // load 0010 with 10; less common
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620010");      // load user x0010 with 10; less common
         for(int i =0; i < 10; i++) {
             JobManager.submit(new SleepJob(Job.Type.PACKAGE, ServerContext.getRequestOwner().getEventConnID()));
         }
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ public void loadTest() throws Exception {
         /*
           Performance results using Jedis vs Lettuce are identical with embedded Redis server.
             Cache keys count: 101,104
-            All Jobs: 1,165ms with 101,104 jobs
-            User Jobs: 936ms with 99,994 jobs       # confirmed only 99,994 jobs for 9999; not sure why 6 missing
+            All Jobs: 1,165ms with 101,110 jobs
+            User Jobs: 936ms with 100,000 jobs
             User Jobs: 94ms with 1,000 jobs
             User Jobs: 84ms with 100 jobs
             User Jobs: 92ms with 10 jobs
@@ -135,28 +135,40 @@ public void loadTest() throws Exception {
         int aCount = JobManager.getAllJobs().size();
         System.out.printf("All Jobs: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), aCount);
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414629999");      // get jobs for 9999 with 100k jobs
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414629999");      // get jobs for user x9999 with 100k jobs
         start = Instant.now();
         int count = JobManager.getUserJobs().size();
         System.out.printf("User Jobs: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), count);
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414621000");      // get jobs for 1000 with 1k jobs
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414621000");      // get jobs for user x1000 with 1k jobs
         start = Instant.now();
         count = JobManager.getUserJobs().size();
         System.out.printf("User Jobs: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), count);
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620100");      // get jobs for 0100 with 100 jobs
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620100");      // get jobs for user x0100 with 100 jobs
         start = Instant.now();
         count = JobManager.getUserJobs().size();
         System.out.printf("User Jobs: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), count);
 
-        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620010");      // get jobs for 0010 with 10 jobs
+        ServerContext.getRequestOwner().setUserKey("59bac3e4-6dc7-4b74-a83d-a35414620010");      // get jobs for user x0010 with 10 jobs
         start = Instant.now();
         count = JobManager.getUserJobs().size();
         System.out.printf("User Jobs: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), count);
 
     }
 
+    @Category({TestCategory.Perf.class})
+    @Test
+    public void cleanupTest() throws Exception {
+        /*
+          cleanup called on redis with 2_303_348 jobs  ~ 2.8 minutes
+          13618 remaining jobs after cleanup; 2,289,730 removed.
+            cleanup: 170,493ms with 2,303,348 jobs
+         */
+        Instant start = Instant.now();
+        JobManager.cleanup();
+        System.out.printf("cleanup: %,dms with %,d jobs %n", Duration.between(start, Instant.now()).toMillis(), 2_303_348);
+    }
 
     private static class SleepJob extends ServCmdJob implements Job.Worker {
         Job.Type type;
diff --git a/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/SerializerTest.java b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/SerializerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82e4ab12e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/firefly/test/edu/caltech/ipac/util/serialization/SerializerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,551 @@
+/*
+ * License information at https://github.com/Caltech-IPAC/firefly/blob/master/License.txt
+ */
+
+package edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization;
+
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobManager;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.background.JobUtil;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.FileInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.RelatedData;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.ServerEvent;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.userdata.RoleList;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.data.userdata.UserInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.events.ReplicatedQueueList;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.events.ServerEventQueue;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.network.HttpServiceInput;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.util.multipart.UploadFileInfo;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.server.visualize.ProgressStat;
+import edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.util.event.Name;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.time.OffsetDateTime;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.util.serialization.Serializer.getJsonMapper;
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+import static edu.caltech.ipac.firefly.core.Util.Try;
+
+public class SerializerTest {
+
+    private JobInfo createSampleJob() {
+        String json = """
+                {
+                  "phase": "EXECUTING",
+                  "jobId": "job-123",
+                  "creationTime": "2025-01-01T10:00:00Z",
+                  "meta": {
+                    "summary": "Running",
+                    "progress": 50,
+                    "sendNotif": false,
+                    "monitored": false
+                  },
+                  "executionDuration": 3600,
+                  "ownerId": "user1",
+                  "parameters": {
+                    "ra": "10.5",
+                    "dec": "-2.1"
+                  },
+                  "errorSummary": {
+                    "message": "error message"
+                  },
+                  "results": [
+                    {
+                      "size": "12345",
+                      "id": "result1",
+                      "href": "http://example/result.fits",
+                      "mimeType": "image/fits"
+                    }
+                  ],
+                  "jobInfo": {
+                    "jobUrl": "http://example/job/123",
+                    "userName": "Jane Doe"
+                  }
+                }
+            """;
+
+        JobInfo job = Serializer.fromJson(json, JobInfo.class);
+        assertNotNull("Failed to parse JobInfo from JSON test fixture", job);
+        return job;
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void reducedPayloadTest() {
+        JobInfo job = createSampleJob();
+
+        byte[] json = JobUtil.toJsonObject(job).toJSONString().getBytes();
+        byte[] msgpack = Serializer.toMessagePack(job);
+        String base64 = Util.serialize(job);
+
+        assertNotNull(json);
+        assertNotNull(msgpack);
+        assertNotNull(base64);
+        // Size reduced from 476 to 367 (~23% smaller)
+        assertTrue(
+                "Expected MessagePack payload to be smaller than JSON",
+                msgpack.length < json.length
+        );
+        // Size reduced from 2460 to 367 (~85% smaller)
+        assertTrue(
+                "Expected MessagePack payload to be smaller than base64",
+                msgpack.length < base64.length()
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void jobInfoMsgPackRoundTrip() {
+        JobInfo original = createSampleJob();
+
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+
+        JobInfo decoded = (JobInfo) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(bytes);
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+
+        assertEquals(original.getJobId(), decoded.getJobId());
+        assertEquals(original.getOwnerId(), decoded.getOwnerId());
+        assertEquals(original.getPhase(), decoded.getPhase());
+        assertEquals(original.getExecutionDuration(), decoded.getExecutionDuration());
+        assertEquals(original.getParameters(), decoded.getParameters());
+        assertEquals(
+                original.getMeta().getProgress(),
+                decoded.getMeta().getProgress()
+        );
+        assertEquals(
+                original.getAux().getUserName(),
+                decoded.getAux().getUserName()
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void jobInfoJsonRoundTrip() {
+        JobInfo original = createSampleJob();
+
+        String json = Serializer.toJsonString(original);
+        assertNotNull(json);
+        assertTrue(json.startsWith("{"));
+
+        JobInfo decoded = Serializer.fromJson(json, JobInfo.class);
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+
+        assertEquals(original.getJobId(), decoded.getJobId());
+        assertEquals(original.getPhase(), decoded.getPhase());
+        assertEquals(
+                original.getMeta().getSummary(),
+                decoded.getMeta().getSummary()
+        );
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void msgPackOrJson() {
+        JobInfo original = createSampleJob();
+
+        byte[] jsonBytes = Serializer.toJsonBytes(original);
+
+        JobInfo decoded = Serializer.fromMessagePackOrJson(
+                jsonBytes,
+                JobInfo.class
+        );
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.getJobId(), decoded.getJobId());
+        assertEquals(original.getPhase(), decoded.getPhase());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void nullInputs() {
+        assertNull(Serializer.fromMessagePack(null, JobInfo.class));
+        assertNull(Serializer.fromJson((byte[]) null, JobInfo.class));
+        assertNull(Serializer.fromJson((String) null, JobInfo.class));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void jsonJobInfoBackwardCompatible() {
+        JobInfo job = createSampleJob();
+        String cJsonString = Serializer.toJsonString(job);
+        String pJsonString = JobUtil.toJsonObject(job).toJSONString();
+        ObjectMapper mapper = getJsonMapper();
+        JsonNode c = Try.it(() -> mapper.readTree(cJsonString)).get();
+        JsonNode p = Try.it(() -> mapper.readTree(pJsonString)).get();
+
+        assertEquals("JSON output should match previous implementation", c, p);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void fileInfoTest() {
+        FileInfo fi = new FileInfo("/abc/xyz.txt", "xyz.txt", 1024L);
+        fi.setDesc("test description");
+        fi.setSuffix("txt");
+        fi.setHasAccess(true);
+
+        RelatedData rd = RelatedData.makeMaskRelatedData(111, "file.fits", Map.of("header", "value"), false, 2, "mask-data-key");
+        fi.addRelatedData(rd);
+
+        HttpServiceInput si = new HttpServiceInput("http://example.com");
+        si.setFile("file.fits", new File("/abc/file.fits"));
+        si.setHeader("X-Custom-Header", "CustomValue");
+        fi.setRequestInfo(si);
+
+        byte[] msgpack = Serializer.toMessagePack(fi);
+        FileInfo mp = Serializer.fromMessagePack(msgpack, FileInfo.class);
+        assertNotNull(mp);
+
+        // ---------- identity / core fields ----------
+        assertEquals(fi.getInternalFilename(), mp.getInternalFilename());
+        assertEquals(fi.getExternalName(), mp.getExternalName());
+        assertEquals(fi.getSizeInBytes(), mp.getSizeInBytes());
+
+        // ---------- attribute-backed fields ----------
+        assertEquals(fi.getDesc(), mp.getDesc());
+        assertEquals(fi.getSuffix(), mp.getSuffix());
+        assertEquals(fi.hasAccess(), mp.hasAccess());
+
+        // ---------- derived/default behavior ----------
+        assertFalse(mp.isBlank());
+        assertEquals(200, mp.getResponseCode());
+        assertNull(mp.getResponseCodeMsg());
+        assertNull(mp.getContentType());
+
+        // ---------- attribute map integrity ----------
+        assertEquals(fi.getAttributeMap(), mp.getAttributeMap());
+
+        // ---------- relatedData (should survive) ----------
+        assertNotNull(mp.getRelatedData());
+        assertEquals(1, mp.getRelatedData().size());
+
+        RelatedData mpRd = mp.getRelatedData().get(0);
+        assertEquals(rd.getDataType(), mpRd.getDataType());
+        assertEquals(rd.getDataKey(), mpRd.getDataKey());
+        assertEquals(rd.getDesc(), mpRd.getDesc());
+        assertEquals(rd.getHduIdx(), mpRd.getHduIdx());
+        assertEquals(rd.getSearchParams(), mpRd.getSearchParams());
+
+        // ---------- requestInfo (should survive if serializable) ----------
+        assertNotNull(mp.getRequestInfo());
+        assertEquals(fi.getRequestInfo().getRequestUrl(), mp.getRequestInfo().getRequestUrl());
+        assertEquals(fi.getRequestInfo().getHeaders(), mp.getRequestInfo().getHeaders());
+        assertEquals( fi.getRequestInfo().getFiles().keySet(), mp.getRequestInfo().getFiles().keySet());
+
+        // ---------- transient / non-serialized fields ----------
+        assertFalse(mp.hasFileNameResolver());
+
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void UserInfoTest() throws Exception {
+
+        UserInfo original = new UserInfo("test-user", "Test");
+        original.setEmail("user@acme.org");
+        original.setLastName("User");
+        original.setFirstName("Test");
+        original.setUserId(123);
+        original.setProperty("prop1", "value1");
+        original.setProperty("prop2", "value2");
+        RoleList roles= new RoleList();
+        roles.add(new RoleList.RoleEntry("admin",1,"group1",10,"READ"));
+        roles.add(new RoleList.RoleEntry("missionX",-1,"ALL",-1,"ADMIN"));
+        original.setRoles(roles);
+
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+
+        UserInfo decoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack(bytes, UserInfo.class);
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.getLoginName(), decoded.getLoginName());
+        assertEquals(original.getPassword(), decoded.getPassword());
+        assertEquals(original.getFirstName(), decoded.getFirstName());
+        assertEquals(original.getLastName(), decoded.getLastName());
+        assertEquals(original.getUserId(), decoded.getUserId());
+        assertEquals(original.getProperties().size(), decoded.getProperties().size());
+        assertEquals(original.getProperties().get("prop1"), decoded.getProperties().get("prop1"));
+        assertEquals(original.getProperties().get("prop2"), decoded.getProperties().get("prop2"));
+        assertNotNull(decoded.getRoles());
+        assertEquals(2, decoded.getRoles().size());
+        RoleList.RoleEntry re1= decoded.getRoles().get(0);
+        assertEquals("admin", re1.getMissionName());
+        assertEquals(1, re1.getMissionId());
+        assertEquals("group1", re1.getGroupName());
+        assertEquals(10, re1.getGroupId());
+        assertEquals("READ", re1.getPrivilege());
+        RoleList.RoleEntry re2= decoded.getRoles().get(1);
+        assertEquals("missionX", re2.getMissionName());
+        assertEquals(-1, re2.getMissionId());
+        assertEquals("ALL", re2.getGroupName());
+        assertEquals(-1, re2.getGroupId());
+        assertEquals("ADMIN", re2.getPrivilege());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void serverEventTest() throws Exception {
+
+        ServerEvent.EventTarget target = new ServerEvent.EventTarget(ServerEvent.Scope.USER, "c1", "ch1", "u1");
+        ServerEvent original = new ServerEvent(
+                Name.EVT_CONN_EST,
+                target,
+                ServerEvent.DataType.JSON,
+                "{\"x\":1}",
+                "from-123"
+        );
+
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+
+        ServerEvent decoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack(bytes, ServerEvent.class);
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.getName(), decoded.getName());
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded.getTarget());
+        assertEquals(original.getTarget().getScope(), decoded.getTarget().getScope());
+        assertEquals(original.getTarget().getConnID(), decoded.getTarget().getConnID());
+        assertEquals(original.getTarget().getChannel(), decoded.getTarget().getChannel());
+        assertEquals(original.getTarget().getUserKey(), decoded.getTarget().getUserKey());
+
+        assertEquals(original.getDataType(), decoded.getDataType());
+        assertEquals(original.getData(), decoded.getData());
+        assertEquals(original.getFrom(), decoded.getFrom());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void serverEventQueueTest() throws Exception {
+        ServerEventQueue original = new ServerEventQueue(
+                "conn-123",
+                "channel-xyz",
+                "userkey-abc",
+                null
+        );
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+        ServerEventQueue decoded = (ServerEventQueue) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(bytes);
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.getConnID(), decoded.getConnID());
+        assertEquals(original.getChannel(), decoded.getChannel());
+        assertEquals(original.getUserKey(), decoded.getUserKey());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void eventQueueListTest() {
+        List<ServerEventQueue> list = List.of(
+                new ServerEventQueue("c1","ch1","u1",null),
+                new ServerEventQueue("c2","ch2","u2",null),
+                new ServerEventQueue("c3","ch3","u3",null)
+        );
+        ReplicatedQueueList.EventQueueList original = new ReplicatedQueueList.EventQueueList(list);
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+        ReplicatedQueueList.EventQueueList decoded = (ReplicatedQueueList.EventQueueList) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(bytes);
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.items().size(), decoded.items().size());
+        for (int i = 0; i < original.items().size(); i++) {
+            ServerEventQueue oQ = original.items().get(i);
+            ServerEventQueue dQ = decoded.items().get(i);
+            assertEquals(oQ.getConnID(), dQ.getConnID());
+            assertEquals(oQ.getChannel(), dQ.getChannel());
+            assertEquals(oQ.getUserKey(), dQ.getUserKey());
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void backgroundInfoTest() throws Exception {
+        JobManager.BackGroundInfo original = new JobManager.BackGroundInfo(false, "notify@ipac.caltech.edu");
+
+        byte[] bytes = Serializer.toMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(bytes);
+        assertTrue(bytes.length > 0);
+
+        JobManager.BackGroundInfo decoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack(bytes, JobManager.BackGroundInfo.class);
+
+        assertEquals(original, decoded);
+        assertEquals(original.notifEnabled(), decoded.notifEnabled());
+        assertEquals(original.email(), decoded.email());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void uploadFileInfoTest() {
+
+        File file = new File("/tmp/upload-test.txt");   // does not need to exist
+        UploadFileInfo original = new UploadFileInfo(
+                "param1",
+                file,
+                "upload-test.txt",
+                "text/plain",
+                201
+        );
+
+        // ---------- serialize ----------
+        byte[] msgpack = Serializer.toMessagePack(original);
+        assertNotNull(msgpack);
+        assertTrue(msgpack.length > 0);
+
+        // ---------- deserialize ----------
+        UploadFileInfo decoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack(msgpack, UploadFileInfo.class);
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded);
+
+        assertEquals(original.getPname(), decoded.getPname());
+        assertEquals(original.getFileName(), decoded.getFileName());
+        assertEquals(original.getContentType(), decoded.getContentType());
+        assertEquals(original.getResponseCode(), decoded.getResponseCode());
+        assertEquals(original.getSize(), decoded.getSize());
+
+        assertNotNull(decoded.getFile());
+        assertEquals(
+                original.getFile().getPath(),
+                decoded.getFile().getPath()
+        );
+
+        // ---------- toString sanity ----------
+        assertTrue(decoded.toString().contains(original.getFileName()));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void progressStatTest() {
+
+        ProgressStat normal = new ProgressStat(
+                "job-123",
+                "plot-456",
+                ProgressStat.PType.DOWNLOADING,
+                "Downloading data"
+        );
+
+        ProgressStat normalDecoded =
+                Serializer.fromMessagePack(
+                        Serializer.toMessagePack(normal),
+                        ProgressStat.class
+                );
+
+        assertNotNull(normalDecoded);
+        assertEquals(normal.getId(), normalDecoded.getId());
+        assertEquals(normal.getPlotId(), normalDecoded.getPlotId());
+        assertEquals(normal.getMessage(), normalDecoded.getMessage());
+        assertEquals(ProgressStat.PType.DOWNLOADING, normalDecoded.getType());
+        assertFalse(normalDecoded.isGroup());
+        assertFalse(normalDecoded.isDone());
+
+        // ============================================================
+        // group progress
+        // ============================================================
+        List<String> members = List.of("id-1", "id-2", "id-3");
+        ProgressStat group = new ProgressStat(members, "group-999");
+
+        ProgressStat groupDecoded =
+                Serializer.fromMessagePack(
+                        Serializer.toMessagePack(group),
+                        ProgressStat.class
+                );
+
+        assertNotNull(groupDecoded);
+        assertEquals(group.getId(), groupDecoded.getId());
+        assertEquals(ProgressStat.PType.GROUP, groupDecoded.getType());
+        assertTrue(groupDecoded.isGroup());
+        assertEquals(members, groupDecoded.getMemberIDList());
+        assertNull(groupDecoded.getMessage());
+        assertNull(groupDecoded.getPlotId());
+        assertFalse(groupDecoded.isDone());
+
+        // ============================================================
+        // terminal states (SUCCESS / FAIL)
+        // ============================================================
+        ProgressStat success = new ProgressStat(
+                "job-success",
+                "plot-1",
+                ProgressStat.PType.SUCCESS,
+                "Completed"
+        );
+
+        ProgressStat fail = new ProgressStat(
+                "job-fail",
+                "plot-1",
+                ProgressStat.PType.FAIL,
+                "Failed"
+        );
+
+        ProgressStat successDecoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack( Serializer.toMessagePack(success), ProgressStat.class);
+        ProgressStat failDecoded = Serializer.fromMessagePack( Serializer.toMessagePack(fail), ProgressStat.class);
+
+        assertTrue(successDecoded.isDone());
+        assertTrue(failDecoded.isDone());
+        assertEquals(ProgressStat.PType.SUCCESS, successDecoded.getType());
+        assertEquals(ProgressStat.PType.FAIL, failDecoded.getType());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void unregisteredTypesTest() {
+
+        // Common types supported without explicit type registration
+        byte[] msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack("ping");
+        String aString = (String) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals("ping", aString);
+
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(true);
+        boolean aBoolean = (boolean) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertTrue(aBoolean);
+
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(1);
+        int one = (int) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(1, one);
+
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(1_000);
+        int anInt = (int) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(1_000, anInt);
+
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(1.2);
+        double aDouble = (double) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(1.2, aDouble, 0.00001);
+
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(3_000_000_000L);
+        long aLong = (long) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(3_000_000_000L, aLong);
+
+        List aList = List.of("one", 2, 3.0);
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(aList);
+        List dList = (List) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(aList.size(), dList.size());
+        assertEquals(aList.get(0), dList.get(0));
+        assertEquals(aList.get(1), dList.get(1));
+        assertEquals(aList.get(2), dList.get(2));
+
+        Map aMap = Map.of("str", "one", "int", 2, "double", 3.0);
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(aMap);
+        Map dMap = (Map) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(aMap.size(), dMap.size());
+        assertEquals(aMap.get("str"), dMap.get("str"));
+        assertEquals(aMap.get("int"), dMap.get("int"));
+        assertEquals(aMap.get("double"), dMap.get("double"));
+
+        //====================================================================
+        // Less used types that is not handled correctly... register if needed
+        //====================================================================
+
+        // Date type is saved as ISO-8601 string with offset
+        Date date = new Date();
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(date);
+        String dDate = (String) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(date, Date.from(OffsetDateTime.parse(dDate).toInstant()));
+
+        // array is saved as a List
+        String[] ary = new String[]{"a", "b", "c"};
+        msgpack = Serializer.toTypedMessagePack(ary);
+        List dAry = (List) Serializer.fromTypedMessagePack(msgpack);
+        assertEquals(ary.length, dAry.size());
+        assertEquals(ary[0], dAry.get(0));
+        assertEquals(ary[1], dAry.get(1));
+        assertEquals(ary[2], dAry.get(2));
+
+
+    }
+
+}