Batch Version (P98305W) Version Error

After our latest tools release update there was a special instruction that I forgot to do on one of the environments.  It was to delete all versions of the Batch Versions (P98305W) application.  Usually, there will be just one version: ZJDE0001.

Well, since I forgot, to the left is the error that you might get if you don’t do it.  The second image is the Interactive Versions screen that you will need to use to delete the version.

Tags: batch version, e1, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - General, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, jde, Tools Release, Tools Release, version, versions

EnterpriseOne Tools Release Upgrade From 8.96 to 8.97 Rough Outline

1. IBM iSeries/AS400/System i
1. Backup libraries and IFS directories
2. Register Pristine Environment in Server Manager
3. Create Server Manager Server Group for Pristine
4. Upgrade Pristine
2. Web Server
1. Create IBM WebSphere Application Server in Server Manager
2. Create IBM HTTP Server in Server Manager
3. General
1. HTML landing page: update links and info
2. Change DNS entries
3. Copy the code used to restrict access to specified environment
4. Copy images and code for custom backgrounds
5. Modify the JAS.INI file to specify the correct logon logo
6. Set web server to restart nightly and cleanup logs
7. Verify that the server is being backed up and replicated to DR hot site

Tags: as/400, enterpriseone, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - General, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, EnterpriseOne - JAS (Java Application Server), ibm, IBM i/System i/iSeries/AS400, iseries, jas, oracle, Oracle Server Manager, Server Manager, system i, Tools Release, websphere, websphere

Simple Server Manger Improvement Suggestion

Have you used Oracle’s Server Manager for EnterpriseOne?

If so, you may have noticed a little “feature” that is really quite annoying:

• when items are listed on a page they are not consistently sorted.

In other words, when you display the page one time the items are in one order.  Then, when you display the same page for a different server the items are in a different order.  For example, below are 2 screen shots of the JDBj Service Caches for 2 separate EnterpriseOne HTML server instances.  You will notice that the items in figure 1 are in a different order than figure 2.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

This annoyance happens in most of the other screens that are available in Server Manager.

In my opinion, it would be really nice to have a consistent order to the items in the list.

 

Have you found anything in Server Manager that was annoying?

Tags: e1, enterpriseone, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - General, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, oracle, Oracle Server Manager, Server Manager

The EnterpriseOne Session Timeout Two-Step…Ok, Three Step

We have several work areas that require a longer inactive timeout setting than the default 20 minutes (Payroll Time-entry, Fixed Asset Accounting, etc.).

Unfortunately, EnterpriseOne’s architecture does not make the process of configuring a session timeout very easy.  There are three separate separate settings that need to configured correctly.  Depending on your architecture that could mean three separate machines using three separate platforms.  Whatever your architecture looks like there are at least three.

1. The Java Application Server (JAS).  No matter what flavor of JAS you are running (IBM Websphere, Oracle Application Server, BEA, etc.) you will need to configure the application’s user session timeout setting.  The screenshots for IBM Websphere 6.0.2.13 are below:

    
   

2. The EnterpriseOne HTML Server.  This setting is in the JAS.INI under the [CACHE] stanza.  The setting is in milliseconds (3600000 = 1 hour).  If you are running the Oracle Server Manager for EnterpriseOne, you can find it in the “Cache Configuration section under the “Web Runtime” configuration.
    
   
3. The HTTP server.  The instructions for both Microsoft IIS and IBM HTTP Server follows:
   • Microsoft IIS:
     • Display the properties of the website that is configured to host EnterpriseOne
     • On the “Website” tab, modify the “Connection Timeout” setting.  Please note that this value is in seconds, not milliseconds.
   • IBM HTTP Server:
     • Edit the “Timeout” setting in the HTTPD.CONF file.  Please note that this value is in seconds, not milliseconds.

NOTE:  To avoid record locking Oracle specifies to configure the system so that the JAS server will “timeout” the user’s session.  To do that both the EnterpriseOne HTML Server and the HTTP server need to be set to great times than the JAS server.  For example:

• To configure a timeout value of 30 minutes:
  • JAS Server: 30
  • EnterpriseOne HTML Server: 3600000
  • HTTP Server: 3600

Tags: e1, enterpriseone, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, EnterpriseOne - JAS (Java Application Server), ibm, jas, java application server, Microsoft, oracle, oracle, oracle application server, Oracle Server Manager, Server Manager, websphere, xe

EnterpriseOne Tools Release 8.97 & 8.98 Not Compatible With FireFox 3

In doing some last minute testing with EnterpriseOne Tools Release 8.97.2.0, I found that the applications do not render in FireFox 3.  The error that I received in the WAS log is:

VTFormRenderAdaptee: renderHTML4: failed to render:
java.util.MissingResourceException:
Can't find bundle for base name nls.CPResource, locale

This issue is documented under MetaLink BUG 8917620 & 8917611.  The final disposition that is documented as:

Fixfox 3 does not work with e1 due to build id length

change in user agent string, and E1 fail to match it to

firefox pattern with shorter build date pattern.

The following is useragent string for

FF2: MOZILLA/5.0 (WINDOWS; U; WINDOWS NT 5.1; EN-US;

RV:1.8.1.17) GECKO/20080829 FIREFOX/2.0.0.17

FF3: MOZILLA/5.0 (WINDOWS; U; WINDOWS NT 5.2; EN-US;

RV:1.9.0.3) GECKO/2008092417 FIREFOX/3.0.3

Pattern in browsCap.ini for FF2

[*(Win*) Gecko/???????? Firefox/2.*]

Pattern in browsCap.ini for FF3

[*(Win*) Gecko/???????? Firefox/3.*]

With length of build id change from 8 digits to 10 digits

the matching does not work for firefox 3 and runtime fail

to render the E1 form. The solution is to change the match

patter to more generic format without length limitation of

build id by using single wildcard.

[*(Win*) Gecko/* Firefox/3.*]

The change shall be applied to all version of firefox start

from 3. And we may need to check the fix into 897, since

the customer may alread begin to use FF3 instead of FF2.

Tags: e1, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, EnterpriseOne - JAS (Java Application Server), MetaLink, oracle, Tools Release, version

The LINKBSFN Command Confusion

I don’t know about you, but I can never remember what the correct parameters are for the LINKBSFN command that is required when doing Tools Release updates on an IBM iSeries (i, System i, AS400).

So, just to make it easier on myself, here they are:

LINKBSFN PARENT(PACKAGELIB) PATHCODE(PATHCODE)

Tags: as/400, e1, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, fusion, ibm, iseries, system i, Tools Release

EnterpriseOne 8.97 Install Host Table Hic-Up

While installing EnterpriseOne 8.97 on one of our instances, we ran across an issue that was pretty puzzling to both us and Oracle’s Global Support Services group.

We had successfully installed both the Server Manager Console and the Enterprise Server (System i, iSeries, AS/400) Management Agent.  When everything is working correctly, the Enterprise Server Management Agent is supposed to ping the Server Manager Console and magically show up in the Server Manager Console Dashboard.

Well, as you have probably guessed, our Enterprise Server Management Agent did not "magically" appear.  After sending Oracle several sets of logs and screen shots, I noticed something in the Server Manager Console logs:

Oct 27, 2008 12:33:23 PM com.jdedwards.mgmt.agent.Server$ClientConnection
 register  FINER: Received heartbeat from the remote management agent on
DOMAIN.COM listening on port -1 of type 2 in managed home
 /JDEdwards/JDE_HOME

You’ll notice from the log excerpt above that the ping from the Enterprise Server Agent was successful, but the name of the device from which it is running is identified as "DOMAIN.COM".  Obviously, I changed the name to protect the guilty, but I thought it was really strange to not have a MachineName specified.

So, we inspected the host table of the Enterprise Server using CFGTCP and found that there really was an entry with just "DOMAIN.COM".  However, there were also 2 other entries for its IP address:

255.255.255.111     MACHINENAME
                    DOMAIN.COM
                    MACHINENAME.DOMAIN.COM

We weren’t really sure what we might screw-up if we removed the "DOMAIN.COM" entry so we just moved the "MACHINENAME.DOMAIN.COM" entry up in the list.

255.255.255.111     MACHINENAME
                    MACHINENAME.DOMAIN.COM
                    DOMAIN.COM

Before we even had a chance to logout of the Server Manager Console, the Enterprise Server magically appeared on the dashboard.

What should you learn from this?  Clean up your host table!

Have you tried to install Oracle Server Manager?  If so, how did it go?  If not, what are you waiting for?

Tags: as/400, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, IBM i/System i/iSeries/AS400, iseries, jde, Microsoft, oracle, Server Manager, system i

Multi Threaded Kernel Issue When Upgrading To EnterpriseOne Tools Release 8.97.2.0

We ran into an issue when upgrading our EnterpriseOne Tools Release from 8.96.1.5 to 8.97.2.0. 

In order for the multi-threaded kernels to run correctly there is a setting in the JDE.INI file that needs to be set, SQLServerMode.

The error that I was getting was like the following:

ConnectDB:Unable to connect to DS ‘XXXXXXX – 811 Server Map’ in DB ‘XXXXXXX – 811 Server Map’ on Server DB ‘XXXXXXX’ via ‘L’ with Commitment ‘N’.

The solution indicated by Global Support was not available to me but the number is 201075487.  Below is the solution text that he sent:

On the Enterprise Server AS/400 JDE.INI, in the [DB SYSTEM SETTINGS] stanza, there is a default setting: SQLServerMode=N. 

For Multi Threaded Kernels to start and work, this setting needs to be Active or set to Y.  After adding the line to the stanza and setting it to Y, the customer was able to use Multi Threaded Kernels and the error disappeared.

I was unable to find the setting in Server Manager.

So, if you can find it, let me know.

Tags: as/400, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, IBM i/System i/iSeries/AS400, jde, Server Manager, sql, Tools Release

The IBM iSeries (System i) JDK Juggle

While installing the Oracle Server Manager agent, we learned some interesting little Java tricks on the IBM iSeries.  They probably work on all platforms, but I don’t know for sure and I’m not going to take the time to test.  Also, these tips are for OS400 V5R4.

• How do you know which version of JDK is your systems default?

  • runjva class(*VERSION)

• If you have more than one JDK installed, how can you force it to run a certain version?

  • runjva class(*VERSION) prop((java.version 1.5))

These couple little tricks may seem pretty simple to you.  However, for someone without Java experience, especially on the iSeries, they can be very helpful.

Tags: cnc, e1, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, ibm, IBM i/System i/iSeries/AS400, iseries, oracle, Server Manager, system i, version

E1 Admins Need To Know Everything About Everything

I admit that I am a "Jack of all trades, master of none".  Which can be a good thing as in the second paragraph of the Wikipedia entry.

A Jack of all trades may also be a master of integration, as the individual knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner.

Ok, I’m getting a little off track.

With that said, I don’t think that any EnterpriseOne CNC Admin can be a master at everything.  That may be a little strong, but unless E1 is your only responsibility and you have very little changes to make, knowing everything about everything that touches your EnterpriseOne system is an extremely difficult pursuit.

In our staff of 30 or so, I feel that I am one of a few that have a pretty extensive background in a wide variety of information technology related subjects.  However, yesterday, my "master of none" was exposed.

We are running tools release 8.96.1.5.  This release uses IBM’s HTTP Server, which is IBM’s slightly modified Apache HTTP Server 2.0.   Although I’ve worked on many different systems, I’ve never had the privilege of administering a mission critical Apache HTTP Server until we started using it for E1 and even then it always… just ran.  I never really had to do anything with it besides the httpd.conf modifications required by E1, which are specified very simply in the EnterpriseOne documentation.

Well, yesterday, we had users calling saying that they "couldn’t view PDFs".  We were receiving IBM Websphere logs that indicated that the system was unable to write to the /temp directory.  Well, the reason for this message was found when one of my colleagues logged-on to the server and noticed the pop-up that said the "E:" drive was out of space.

Now, we know what was going on, but why?  There is usually about 10GB of free space on that drive.  What could have taken it all.  Granted, I haven’t looked in quite a while, but nothing else runs on that box, but the E1 web client.

After a little bit of head-scratching, we found that the culprit was a log file.  The Apache access log file.  Unknown to me or my non-Apache admin colleagues, the Apache access logs are set to not truncate automatically.  In other words, they build and build and build until you have no more disk left.

Fortunately, I was able to find a way to create a new log file after either an amount of time or when the a specified file size is reached.  It uses the rotatelogs application that ships with Apache and is configured within the httpd.conf file.

Essentially, you send all Apache access logging through the rotatelogs application which then writes the log to your specified location.  This is called "Piped Logging".  Here is the basic syntax:

rotatelogs  [ -l ] logfile  [ rotationtime [ offset ]] | [ filesizeM ]

And this is what I am using:

CustomLog "|bin/rotatelogs.exe logs/access_%Y%m%d_%H%M%S.log 3600" common

This configuration forces a new log file to get created every hour (3600 seconds).

Another benefit to using piped logging is that the log files are not locked by the Apache.exe process.  This allows the ability to delete the current log file.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a way to delete old files within Apache.  I may have to resort to some bat file or VBScript for that.

Tags: cnc, e1, enterpriseone, EnterpriseOne - General, EnterpriseOne - Install/Upgrade, EnterpriseOne - JAS (Java Application Server), ibm, oracle, system i, Tools Release, websphere, xe

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