Generating the plugin-cfg.xml for Cognos Analytics servers

In an environment with WebSphere Application Server, the plugin-cfg.xml file contains configuration information that determines how the web server plug-in forwards requests.

About this task

This procedure is not applicable to the IBM® Cognos® Analytics with Watson servers that are used to run the Content Manager service.

For more information about merging plugin-cfg.xml from multiple standalone WebSphere Liberty Profile servers, see this article (www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSAW57_9.0.0/com.ibm.websphere.nd.multiplatform.doc/ae/twsv_merge_configfiles.html).

Procedure

Go to the Cognos Analytics application server installation location.

Open the ca_applicaton_server_install_root/wlp/usr/servers/cognosserver/server.xml file, and add the following setting to the file:

<pluginConfiguration pluginInstallRoot="WAS_plugin_install_root” 
webserverPort="IHS9_port"/>

For example:

<pluginConfiguration pluginInstallRoot="/opt/IHS90Plugin" webserverPort="8080"/>

Configure and start the Cognos Analytics application server.

After the server is started, a file named plugin-cfg.xml is generated in the Cognos Analytics applicaton_server_install_root/wlp/usr/servers/cognosserver/logs/state directory.

Open the plugin-cfg.xml file, and modify the UriGroup section by deleting everything except for the following two elements:

<UriGroup Name="default_host_cognosserver_default_node_Cluster_URIs">
    <Uri AffinityCookie="JSESSIONID" AffinityURLIdentifier="jsessionid" 
        Name="/bi/*"/>
    <Uri AffinityCookie="JSESSIONID" AffinityURLIdentifier="jsessionid" 
        Name="/bi/v1/*"/>
</UriGroup>

Tip: The second Uri entry doesn’t exist in the file. You need to add it.

Save the plugin-cfg.xml file.

You just configured one Cognos Analytics application server for the ServerCluster.
To add another Cognos Analytics application server to the ServerCluster, perform the following steps:
1. From the Cognos Analytics application_server_install_root/wlp/usr/servers/cognosserver/logs/state directory, open the plugin-cfg.xml file. Copy the Server element under the ServerCluster section. For example, copy the following Server element:
```
<Server CloneID="081cd7c5-bb6c-4a93-a074-33fa07e587f3" ConnectTimeout="5" 
ExtendedHandshake="false" LoadBalanceWeight="20" MaxConnections="-1" 
Name="default_node_cognosserver" ServerIOTimeout="900" WaitForContinue="false">
<Transport Hostname="caserverhost" Port="9300" Protocol="http"/>
</Server>
```
2. Paste the Server element to the ServerCluster section in the plugin-cfg.xml file that was generated in step 4. Ensure that the endpoint specified in the Server element is accessible from your web server host.
3. Change the name of the server by modifying the value of the Name attribute. Ensure that the name is different than other server names in the ServerCluster. For example, change the value from default_node_cognosserver to default_node_cognosserver_1.
4. Add the new server to the PrimaryServers section, as shown below:
```
<PrimaryServers>
    <Server Name="default_node_cognosserver"/>
    <Server Name="default_node_cognosserver_1"/>
</PrimaryServers>
```
5. Save the plugin-cfg.xml file. The new server is added to the ServerCluster.
To add more servers, repeat step 6.

What to do next

By default, WebSphere Liberty Profile (WLP) creates a random, unique ID. If the server.xml file of the WLP changes, for example as a result of changes to the Cognos Analytics configuration settings or resetting the WLP ( for example, cleaning the cognos_analytics_install/wlp/usr/servers/cognosserver/workarea ), the ID might change and break the link between IHS and Cognos Analytics. To prevent this issue, try using the following solution:

Using a text editor, create a file named local-server.xml.
Add the following content to the file:
```
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <server> 
   <httpSession cloneID="MyCloneID"/>
 </server>
```
The MyCloneID can be any unique, alphanumeric value. For ease of use, the fully qualified domain name could be used, unless multiple dispatchers are installed on the same server.
Save the local-server.xml file to the Cognos Analyticsinstall_location/configuration directory.