Troubleshooting Secure Connection to IBM Sterling Connect:Direct Server

Test Secure Connection to the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct is a utility referred to here as the testSecureConnectionToCD script.

This utility helps user to:

Test secure connection to the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct server
Enable the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct tracing
See the java network tracing

It uses certificate-based authentication to make secure connection (TLS, TLS1.1, TLS1.2 only) with Connect: Direct server.

Table 1. Inputs for the script
Argument	Required/Optional	Description
cdhost	Required	Running Connect:Direct host IP
cdport	Required	Running Connect:Direct port
protocol	Required	TLS, TLS1.1, TLS1.2
keystore	Required	Keystore file in JKS format
keystorepwd	Required	Keystore password
truststore	Required	Truststore File in JKS format
truststorepwd	Required	Truststore Password
networktracing	Required	Used to enable the java network tracing Y/N
cduser	Optional	CD user id

How To Run the testSecureConnectionToCD script?

Location of the testSecureConnectionToCD script: <installation directory>/bin directory.

testSecureConnectionToCD script accepts input in two ways:

User can provide all inputs in the command line such as:

C:\install directory\bin>testSecureConnectionToCD.bat 
cdhost=172.20.185.43 
cdport=1363 
protocol=TLS1.2 
keystore=C:\CCenter.keystore keystorepwd=changeit truststore=C:\CCenter.truststore truststorepwd=changeit networktracing=Y

User can provide all inputs via prompts such as:

C:\install directory\bin>testSecureConnectionToCD.bat

-----------------------------------------
*** Checking Secure connections to CD server... ***
-----------------------------------------
Current time is 01/18/2023 23:53:13.92
Please provide the node connection information
Enter host address: 172.20.185.43
Enter api port: 1363
Enter protocol: TLS1.2
Enter user id: 
Enter keystore path: C:\CCenter.keystore
Enter keystore password:
********
Enter truststore path: C:\CCenter.truststore"
Enter truststore password:
********
Do you want to enable java network tracing press: Y/N Y

Note: userId is an optional field.

The script provides the appropriate messages in case the required inputs are not supplied.

C:\install directory\bin>testSecureConnectionToCD.bat
-----------------------------------------
*** Checking Secure connections to CD server... ***
-----------------------------------------
Current time is 01/30/2023 22:15:47.19
Please provide the node connection information
Enter host address:
Enter api port:
Enter protocol:
Enter user id:
Enter keystore path:
Enter keystore password: 
Enter truststore path:
Enter truststore password: 
Do you want to enable java network tracing press: Y/N N
Please provide required params value :cdhost, cdport, protocol, keystore, keystorepwd, truststore, truststorepwd

When connection is successful with the IBM Sterling Connect:Direct server, then user will get successful message as shown below.

Node Connected Successfully!
Node Tracing Status: true
Node Tracing ON Successfully!
Signed on to Connect:Direct for Windows, Version = 6102000, Server name = NODE123

  Press enter to continue: