Update the Java Environment

The Java™ Runtime Environment (JRE) is automatically installed with IBM® Cognos Controller Financial Analytics Publisher and IBM Cognos® Controller Web Services Server. This means that you no longer need to define the JAVA_HOME or CCR_JAVA_HOME environment variables.

Tip: In most cases, you should not set any JAVA_HOME variable. It is only when the JRE does not exist in the default location that IBM Cognos Configuration and other IBM Cognos BI components require that the JRE is referenced by the JAVA_HOME environment variable. On Microsoft Windows operating system, if JAVA_HOME is not set, the JRE that is packaged with IBM Cognos Controller is used by default.

IBM Cognos Controller cryptographic services use specific .jar (Java Archive) files in your Java Runtime Environment (JRE) to determine the allowed strength of the JRE. IBM Cognos Controller provides the necessary jurisdictional policy .jar files in case your JRE does not have the minimum required cryptographic strength.

If you do not have a JAVA_HOME variable already set, the JRE files provided with the installation will be used, and you do not have to update any files in your environment. If JAVA_HOME points to a Java version that is not valid for IBM Cognos Controller, you must update JAVA_HOME with the path to a valid Java version.

If you want to use your own JRE and have JAVA_HOME set to that location, you may have to update the Java environment for the cryptographic services.

Important: The JRE you use for Controller must be 64-bit.

The need to update your Java environment depends on the relative strength of jurisdictional policy .jar files in your environment. For example, if you already have stronger files in your environment than are provided with IBM Cognos Controller, you do not have to update the environment. Doing so, in this case, may cause other applications to not work correctly.

If you update your Java environment, it is recommended that you make a backup copy of the files you overwrite. If other applications fail, you may have to replace the original jurisdictional policy .jar files.

You can set JAVA_HOME as a system variable or a user variable. If you set it as a system variable, it may be necessary to restart your computer for it to take effect. If you set it as a user variable, set it so that the environment in which IBM WebSphere is running can access it.

Java 1.6.0 is the minimum supported JRE for IBM Cognos Controller.

Java 1.5.0 is the minimum supported JRE for IBM Cognos. Ensure that you installed the correct JRE for the hardware that you are using.

Procedure

  1. Ensure that the JAVA_HOME environment variable is set to the JRE location.

    For example, to set JAVA_HOME to the JRE files provided with the installation, the path is ccr_location/bin/jre/version.

  2. Copy the bcprov-jdknn-nnn.jar file from the ccr_location/bin/jre/version/lib/ext directory to the Java_location/jre/lib/ext directory.