Fix pack 5 release notes

Fix pack 5 of IBM Tivoli Netcool Configuration Manager V6.4.2 is now available from IBM Fix Central at http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/. Fix pack installation, fixes and known limitations are described here.

Enhancements and updates

Operating systems
Operating system, database and browser support has been extended to the latest versions.
See Software requirements for more information.
NSM REST enhancements
The NSM REST API now returns the actualModel field. See Short and long formats for device URIs for more information.
Certain service URIs can now have a priority level. For more information, see the following topic: Service URIs.

Installation

To install the IBM Tivoli Netcool Configuration Manager Version 6.4.2 fix pack 5, you download the ITNCM Installation Manager repository.

Attention: Netcool Configuration Manager is available only as a 64-bit version.

A number of requirements and restrictions apply to Linux on System z installations. See the Software requirements topic for more information.See the 'Software requirements' topic in the IBM Tivoli Netcool Configuration Manager Installation and Configuration Guide 'Planning' section for more information.

The following files are available for download:
Table 1. Netcool Configuration Manager fix pack files
File Description

ITNCM_Base_AIX.tar

ITNCM_Base_Linux.tar

ITNCM_Base_zLinux.tar

Netcool Configuration Manager Version 6.4.2 fix pack 5 for AIX, Linux and zLinux.

Also includes the ITNCM DashBoard Components.
Note: The ITNCM DashBoard Components are only required when your system is integrated with Network Manager, and not for stand-alone Netcool Configuration Manager installations.

oobc_AIX.zip

oobc_Linux.zip

oobc_zLinux.zip

 Out of band change installers for AIX, Linux and zLinux
Restriction: Netcool Configuration Manager V6.4.2 fix pack 5 can only be applied to Netcool Configuration Manager versions V6.4.2.0, V6.4.2.1, V6.4.2.3, V6.4.2.3, or V6.4.2.4.
Note: Netcool Configuration Manager now supports Jazz for Service Management 1.1.3.0 along with Dashboard Application Services Hub 3.1.3.0 and Reporting Services 3.1.3.0. They can be updated on any Presentation and Reporting servers either before or after upgrading to Netcool Configuration Manager V6.4.2 fix pack 3, fix pack 4, or fix pack 5.
Important:
  • This fix pack needs to be executed on all presentation, worker and reporting servers.
  • Quit all programs before continuing with the upgrade.
  • Customized memory settings are not preserved during upgrade, and therefore must be updated manually after the upgrade.
  • When validating the JazzSM credentials, remember that the user is the same one used to restart Netcool Configuration Manager on this server.
  1. Log onto the Netcool Configuration Manager presentation server.

  2. Change to the /eclipse subdirectory of the Installation Manager Group installation directory and use the following command to start Installation Manager: 

    ./IBMIM
    To record the installation steps in a response file for use with silent installations on other computers, use the -record response_file option. For example: 
    IBMIM -record C:\response_files\install_1.xml

  3. Configure Installation Manager to download package repositories from IBM Passport Advantage:

    1. From the main menu, choose File > Preferences.

      Tip: You can set preferences for proxy servers in IBM Installation Manager. Proxy servers enable connections to remote servers from behind a firewall.

    2. In the Preferences window, expand the Internet node and select one of the following options:

      FTP Proxy
      Select this option to specify a SOCKS proxy host address and a SOCKS proxy port number.
      HTTP Proxy
      Select this option to enable an HTTP or SOCKS proxy.
    3. Select Enable proxy server.
    4. In the Preferences window, select the Passport Advantage panel.
    5. Select Connect to Passport Advantage.
    6. Click Apply, and then click OK.

  4. In the main Installation Manager window, click Update, and then select Netcool Configuration Manager. Follow the installation wizard instructions to complete the installation.

  5. Accept the license agreement, select an installation directory, and supply the following details:

    Netcool Configuration Manager database details
    Sid/service name/database name(db2)
    Database hostname
    Port
    Username
    Password
    DASH administrative credentials
    DASH administrator username.
    Important: Do not accept the default username of smadmin. Your installation might continue, but fail later. Use the DASH credentials that were originally used when Netcool Configuration Manager was installed. The default username was Intelliden.
    DASH administrator password
    Network Manager administrative credentials
    Default is either itnmadmin or the DASH superuser, who must have the ncw_admin role in DASH
    Password
    Netcool Configuration Manager presentation server
    Connection details to the Netcool Configuration Manager Presentation server.
    A skip validation option should the Presentation server be unavailable.
    Tivoli Common Reporting server
    Connection details to the Tivoli Common Reporting server
    A skip validation option should the Presentation server be unavailable.
  6. Complete the update.
After installing the fix pack, you might need to perform the following steps, depending on your deployment:
Clear the browser cache
After upgrading, clear the cache on any browsers that you use to work with Netcool Configuration Manager.
Upgrade database schema
Upgrade the database schema to the latest version on the main presentation server only, by running the following command:
install_dir/bin/utils/database/upgrade/upgradeDBSchema.sh version
Where version is the current version of the product that you are upgrading from. For example: 
/opt/IBM/tivoli/netcool/ncm/bin/utils/database/upgrade/upgradeDBSchema.sh 6.4.2.5
To verify the current version, run the following command:
cat <install_dir>/config/rseries_version.txt
In the following example output, the version is 6.4.2.5:
6.4.2.5-27052019062220-01-f8a8c49b816
Update Netcool Configuration Manager DASH components
If your system is integrated with Network Manager, you must also update the Netcool Configuration Manager DASH components on the Network Manager GUI server
  1. Open the Installation Manager on the Network Manager GUI server, and add the current version of Netcool Configuration Manager to the list of repositories.
  2. Click Update.
  3. Select IBM Netcool GUI Components and then IBM Dashboard Applications for ITNCM.
    Note: You must supply the required JazzSM and itnmadmin credentials to upgrade the software.
Configure Alerts menu of the Active Events List (AEL)
If your system is integrated with Network Manager, you must again add access to the Activity Viewer from the Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus Active Event List by configuring the Alerts menu.
For more information, see Configuring the Alerts menu of the Active Event List
Reapply any previous memory settings
Customized memory settings are not preserved during upgrade, and you must update them manually after the upgrade.
Remember: Netcool Configuration Manager now supports Jazz for Service Management 1.1.3.0 along with Dashboard Application Services Hub 3.1.3.0 and Reporting Services 3.1.3.0. You can update your Presentation and Reporting servers before or after upgrading to this fix pack.

Fixes

The following fixes have been applied to this fix pack.

Updated Java certificate

Previous versions of Netcool Configuration Manager included files signed with a Java certificate that expired in February 2018. Expired certificates cause errors similar to the following: 
Java Web Start Error: JAR resources in JNLP file are not signed by same certificate

This fix pack includes files signed with an updated certificate. If you experienced these errors, upgrade to fix pack 5.

After upgrading to fix pack 5, each user of the Netcool Configuration Manager GUI must clear their Java cache. To clear the Java cache, complete the following steps:

  1. Delete the following files:
    admin.jnlp
cmui.jnlp

  2. Open the Java Control Panel and clear your cache by clicking Java Control Panel > Temporary Internet Files > Settings > Delete Files.

    For detailed instructions on Windows, see the section “How do I clear the Java cache?” at https://www.java.com/en/download/help/plugin_cache.xml

  3. Start the Netcool Configuration Manager GUI. If you see the certificate error, the cache was not cleared correctly and you must perform the steps to clear the cache again.

APAR fixes

Table 2. APAR fixes in this fix pack
ALM APAR Description
alm00325215 IV94043 REMOVE "TRUNCATE" REFERENCES FOUND IN THE ITNCM ONLINE DOCUMENTATION.
alm00325238 IV94225 ALL THE PARAMETERS ARE NOT DISPLAYED IN THE POLICY EXECUTION WINDOW
alm00325515 IV95285 ITNCM ATTEMPTS XML COMPARE WITH STANDARD/CUSTOM CONFIGURATIONS
alm00325812 IV96532 GPON UOWS STUCK AND HAD TO RESTART
alm00326041 IV97610 UPDATE ITNCM ONLINE INSTALLATION DOCUMENTATION
alm00326313 IV98668 ITNCM GUI HUNG AND UNKNOWN STATUS
alm00326707 IV99695 JAVA HEAP MEMORY NOT GETTING RELEASED
alm00326980 IJ00501 6.4.2 PORTS REFERENCE NEEDS UPDATING

Limitations

The limitations documented in the release notes for previous fix packs of Netcool Configuration Manager still apply to this version, unless listed as fixed in a subsequent edition of the release notes.

Java code signing certificate error

You might see the following error when you start the Netcool Configuration Manager GUI after upgrading to Fix Pack 5:

Java Web Start Error: JAR resources in JNLP file are not signed by same certificate

This error is caused by an update to the Java code signing certificate. To resolve the issue, clear your Java cache.

For example, on Windows, use the Java Control Panel to clear the cache by using the instructions here: https://www.java.com/en/download/help/plugin_cache.xml.

Installation fails with default DASH username

When you upgrade Netcool Configuration Manager, you must not accept the default DASH username of smadmin. Your installation might continue, but fail later. Use the DASH credentials that were originally used when Netcool Configuration Manager was installed. The default username was Intelliden.