Fix pack 7 release notes

Enhancements and updates, fixes, known limitations, and installation steps are described here.

Enhancements and updates

Configure user and group audit logging

User and group interactions with Netcool Configuration Manager can be logged to file. Logging is on by default.

For more information, see Configure user and group audit logging.

REST API URIs to create realm and create device

You can create a realm or a device using the appropriate URI.

For more information, see HTTP POST for /realm and HTTP POST for /device/create/device_name/Vendor/Type/Model/OS.

Writing changes to a named configuration file

When using file-based access to device, you can write configuration changes to a file with a name that you define.

For more information, see File-based access method.

Configuring WebSphere Application Server for Network Service Manager

You must configure IBM WebSphere Application Server in order to use JSON with the NSM REST API.

For more information, see Configuring WebSphere Application Server for Network Service Manager.

APAR fixes

Table 1. Fixes in this fix pack
Number Title

IJ06141

NCM 6.4.2 DOCO DOES NOT REFLECT CURRENT TLS 1.1/1.2 SUPPORT EVEN THOUGH IT ACTUALLY DOES

IJ06500

INVALID FUNCTION IN ORACLE DATABASE/SQL/NCM_CREATEFUNCTIONS.SQL

IJ06628/IJ06885

ICOSUTIL WORKHOUSEKEEPING FAILS DUE TO NCM/BIN/CLASSPATH REFERENCING INVALID JARS
IJ06894 FIX DOCUMENTATION ABOUT ITNCM-BASE INSTALL REQUIRES DASH

IJ07987

SHOW DIFFERENCES GAVE "BADLOCATION EXCEPTION NO SUCH LINE" FOR ALCATEL DEVICES

IJ08251

DOCUMENTATION ON LDAP INTEGRATION MISSING STEPS FOR CUSTOM GROUP NAMES

IJ09199

AMEND DOC TO EXPLAIN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TIMEZONE AND HOUSEKEEPINGSTARTHOUR

IJ08732

NCM Compliance GUI prompts for User name and password.

Downloading

Download this fix pack from the following location: http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/.

To download Netcool Configuration Manager Drivers, locate the version of Drivers that you want to download in the Drivers release notes.

Compatibility and limitations

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

You can upgrade to this fix pack from any previous V6.4.2 fix pack.

Installing this fix pack on any other versions is not supported. If you want to upgrade to V6.4.2 from a previous major version, for example, V6.4.1, you must do that before installing any fix packs.

For instructions on installing a major version of the product, for example V6.4.2, see Installing.

For information about upgrading to the latest major version, refer to Upgrading Netcool Configuration Manager to version 6.4.2.0.

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.

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 or later.

Installing

To install this fix pack, complete the following steps.

  1. Save any customized memory settings so that you can restore them after installing the fix pack.
  2. Back up any files that you have modified, excluding the files in the following list. After upgrading, reapply your changes to the newly installed versions of the files that you backed up. The fix pack upgrade preserves changes to the files in the following list, therefore, you do not need back up these files, regardless of whether you have changed them. All files are within the Netcool Configuration Manager home directory.

    bin/config.sh
    compliance/config/properties/AdminManager.properties
    compliance/config/properties/ComponentManager.properties
    compliance/config/properties/Event.properties
    compliance/config/properties/LoggingServer.properties
    compliance/config/properties/OOBChangeProcessor.properties
    compliance/config/properties/RMServer.properties
    compliance/config/properties/RemedialActionsManager.properties
    compliance/config/properties/WorkFlowManager.properties
    compliance/config/properties/jpa.properties
    compliance/config/properties/rseries.properties
    compliance/installer/CMServer.properties
    config/properties/.intelliden.properties
    config/properties/driver.properties
    config/properties/logger.properties
    config/properties/rseries.properties
    config/properties/vendor.properties
    config/properties/verifyPermissions.properties
    oobc/install/install.properties
    ITNCM.properties
    compliance/config/properties/PortManager.properties
  3. Note the JazzSM credentials of the user that restarts Netcool Configuration Manager on this server. Use these credentials when prompted for JazzSM credentials by the installation process.
  4. Download the fix pack from Fix Central.

    The following files are available for download. Netcool Configuration Manager is available only as a 64-bit version.
    Table 2. Netcool Configuration Manager fix pack files
    File Description

    ITNCM_platform_version.zip

    The Netcool Configuration Manager fix pack, where platform is the name of the platform, and version is the version of this fix pack.

    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_platform.zip

    Out of band change installers, where platform is the name of the platform.
  5. Uncompress the ITNCM_platform_version.tar file.
  6. Quit all running programs. Stop all running instances of Netcool Configuration Manager by running the following command:

    <install directory>/bin/itncm.sh stop 
  7. Log onto the Netcool Configuration Manager server. You must install the fix pack on all presentation, worker and reporting servers.
  8. Start IBM Installation Manager in either interactive or silent mode.

    • For interactive mode, change to the /eclipse/ subdirectory of the IBM Installation Manager group installation directory and use the following command to start IBM Installation Manager:

      ./IBMIM 
    • To record the installation steps in interactive mode 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
    • For silent mode, change to the /eclipse/tools/ subdirectory of the IBM Installation Manager group installation directory and use the following command to start IBM Installation Manager:

      imcl -c
  9. If necessary, configure proxy settings and enable IBM Installation Manager to be able to download package repositories from IBM Passport Advantage. These options are in the Internet and Passport Advantage sections of the Preferences menu.
  10. Add the downloaded fix pack file as a repository to IBM Installation Manager, in Preferences > Repositories > Add Repository.
  11. In the main Installation Manager menu, click Update, and then select Netcool Configuration Manager. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.

    Important: Do not deselect any components that are already selected. Deselecting components uninstalls them.
  12. Accept the license agreement and select an installation directory.
  13. In an interactive installation, 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.
  14. Complete the update.
  15. Install the fix pack on all other presentation, worker and reporting servers.

If you encounter any errors during the installation, refer to the following information: Troubleshooting installation.

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.